Weight Loss Clinic in North Star, DE

State agencies commented on plans for the proposed 433-acre Northstar mixed-use community along Route 9 and the north and south sides of Beaver Dam Road one mile west of Five Points during its Dec. 20 Office of State Planning Coordination Preliminary Land Use Service meeting.

The plan includes 758 single-family home lots, 94 multifamily units and 96,000 square feet of commercial space. The developer will have to file rezoning applications from AR-1, agricultural-residential, to C-3, heavy commercial, and from AR-1 to MR, medium-density residential, and file a conditional-use application for multifamily housing.

All commercial construction would be on 12.7 acres along Route 9.

Included in the plan are 94 affordable apartment units on 4.65 acres that will be under the Delaware State Housing Authority low-income tax credit program.

Ring Lardner, an engineer with Davis, Bowen and Friedel, representing the developer, said the community is a master-planned, in-fill project.

The parcel is designated as coastal area in the county's future land-use map where high-density development is permitted.

Access to property

The property borders Route 9 across from the Vineyards, and runs along portions of Beaver Dam Road in several areas. One of the proposed major road improvements includes the first phase of the Delaware Department of Transportation’s Mulberry Knoll to Route 9 connection road. The plan includes a section of that road from Beaver Dam Road to Route 9 at the Vineyards intersection, which will be dedicated to DelDOT for public use.

The plan also includes a proposed connection from the project on the south side of Beaver Dam Road to Lewes Crossing via Oakney Street for vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

Northstar is in the Henlopen Transportation Improvement District and would be required to contribute funds per unit and per commercial square footage to a fund for road improvements in the district, besides other road improvements required for Northstar.

At buildout, the average daily traffic would be 13,359 trips.

Access to the parcel would be from Route 9 and Beaver Dam Road across from the Coastal Club community.

Lardner said the preliminary plan includes three miles of shared-use pathways to provide linkages to existing subdivisions and two-and-a-half miles of pathways within the proposed community.

The project includes several park areas and 166.5 acres of open space, or 44% of the total acreage.

Environmental comments

Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control representative Beth Krumine said the agency's review found there are tax ditches on the property that may require improvements. She said the developer should avoid building homes in a portion of the 100-year floodplain on the western edge of the property.

Krumine said that 25% of the parcel is within an excellent water recharge area that will require the developer to comply with Sussex County regulations.

She recommended that a forest assessment be completed before the removal of 5 acres of the 28 acres of woodlands, and that a 100-foot vegetated buffer be installed along 19.5 acres of nontidal wetlands.

In addition, she said there are two state rare or threatened species located very close to the property, the tiger salamander and the barking tree frog, that probably use the forest of the Northstar parcel.

Other recommendations include the relocation of two existing bus stops closer to the Route 9-Old Vine Boulevard location, and that a phase one archaeological study be completed before any ground disturbance.

All plans are preliminary and subject to change prior to scheduling of public hearings before the Sussex County Planning & Zoning Commission and Sussex County Council. The state planning office cannot make land-use decisions, but it can provide recommendations.

The Greens of Northstar would be at the corner of North Galena and Wilson roads.

Courtesy | Berkshire Twp.

GALENA — The Berkshire Township Zoning Commission heard a presentation about the Greens at Northstar development at its May 4 meeting.

The development would be about 24 acres at the corner of North Galena and Wilson roads, to be built in two phases. “This Final Development Plan Major Modification is necessary since the applicant desires to change the type of homes originally approved in 2008, attached condominiums consisting of 2-, 3- and 4-bedroom units, to detached condominiums,” the project summary from April said. The original Northstar approval was in 2001.

It was noted that the Delaware Regional Planning Commission had earlier given conditional approval to this development plan amendment request, subject to five conditions.

Planner/Engineer Joe Looby spoke on behalf of the applicant, New Albany-based The Christoff Group. He said they are proposing 148 homes, and had letters of approval from utilities, the fire department and county engineer. Looby said the target market is age 55 and up.

Members of the public were concerned about the density, construction traffic, aesthetics and building materials, secondary access and wetland areas.

The commission members said they would like to compare the plan presented with the original plan for the changes. The applicant said, “They will work on getting the all the proper information for the next Zoning Commission meeting,” the meeting minutes said.

A continuance was granted to June 1.

In new business, the minutes said, “There is land clearing currently happening at Africa Road/37 and this is another extended stay hotel — they are not apartments and therefore do not pay any bed tax.” Also, adding a noise level of 65 decibels to solar panels was recommended as a language change to the zoning resolution.

The commission’s first meeting of the year was on April 6. Damita Peery was named the chair, Andy Kerr the vice chair. The other members are Matt Allen, Jon Kerr and Austin Slattery. Philip Pifer is the alternate. David Weade is the township zoning inspector and Donielle Owen is the new meeting secretary.

Also on April 6, there was discussion of possible changes to the zoning resolution regarding agrotourism, bike paths, design standards, hotel definitions, model home signs, parks-trails, perimeter setbacks and small solar farms. The 228-page zoning resolution was amended and effective Dec. 13, 2022.

The commission meets in the Berkshire Township Hall, 1454 Rome Corners Road, Galena.

Assistant Editor Gary Budzak covers the eastern half of Delaware County and surrounding areas. He may be reached at [email protected].

Museum features thousands of Day of the Dead items and is open year-round

SAN ANTONIO – Thousands of people visit the Fiesta Store near North Star Mall every year, but many are unaware that hidden on the top floor is an immersive experience that details the history of Dia de los Muertos.

The Day of the Dead Museum features thousands of pieces of art, five rooms and a main gallery dedicated to the holiday.

The owner of the Fiesta Store created the museum when no visitors were allowed inside during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our owner had an extensive collection of art from artists in Mexico, and she thought it would be beneficial to create a public interest in that,” said Luis Pineda, Fiesta Store manager.

MORE: What to know before you attend San Antonio’s free Muertos Fest

The owner of the Fiesta Store collected the items over 30 years and hopes visitors can find beauty in their history.

Pineda said the store has also acquired Dia de los Muertos artifacts from Mexico.

“It’s been in the making for about 15 years,” said Pineda. “To show people what Mexican art is about, not only Fiesta stuff that we have but the actual art that’s been in families for generations. We have probably tens of thousands of different pieces. Some of them are very delicate and very exquisite art.”

The museum also features calaveras, or skulls, altars and displays dedicated to Frida Kahlo and The Virgin Mary. A young woman also sings “La Llorona” at times for visitors in the main space.

“We get a lot of people with teary eyes after it because they remember someone, and it’s a very emotional song,” said Pineda.

Pineda remembers celebrating Dia de los Muertos with his family at Mexican cemeteries. He said he’s seen the holiday become more celebrated throughout the years.

“It’s becoming prevalent. Families that have nothing to do with Mexico or the culture of Mexico are doing altars in their houses,” said Pineda. “They want to involve themselves into the culture because it’s universal.”

And while more people embrace the holiday, Pineda said it’s just as important to know why and the meaning behind it.

“It’s changed over the years from the Aztecs to current generations. Now it’s being celebrated differently than it was before,” said Pineda. “And we show the different steps of how that’s being celebrated over time.”

The Day of the Dead Museum is open year-round. Click here for more information.

Find more Day of the Dead stories from KSAT here

Copyright 2022 by KSAT - All rights reserved.

Eneas de Troya, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 2.0 / Eneas de Troya, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 2.0

As savvy travelers have known for millennia, above the equator you don’t need GPS or a compass to figure out which way is north. All you need is a clear night sky.

From our perspective, the stars appear to slowly move in vast circles around what seems to be a fixed point of light more or less directly above the North Pole. This beacon happens to line up almost perfectly with the invisible axis on which Earth rotates (though it’s still about .7 degrees off target). This is, of course, the North Star, also known as Polaris (and many other aliases).

But here’s the thing: Polaris isn't one star. It’s three.

Located in the constellation Ursa Minor, Polaris is actually a triple star system. The first indication that the North Star was more than it appeared to be came in 1780, when William Herschel examined it through his telescope. Instead of spotting a single star, Herschel (who a year later discovered Uranus) instead found two close neighbors.

These stars are an odd couple. Polaris A is a supergiant roughly six times more massive and 2000 times brighter than our own Sun that dwarfs its companion, Polaris B. They're 323 light-years away, as scientists calculated in 2012. (Previous estimates had put them 434 light-years from Earth.) The vast distance blurs their boundaries to the naked eye.

In 2006, astronomers using the Hubble telescope realized this duo was actually a trio when they spotted a third, relatively diminutive star nearby, which they dubbed Polaris Ab. As you might expect, these three exert a huge gravitational force on each other. Due to their fairly close proximities, all three orbit around a common center of mass.

Some experts think two other stars, Polaris C and Polaris D, may be "gravitationally bound" to this trio, though they’re located a bit farther off.

Despite how strongly it shines, Polaris is only the 50th brightest star in the sky. Its luminosity fluctuates; right now, it’s in the midst of a particularly dazzling cycle. Today the star system looks up to 4.6 times brighter than it did in the past.

Polaris won't be the North Star for much longer (at least on the timescale of the universe). Because Earth’s axis wobbles over time, Polaris will lose its North Star status about 12,000 years from now when the more radiant Vega—which thousands of years ago was the North Star—reclaims its place.

When you think of wealthy states, Delaware does not come top of mind with a poverty rate of 11.6%. However, there are towns in Delaware that are affluent with high income and high property values. Perhaps the most famous resident of Delaware is President Joe Biden, whose house is located in a tony suburb of Wilmington. Below you will find a list of the 4 richest towns in Delaware. The information presented in this article is based on data from the US Census American Community Survey and the rankings are based on median household income.

1. North Star, DE

North Star is the wealthiest town in Delaware. North Star is located in Delaware’s New Castle county which is 40 miles from Philadelphia. Due to its proximity to Philadelphia, North Star is often considered a suburb of Philadelphia. North Star residents are wealthy with a median household income of $153,971. The poverty rate of North Star is 2.8% which is low considering the poverty rate of the state of Delaware is at 11.6%.

Home values in North Star are relatively high with a median home value of $457,900. Most of the homes in North Star are primarily owner-occupied with only 13.5% rentals and 86.5% owner-occupied.

North Star has a population of 8,056. Its residents are well educated with 68% of North Star residents graduating with a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to 33.6% for the state of Delaware. The average commute to work for North Star residents is 23.2 minutes.

2. Townsend, DE

Townsend is one of the richest towns in Delaware. Townsend is an affluent town in Delaware with top-rated schools and a small-town feel. Located in Delaware’s New Castle county, Townsend enjoys a low poverty rate of 1.4%. Townsend residents are well-to-do with a median household income of $142,115.

Townsend is a small town (approximately 1 square mile!) with a population of 2,717. The median home value in Townsend is $342,600. Most of the homes in Townsend are primarily owner-occupied with only 3.7% rentals and 96.3% owner-occupied.

Compared to the rest of Delaware, Townsend residents are well educated with 44.8% of residents graduating with a bachelor’s degree or higher. Lots of families live in Townsend with 34.6% of Townsend residents under 18 years old. The average commute to work for Townsend’s residents is 33.3 minutes.

3. Rehoboth, DE

Rehoboth is an affluent beach town in Delaware with high income and high property values. Rehoboth is a charming beach town with a small population of only 1,108. Rehoboth residents skew heavy on senior citizens and light on families with children. Almost half of Rehoboth’s population are senior citizens over 65 years old (43.8%) and only 5.9% of Rehoboth residents are kids under 18 years old.

Rehoboth is the most expensive place to buy property in Delaware where the median home value is $1,186,900. Most of the homes in Rehoboth are primarily owner-occupied with only 14.8% rentals and 85.2% owner-occupied.

Located in Delaware’s Sussex county, Rehoboth residents are wealthy with a median household income of $137,783. The poverty rate of Rehoboth is 5.1%. Rehoboth’s affluent residents are well-educated with 67.9% of residents graduating with a bachelor’s degree or higher. The average commute to work for Rehoboth’s residents is 28.1 minutes.

4. Greenville, DE

Greenville is an affluent suburb of Wilmington, DE. It is home to President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden’s 6800 square feet with a Zillow Zestimate of $1.3 million. The poverty rate of Greenville is a low 1.8% compared to the State of Delaware where the poverty rate is 11.6%! Greenville residents earn a median household income of $118,618.

Home values in Greenville are high with a median home value of $812,000. Greenville is a commuter town with most of the homes in Greenville being rentals- there are 53.1% rentals and 46.9% owner-occupied.

Greenville has a population of 3,104. Greenville residents are well educated with 76.7% of residents graduating with a bachelor’s degree or higher. Lots of families live in Greenville with 22.4% of Greenville residents under 18 years old. The average commute to work for Greenville’s residents is 23.4 minutes.

You May Also Be Interested In:

Wealthiest Towns in Maryland

Wealthiest Suburbs in Washington DC

Wealthiest Towns in Virginia

Wealthiest Towns in Pennsylvania

Wealthiest Towns in Delaware

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