Milton board postpones vote on housing development parking

Milton Board of Adjustment is holding off from voting on a variance to parking requirements for a proposed mixed-use development off Route 16 because a June 15 public hearing was not properly noticed. 

Milton Attainable Housing, a joint venture of developer Preston Schell and Rehoboth Beach businessman Eric Sugrue, is seeking to build a joint commercial and residential development on a 26-acre parcel at the corner of Route 16 and Country Road. The parcel was annexed into town in December, and plans are to build 240 residential units and have five acres of commercial space. 

Prior to receiving final site-plan approval, however, the developers were told they needed a variance from town parking requirements based on the amount of parking spaces per unit. In Milton town code, multifamily homes or townhouses, such as Milton Attainable Housing is seeking to build, require 2.5 parking spaces per unit. Single-family homes only require two spaces per unit. Zac Crouch, project engineer, said Milton Attainable Housing is asking for two spaces per unit, but plans to have additional parking around the development’s clubhouse. 

Crouch said if Milton Attainable Housing is not granted the variance, that would negatively affect stormwater management and decrease the open space on the parcel. If the variance is not granted, Milton Attainable Housing would have to add 49 more parking spaces and add 4,000 square feet of impervious surface. 

Board members raised concerns whether there would be enough parking in the development, but discussion soon moved to whether the application was properly noticed.

Charles Schwinabart, who lives on Broadkill Road across from the proposed development, said he did not receive proper notice of the variance hearing. He said while he had concerns about the commercial access to the parcel, he did not mind the project so much, as it did not affect his property values. However, because he did not get legal notice, he said he has not had the chance to review the plans.

By town code, property owners who live 200 feet from a property subject to a public hearing must be given written notice. Schwinabart said other homeowners in the area also did not get written notice. 

Project Coordinator Thomas Quass said notice was sent out by the town to Schwinabart and other nearby property owners, but problems with the post office caused those notices to not be delivered. 

Wanting to be cautious, the board decided to postpone a vote on the application to allow homeowners who did not get notice to be able to review plans and make comments. The board is next scheduled to meet at 7 p.m., Tuesday, July 27.