Big housing fights in Yorklyn and Ocean View: We've got the stories.

What's Going There in Delaware is Delaware Online/The News Journal's development newsletter, tracking what's coming to the First State. If you like what you’re reading, tell your friends it’s free to sign up here ​. Email tips, questions and brilliant story ideas to Matthew Korfhage at mkorfhage@delawareonline.com .

🏘A big housing fight in Yorklyn, and a housing fight at the beach

It's been a week of legal controversy on the housing development front in Delaware.

Near Yorklyn, along the winding and forested roads northeast of Hockessin, residents have been in uproar ever since 10 acres of trees were clear-cut to make way for a dense townhome development that had sidestepped county oversight over housing and building codes.

How? The state environmental agency, DNREC, had asserted its statutory authority over multiple parcels on Yorklyn Road as part of the vast, ambitious Auburn Valley Master Plan designed to clean up lands contaminated by the National Vulcanized Fiber company and inaugurate a new and popular state park – even though these residential parcels were not NVF land.

Those parcels along Yorklyn Road were approved by the state parks agency for dense housing developments, in an otherwise sparse neighborhood that's one of the last remnants of New Castle County's rural-industrial past.

So why is the parks department in the luxury townhome game? That's the subject of a long-researched article from this week, detailing how residential housing projects became a priority for the state parks agency, and a lightning rod for locals.

Full article here: Yorklyn ‘land grab’? Why Delaware's environmental agency cut deals for luxury housing

Meanwhile, in Ocean View, a housing development controlled by developer Louis Capano III has its homeowners feeling powerless. After years in the courts, and a judge-ordered halt to construction near Bethany, current residents of Fairway Village say their fears have come true.

Reporter Amanda Fries outlines the situation in a story from last week, in which residents of a housing community say they've been shut out of their own community's operations, alleging Capano and his affiliates have maintained majority voting rights in Fairway Village's governing common interest groups.

"We have no hope for a reversal,” said one homeowner who said he felt forced to sell his home and leave. "The (Department of Justice) has turned a deaf ear to this.”

Full article here: Why Ocean View residents' fears have been realized with Capano control of their community

Amid sunnier development news, a slate of new restaurants is open or on its way, including more hot chicken, and what may be New Castle County's only Pakistani restaurant . Cape Henlopen may see some changes and upgrades . And a church in Newark plans affordable housing for working-class residents, not students.

🥒New Castle County plans more pickleball, $4.25 million park renovation

You ever wonder whether there's enough pickleball in the world? Worry no longer: There clearly isn't!

The new sport, the fastest growing in the country for years on end, has found receptive ground at New Castle County – which plans 8 new pickleball courts a part of a proposed $4.25 million renovation of Bechtel Park on Naamans Road in Brandywine Hundred, near Delaware's northeastern border.

Most of that money will go toward improved drainage to improve puddling and flooding in the park. But since the stormwater facilities run under existing recreation facilities, the recreation is also getting a facelift.

Pending response to citizen input at an August 12 meeting and online, the county plans a wholesale rotation of the park: the soccer and baseball fields will move, walking paths will be added and so will 2 more tennis courts bringing the total to four. The two basketball courts will move, but stay in the park.

Alongside the walking trail and an updated playground, the biggest proposed change in amenities is likely that the handball courts would be going away, and eight pickleball courts will be added.

These will be among 24 pickleball courts planned in County Executive Matthew Meyer's budget for this year. Three large indoor pickleball court complexes are also planned in Delaware, including two in New Castle County.

More: 3 big projects are racing to create Delaware's first indoor pickleball

In case you missed the meeting, New Castle County has a public input form on its project page for Bechtel Park .

🥯Surf Bagel opening at former Dairy Queen site on Fenwick Island

Surf Bagel has annnounced it will continue its domination of the beachy bagel scene by opening its fifth location on Fenwick Island, at 1055 Coastal Highway. The chain sells New York-style bagels made from scratch and breakfast and lunch items.

The Dairy Queen on Coastal Highway operated for at least 50 years before closing in 2018. The site was long rumored to be a future home to bagels, as the old Dairy Queen building was demolished in summer 2023. Surf Bagels ended the uncertainty this month, announcing they had plans to open this fall.

"“We are stoked to be coming to Fenwick. The community is awesome and the people are great. The relaxed, coastal vibe of the town makes it perfect for Surf Bagel.” said Matt Patton, President of Surf Bagel.  “We couldn’t be more excited to bring our fresh baked New York-style bagels to Fenwick and the surrounding communities.”

As at Surf Bagel's other locations, the upcoming new location will offer "fresh baked bagels, smoothies, wraps, iconic merch, and fast, friendly service," according to the chain. Construction is still underway.

Surf Bagel's flagship site is in Lewes. There are stores in the Midway Center in Rehoboth Beach, downtown Milford, and on Route 24 in Long Neck in the Taormina Square Shopping Center.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Big housing fights in Yorklyn and Ocean View: We've got the stories.