The Kent County Regional Planning Commission heard testimony at its Feb. 5 meeting on plans proposed by Crossroad Christian Church to build a school on the church’s property near Cheswold.

    The church’s Kingdom Christian Academy operates out of the main church building, but the institution anticipates significant growth over the next several years, said Tolano Anderson, Crossroad’s facilities manager, who presented the plans at the meeting.

    Proposals call for construction of a 19,200-square-foot school building on the site of a church-owned industrial park that backs up to the main church lot, located at 4867 N. DuPont Highway. Future plans include the addition of an 8,700-square-foot second floor.

    The plans follow a previously approved site design for the industrial park, which could accommodate up to seven more similarly sized buildings. Anderson said the church has no plans to build any more structures beyond the school building and second story addition. He also dispelled a rumor the church has plans for dormitories on the site.

    Anderson said the school, which serves students in kindergarten through eighth grade, has 68 students enrolled but will have more than 100 by next school year.

    Though no state agencies raised objections to the proposed plans, RPC Commissioner Denise Kaercher had several concerns.

    Kaercher told Anderson the plans don’t show enough play fields and recreation areas, which she said are a necessity for even a small school.

    Anderson said the church already has a fenced playground and ample space for fields on the property. The proposed school building also will include a 9,000-square-foot indoor recreation area.

    “We have assessed that we will need additional play areas,” he said. “We have 7.6 acres … we have more than enough room.”

    At Kaercher’s request, Anderson agreed to indicate the location of play fields in the next draft of the plan, and to consult with the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association to determine the proper dimensions needed for a field to accommodate soccer, baseball and other sports.

    Kaercher also sought clarification on RPC’s role in determining the adequacy of educational buildings.

    She asked county Planning Director Sarah Keifer, “Where do we stand as a body to make education decisions?”

    Keifer said the state Department of Education had the opportunity to review the proposal just like other state agencies, and that she received no comments on the school plans from the department.

    Anderson said the school’s curriculum is approved by the state and that school is funded solely through church support and tuition.

    “It’s considered one of the best programs in the nation,” he said, “actually far better than what is available in the public education arena.”

    Kaercher and Commissioner Bill Jester also questioned the traffic and pedestrian patterns proposed in the plan and said the parking lot needs a larger turnaround space to accommodate a large volume of cars during school pick-up and drop-off times.

    Anderson agreed to revise the plans to include a better traffic pattern and a more formal pedestrian circulation system.

    No one testified in opposition to the proposed plans and RPC will vote on the issue at its next meeting, Thursday, Feb. 12.

In other business…

• The commission welcomed new member Richard Maly, who filled the seat vacated by Clifton Coleman Jr. last month.
   
• Commissioner David Bonar presented a proclamation signed by Gov. Jack Markell and Lt. Gov. Matt Denn in memory of the late David R. Keifer, the state’s first planning director and father of Kent County Planning Director Sarah Keifer. The proclamation offered condolences to the family and praised Keifer, who died Jan. 23, for his years of service and his formative role in state planning.

Email Doug Denison at doug.denison@doverpost.com