Sussex County Council has effectively killed plans for the largest shopping center ever proposed in the area.
Developer TD Rehoboth LLC had asked the county to rezone 114 acres of rural farmland outside of Milton into intense commercial use.
The council voted 4-1 Tuesday against that request.
The proposed shopping center, known as the Overbrook Town Center would have been the third largest shopping center in the state, smaller only than Dover Mall and Christiana Mall.
The council faced intense pressure to reject the shopping center from from constituents concerned about additional congestion on Route 1 and the destruction of wildlife habitats.
The developer has 60 days to appeal the decision once it becomes finalized. TD Rehoboth has not yet indicated whether or not it will appeal.