By Glenn Rolfe

GEORGETOWN — Like a good neighbor, Hunter Emory wants his Georgetown-based State Farm insurance agency to remain in the seat of the county.

However, Delaware Department of Transportation plans for an extensive grade-separated intersection at U.S. 113 and Del. 404 loom over the horizon, and Mr. Emory’s current rental location, along with dozens of other properties in that area, are being taken to make way for construction.

Mr. Emory’s game plan, discussed at a Georgetown Town Council public hearing Wednesday, is to move from the highway closer to downtown Georgetown.

“We will be losing our office to the new construction coming with the new highway bypass. We expect to be losing our office probably around October or November of this year. I rented for the last eight years at this location and absolutely loved it,” said Mr. Emory. “But unfortunately, with the things that are changing … for the last year-and-a-half, I have been in search of a new piece of property.”

Recently, Mr. Emory made an offer, that was subsequently accepted, to purchase the Mary Cathell property at 216 W. Market St. The property is currently zoned Medium Density Residential District (UR-2), and a separate building on the premise is grandfathered in for conditional use as a real estate office.

“It is a beautiful piece of property. Unfortunately, it is currently zoned UR-2, and we are looking to change it to UB-3 (Professional Business District), so that we may be able to upgrade the location. We want to keep the same look of a home on West Market Street. We just want to revitalize it. Mrs. Cathell has done a great job with it,” said Mr. Emory. “(But we want to) give it a little extra TLC.”

Plans are to add a small parking area in the back and convert an existing garage into office space. Already located on the property is a real estate office.

“That was grandfathered in and used to be Mr. Cathell’s Nationwide office a long, long time ago,” said Mr. Emory.

“We want to keep the integrity that has been there on West Market Street. We want to bring our State Farm insurance agency there. There are a lot of properties around us who are already zoned UB-3. So we are hoping to be a part of that,” he added. “We also love the idea of being part of the downtown environment.”

Wednesday’s hearing was held to debate the Emory Agency Inc.’s request to amend the official zoning map from UR-2 to UB-3.

Georgetown Town Manager Eugene Dvornick said Mr. Emory’s request had been addressed Feb. 17 by the town’s Planning Commission, which approved that it be sent to Town Council.

Mr. Dvornick said the proposal “is keeping with the character of the area. It’s not a teardown, where you are putting up something else.”

The hearing record will stay open 14 days. Formal ordinance will be considered at council’s next meeting March 24.

“Hunter, we want to thank you for being part of Georgetown the last few years,” said Georgetown Mayor Bill West. “We thank you very much for what you are doing for the community and continuing your support to be part of Georgetown.”