Hockessin's Valley Road eyed for housing development

Houses may soon replace one of the last commercial mushroom farms in the state.

A local developer is asking New Castle County Council to rezone about 20 acres on Valley Road in Hockessin that houses Camoirano Mushrooms halfway between Limestone Road and Lancaster Pike.

The rezoning would make way for a proposed 55-home subdivision that would replace the farm. The subdivision would consist of two-story twin houses and townhomes, said Shawn Tucker, attorney for local developer Jay Sonecha.

If approved by County Council, the rezoning would double the number of homes the developer can build on the property, Tucker said. The County Council is expected to vote on the rezoning Tuesday.

Tucker said the area is identified in county planning documents as a growth area and the project will fit in with the surrounding community.

"Our density is pretty consistent with what you see around Hockessin and Pike Creek for mixed-housing developments," Tucker said.

Mark Blake, vice president of the Greater Hockessin Area Development Association, said the development is another welcome step toward preventing Valley Road from becoming a commercial corridor comparable to Kirkwood Highway or Concord Pike.

"This does avoid overdevelopment on Valley Road," Blake said. "That has been our biggest concern from the community. ... There is a lot of land out here. There is still 75 acres on the other side that could see some sort of development in the future. This is going to help mitigate that."

Prices for the standard units will be around $400,000 for the townhomes and $450,000 for the twin units.

The project will also be the first under the county's new regulations for affordable housing. Those regulations were passed two years ago and replaced a previous, so-called workforce housing program that county officials said didn't work.

As part of the new program, the development will have 11 units priced at either $222,000 or $285,000 for buyers who make below the area's median income. A family of four with a household income ranging from $60,000 to $70,000 can participate in the program, which also brings restrictions on the resale of those properties.

Councilman Penrose Hollins, who championed the revamp of the county's affordable housing program, said the development will show that affordable housing can be attractive anywhere it the county.

"The location this is in certainly demonstrates it can be done,” Hollins said.

Tucker said the development will entirely displace the mushroom operation, which was situated in long cinderblock buildings some local residents said were an eyesore. Local and state officials said the farm is one of the last in the state.

"It cleans up an area, fortunately," said Councilwoman Janet Kilpatrick, who represents the area. "Unfortunately, it gets rid of an agricultural business that I would think that we still need. I know there are many farms in Pennsylvania and not so many in Delaware."

Contact Xerxes Wilson at (302) 324-2787 or xwilson@delawareonline.com. Follow @Ber_Xerxes on Twitter.