Redevelopment plans for the former Walls’ Apartments site in Rehoboth Beach are advancing, as the city’s planning commission has agreed to move a proposed subdivision to a public hearing.
Located at 104 Scarborough Avenue, the nearly 29,000-square-foot lot has been vacant since 2019 and is now set for potential transformation.
Subdivision Details
The proposal would divide the lot into four separate parcels:
- Three lots at 7,500 square feet each
- One triangular lot at approximately 6,100 square feet
All four lots will face Scarborough Avenue. The smaller lot required a variance due to its shape, which doesn’t allow for a 4,000-square-foot rectangle—a city requirement.
Although the lot is larger than 6,000 square feet, the city granted the variance in 2023. A new variance request was submitted after the original expired.
Historical and Environmental Considerations
The subdivision excludes the Lorenzo Dow Martin House, located at the corner of Christian Street and Scarborough Avenue.
Built before 1870, the house is considered the oldest built property in Rehoboth Beach and will remain untouched.
The lot features several mature trees, which city officials want preserved. Interim building and licensing director Corey Shinko recommended:
- Submission of a formal arborist report before the public hearing
- Locating off-street parking on the southern side of the property to minimize traffic disruption
- Adjusting curb cuts to reduce tree impact
Next Steps
Bill Lingo, whose family owns the property, shared that each of the four new lots is designated for his children.
The planning commission is expected to schedule the public hearing for these lots in May or June.
Other Planning News
A public hearing for a separate lot partition at 42 Columbia Avenue was withdrawn at the last minute.
The applicant had sought to divide a 12,485-square-foot parcel into two 6,242-square-foot lots.
The project met city code requirements, but was removed from the agenda with no explanation or rescheduled date.
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Source: Cape Gazette