Open Space Land Acquisition | 9.4.25
Yesterday, we received an email from DNREC Secretary Gregory Patterson letting us know that the state, in collaboration with DNREC’s Open Space Program and with support from Representative Griffith and Senator Sturgeon, is in the process of purchasing 12 parcels currently within the Auburn Valley Master Plan. This $6.4 million dollar, 30 acre acquisition would ensure that these parcels are no longer eligible for private development.
You can read his full email below.
We have provided a map of these parcels, but were unable to delineate the subdivision of the last parcel (0267) listed in the email due to its vague status at this time.
Yorklyn area residents and elected officials -
Want to share some good news: Today the state Open Space Council recommended the use of $6.4 million of Open Space program funding to purchase a number of properties in Yorklyn, thus preserving them and adding them to Auburn Valley State Park. This request to the Open Space Council was made by DNREC and State Parks with substantial support from Rep. Griffith and Sen. Sturgeon.
The parcels recommended for purchase total about 29 acres and include the Chatham Bay parcel, a parcel slated for three single family homes and a number of others. I have attached a map, and the list of parcels is below as well (please note there is a 13-acre parcel shown and listed but the recommended purchase will only include 8 acres of that one). The purchase recommendation came after negotiation with the property owners over the last several months regarding their willingness to sell and their asking price, but now must go through formal contract negotiation and closing. By law, the DNREC secretary has the final approval on the purchases.
If (but hopefully when) completed, this $6.4 million is obviously a substantial investment by the state in Yorklyn, adding to the preserved lands and avoiding potential development. Because they involve real estate negotiations, listing of possible purchases doesn't happen ahead of Open Space Council meetings. But having it in the works and hoping it would be recommended was the major reason I previously said I wanted to wait on meeting with you.
I will reiterate what I said in my Aug. 21 email to some of the Yorklyn residents and have said all year, which is that DNREC is committed to responsibly and deliberately working through the multiple Auburn Valley issues. That includes the consultant I mentioned we are hiring to provide an expert review of the water resource issues, discussions with New Castle County about transitioning land use authority back to the county, and now purchasing a number of the properties and taking them off the table for private development.
I did not receive a response to my last email (below), and I know some of you have continued to advocate publicly for faster action. If you'd still like to meet once we have a better understanding of our next steps, simply let us know. While we need time to resolve what occurred over the last 15 years, this $6.4 million commitment of state money toward preservation shows our intent to do so.
Thanks,
Greg
Properties recommended for purchase by the Open Space Council 9/3/25:
From Yorklyn SE Properties
0800100026 (2.9 ac.)
0800400269 (11 ac.)
From Auburn Village LLC and JGR LLC
0800100023 (.66 ac.)
0800400270 (1.04 ac.)
0800400272 (1.11 ac.)
0800400271 (.89 ac.)
0800400273 (1.04 ac.)
0800400274 (.48 ac.)
0800100025 (.74 ac.)
0800400275 (.71 ac.)
0800100027 (1.1 ac.)
0800400267 (13.02 ac. total; subdivision acreage of the property to be determined but Parks would be expected to acquire about 8 acres of the total acreage of the parcel)
