NEW CASTLE, Del. – New Castle County Executive Thomas P. Gordon said the Court of Chancery ruling to nullify County Council’s vote to rezone the Barley Mill Plaza property was fair and just. The Executive has always maintained that a traffic study should have been completed prior to the vote to rezone the parcel.
Gordon ran for his third term largely because of his opposition to the Barley Mill Plaza. New Castle County Council had approved the controversial rezoning by a 7-6 margin.
A group of citizens called Save Our County then sued the county to reverse the decision, but Gordon actually took the side of the people when he took office in November.
“The judge said at least one member of Council asked for the traffic impact study, but they should have all asked for it,” Gordon said. “Every large development should have a traffic impact study. I am glad the court ruled in this manner.”
Gordon also gave credit to the Save Our County community group organized to fight the Stoltz proposal. And he gave a special thanks to attorney Sidney S. Liebesman, a partner with Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads.
Chief Administrative Officer David Grimaldi said the County Executive’s decision to reverse the county’s stand toward Barley Mill development fell in line with the CE’s mission to govern for the people.
“It is both courageous and unprecedented for an Executive to come in and change legal course,” Grimaldi said. “It would have been easier to just maintain the status quo, but this County Executive keeps his promises and fights for his constituency.”