Developer’s revised White Clay Point proposal nixes indoor sports facility

By Richard L. Gaw
Staff Writer

At the New Garden Township Board of Supervisors meeting on July 21, Stonewall Capital, LLC of Maryland unveiled its plans for White Clay Point in Landenberg, a 220-acre mixed-use development project consisting of 263 single family detached homes; 90 20-foot-wide townhomes; 200 24-foot-wide townhomes; 112 stacked townhomes; civic spaces and park land; and 75,000 square feet of commercial space.

The sweetener in the proposal included a $26.8 million investment by Stonewall Capital, LLC in several ancillary projects related to the development – all at no cost to the township – that included a 12-acre indoor youth sports facility, estimated at $6 million. Public reaction to the concept of the facility was swift and definitive; a sports complex of any kind crammed into a development intended for mixed-use purposes was unthinkable, many said, especially given the fragility of Route 41 and the prospect of it being used as a thoroughfare for sports tournaments and out-of-town sports teams and their fans. In addition, residents argued that the initial design of White Clay Point would lead to increased traffic along Route 41 and at the edges of the development along Reynolds and Sunny Dell roads.

At the board’s Aug. 18 meeting, Stonewall Capital, LLC unveiled its newest plan – one that has taken its direction from township residents.

During his presentation, Ray Jackson, managing partner of Stonewall Capital, LLC, introduced Plan 1A, an overview that removes the originally proposed indoor sports complex, reduces residential density by 10 percent – from an originally proposed 680 units to 620 units – and expands opportunities for retail and commercial progress. The sports complex will be replaced by high-density residential condominium units. In their place, Jackson said that the company is looking to use the now-available space for retail, which will hopefully include a 30,000 to 40,000 square-foot grocery store.  

“Knowing [White Clay Point’s] close proximity to Delaware, we don’t believe we are going to attract traditional retailers,” Jackson told the board. “We’re going to need to attract service retailers, restaurants – things that your residents said they want. Retail comes when you build rooftops.”

Jackson said that the decision to remove the planned sports facility from the plan was heavily influenced by the responses expressed by community members.

“Last month we came in here and made a proposal that included a detailed presentation with regards to the sports complex,” he said. “What I heard were some concerns, and not just one or two concerns, but multiple. Subsequent to that, I had a conversation with [New Garden Township Manager] Christopher Himes and I said, ‘It’s for the betterment of the community and the betterment of this project to replace the sports complex with retail.”

Jackson told the supervisors that the company has had numerous conversations with AQUA PA about the wastewater system needs for the proposed development; spoken with members of the Somerset Lake community about solutions to anticipated water runoff problems from the development to Somerset Lake; held meetings with traffic consultants; and is beginning outreach with the environmental group S.A.V.E. on Route 41 traffic planning. In addition, Stonewall Capital, LLC has recently created a website, which will contain all reports, engineering plans, schedules and images as the proposed project moves forward.

The presentation also discussed potential access points, anticipated traffic patterns and traffic calming measures from the proposed development along Sunny Dell and Reynolds roads and Route 41. 

To learn more about the White Clay Point proposal, visit www.whiteclaypoint-pa.com, or the township’s website at www.newgarden.org.

Community survey results

In other township business, Jason Moraado, director of community research for the ETC Institute, shared the results of a six-page community survey that was recently sent to over 3,000 randomly selected households in the township. The survey results yielded results for 408 respondents – a 13 percent response rate. The purpose of the survey was to objectively assess resident satisfaction with the delivery of major township services; help determine priorities for the community; set a baseline for future surveys; and compare New Garden Township’s performance with other communities regionally and nationally. Key highlights of the survey revealed:

• Over 85 percent of respondents said that New Garden Township is an excellent or good place to live and raise children;
• Residents gave high satisfaction ratings to public safety and parks and recreation services; and
• Included condition of township owned roads; public involvement in local decision making; visibility of police in neighborhoods; and connectivity of the township’s trail system as top priorities

On the negative side, the township received low marks for the condition of its roads, as nearly half of respondents gave transportation infrastructure a “dissatisfied” rating. Slightly more than half of the respondents gave a “dissatisfied” rating to the availability of public transportation in the township, and 80 percent of respondents said that improving road conditions should be the top priority for the township in the future. The survey also revealed that 30 percent of those filling out the survey called for the township to provide opportunities for more shopping and dining options. 

After several minutes of deliberation, the supervisors gave their approval to the passage of Act 209, a transportation impact fee ordinance, which is paid by developers undergoing the land development application process and is calculated based on the projected cost of the developer’s share of the required improvements within the study area intersections to maintain an overall consistent level of service. The approval follows an 18-month review of the ordinance as a method of leveraging new development to provide transportation funding to address critical intersection improvements within growth corridors in the township.

As the township heads into its annual budget preparation for fiscal year 2026, a “State of the Township” meeting will be held at the Township Building on Aug. 25 beginning at 7 p.m.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email [email protected].