Milton Theatre granted waivers for new addition
At its Sept. 8 meeting, Milton Town Council unanimously approved two waivers for Milton Theatre from the town’s sidewalk regulations, paving the way for the theater to build its new education wing addition.
The theater is planning to build a 2,850-square-foot expansion to the existing building that will include a new education wing containing new rehearsal spaces, green rooms and offices, as well as new bathrooms. The $3 million addition is Phase 2 of a large renovation project to the more than 100-year-old theater, with Phase 1 being the balcony restoration.
However, because the proposed project does not meet town code regarding the sidewalks, a waiver from certain requirements was needed.
John Falkowski, engineer for the theater, said the first waiver is from the requirement that sidewalks have a cross drainage of at least a quarter-inch per square foot. Falkowski said the waiver is needed to keep the finished floor elevation closer to the finished floor of the building, and the current sidewalks provide adequate drainage away from the building.
The second waiver is from a 5-foot sidewalk width requirement. Falkowski said the sidewalk that runs in front of and behind the proposed addition is between 5 and 6 feet. However, there is an alleyway between the theater and the neighboring building. Falkowski said that sidewalk starts at 5.5 feet but toward the end, it runs into a handicapped-accessible ramp that ties into the existing sidewalk that becomes around 4 feet wide. Falkowski said the theater addition is planning to tie in right where the sidewalk is around 4 feet. He said to comply with town code, the theater would have to take out the ramp and widen the sidewalk.
The next step for the theater is a meeting with the board of adjustment for a variance allowing the theater to have less than the code-required 50-foot setback from the Broadkill River. The meeting is set for 7 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 23, at Cannery Village Clubhouse.
The theater was previously given preliminary site-plan approval by the town’s planning and zoning commission Aug. 19, under the condition that the waivers are approved.
Ryan Mavity covers Milton and the court system. He is married to Rachel Swick Mavity and has two kids, Alex and Jane. Ryan started with the Cape Gazette all the way back in February 2007, previously covering the City of Rehoboth Beach. A native of Easton, Md. and graduate of Towson University, Ryan enjoys watching the Baltimore Ravens, Washington Capitals and Baltimore Orioles in his spare time.
