"Thank you Mrs. Lauria for the July 11th article, "Milton councilman: 'disappointed in council's conduct'"
While you fairly characterize the actions of the mayor and council, there are a couple of things regarding my case that require clarification.
1. Quote from Mayor Kanakos: "I think that you're extremely premature now on this. You're looking for a waiver for forever, but you don't even need a waiver. You shouldn't even be here right now. You don't even have a problem."
The town code provides no time constraint on when a property owner can request a waiver. Whether they plan to build now or 20 years from now is the applicant's business and it is the council's obligation to consider his/her request when they ask. This fact has been confirmed at more than one council meeting by the town solicitor, Seth Thompson. I have been instructed by the town to first obtain a building permit before council will consider my request. That is not possible because without an answer from council I have no way of accurately estimating the project which is required in order to purchase the permit. This is a catch-22.
2. The variance that I requested at the July 3 council meeting was not to relieve me of constructing my sidewalk as typical. I plan to build a sidewalk at my property if required. I was only asking for time to allow my plan to bring sidewalk to the entire west side of my block at potentially no cost to the town. My contribution to this effort in the amount equal to the cost of construction has always been part of this plan.
The plan: I have consulted with the director of Transportation Alternatives Program or TAP funding for the state of Delaware. She has told me that this project would be an ideal candidate and is very similar to projects completed and currently underway. She encourages the town to apply.
TAP funding would cover 80 percent of the cost of this improvement. I have a plan for the remaining 20 percent. I have plans to improve my lot, and would like to build a section of curb and sidewalk. The fire department has been tasked by the town to rip up and reconstruct a remnant of sidewalk along their property because it is currently noncompliant.
Once completed the thousands of dollars the town requires us to spend would net the town an isolated section of sidewalk providing no connections for pedestrian use and very little chance for future expansion, as the remaining properties on the block are fully developed.
I have consulted with the fire company and they agree that they would rather see their money go to something that is an asset to the town rather than a sidewalk to nowhere and they would contribute. TAP funding could take as much as three to four years to go through.
Bottom line: It is in the town's best interest to wait a few years to see the whole block done than to wait forever. Once I and the Milton Fire Department build our isolated pieces my contribution money is lost to the town. My block is the final section of Walnut Street before reaching Milton's riverfront, and the only section of Walnut Street without sidewalks.
I would like the town to consider completing this connection and eliminate this missing link. The addition of sidewalk would provide direct pedestrian access to the town's riverfront for residents of the Puddin Hill section of town, including Walnut, Coulter, Mill, Collins streets as well as the American Discovery Trail. I fear that this block will never provide a complete connection to the emerging town riverfront if the town does not take advantage of this opportunity.
As it stands: Council has denied my request to pursue TAP or any other funding for this block. My repeated requests to be considered by the town's streets and sidewalks committee have gone unanswered.
This opportunity is lost unless a member of Council, the Mayor, the Town or the Streets and Sidewalks Committee decide to take it up. I love this town and simply want to see it benefit from every opportunity.
Jeff Evans
Milton
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