DEVELOPMENT
In 2011 the Auburn Valley Master Plan (AMVP) was set forth as a Development Plan for the Auburn Valley.
In 2016, things changed. While still showing the connectivity to other preserved and/or open lands, DNREC quietly re-designated an unconnected 10 acres of mature forest to brownfield status, and added it to the AVMP.
In 2021 DNREC did it again, with a smaller parcel of land, slightly closer to AVMP. No notice.
The Auburn Valley Master Plan proposal made in 2011 was based on a “need” to move quickly - they planned to accomplish this by bypassing New Castle County Planning and Unified Development Code. However, the promise DNREC made to honor Yorklyn’s historical, cultural, and community integrity is being broken by their skirting of NCC processes and policies.
Present Day
You have probably seen the construction site on Yorklyn Rd where Drake McNish Cattermole & David H.C. Carpenter’s company, Quarry Walk LLC, cut down 10 acres of old growth trees - with no community notice - to build a subdivision of 25 townhouses (and later Mill 6 and Mill’s Edge, bringing the total to 129 townhouses). These three parcels are a package deal — the developers signed one contract with DNREC in December of 2020 for all three to be developed side by side. DNREC has sidestepped New Castle County’s Unified Development Code involvement by adding Mill’s Edge to the Auburn Valley Master Plan - again, with no community notice or involvement.
“Presently, Quarry Walk is continuing to raise the ire of local residents. After Apex Engineering submitted an application to DNREC, Division of Water, to install twelve temporary 1500-gallon wastewater storage tanks at Quarry Walk, residents submitted a 100-plus signature petition requesting a hearing.”
In June of 2024, DNREC conducted a public hearing as part of a permit approval process for the installation of 18,000 gallons of sewage holding tanks on the Quarry Walk site.
The contract between DNREC and the developers for Quarry Walk, Mills Edge, and Mill 6 clearly states:
2.4.8: Pump and Haul for Model Homes. Prior to construction of the Pump Station,
Redeveloper may pump and haul waste pursuant to the requirements of the UDC and all
Applicable Laws and permits. Under no circumstances shall this authorization to pump and haul
apply to Quarry Walk, which is not contemplated to be reliant upon the Pump Station for
sanitary sewer. [Emphasis supplied]
Why would DNREC allow a permit application to reach public hearing for something that the developer is explicitly and contractually not permitted to construct?
“The conservation goals for the Red Clay Creek Valley are directed at working with the regional conservation organizations and neighbors to conserve and manage the Red Clay Creek Valley for habitat protection, viewshed preservation and appropriate recreational use.”
In December of 2024, a company called Chatham Bay - managed by Sherry Freebery and owned by her son, Patrick Duffy — proposed a six-story luxury apartment building to be constructed on the Mill One site. This building would have had condo units for rent at $3000/month or for sale at $500,000.
After extended conversation between our community and DNREC, the proposal was denied. You can read more about DNREC’s decision here.
We believe the rejection of this proposal sets a precedent for future projects: they must be mixed use, they must not stress our existing infrastructure, and most importantly — they must feature adaptive reuse of existing historic structures.