Annexation Committee recommends limit to property request

Terry RogersGovernment & Politics

In April, Milford City Council unanimously approved an annexation request from Walter and Sharon Feindt, referring the request to the Annexation Committee for review. On May 10, the Milford Annexation Committee approved the annexation request, but in a two to one vote, recommended that the property remain zoned as R1, residential, and not C1, commercial as the applicant requested.

“I would only recommend R1 due to the single-family residential areas to the west and north,” Councilman Dan Marabello, chairman of the committee, said. “There are already restaurants approved for other areas there plus some office space.”

City Planner Rob Pierce explained that the way the land was set up for Deep Creek Plaza, which is adjacent to the property in question, the city wanted an easement to funnel traffic into one entrance which would mean this parcel is better suited for non-residential use. Pierce stated that there would not be the ability to use one single entrance if one was placed farther down Rehoboth Boulevard. He also explained that there are 264 apartments approved for the adjacent property which would mean as many as 500 people or more would want services close by.

“To limit it is kind of hard when you don’t know exactly what the landowners and developers want to do,” Councilwoman Katrina Wilson said. “In my thinking, I don’t want to limit it as I think it could be very prosperous. We don’t just want one or two restaurants on each side of town. We want retail to grow gracefully along with it and that is why I am questioning keeping this at R1. We want to grow with those houses on that side of town. That is what I hear constantly.”

Councilman Brian Baer motioned that the committee recommend to City Council that they approve the annexation but keep the zoning at R1. Both Councilman Marabello and Councilman Baer voted to approve the recommendation while Councilwoman Wilson voted against the zoning limit.

The recommendation was presented to Council later that evening although only as an introduction. A public hearing will be held regarding the annexation request in the next few weeks at which time council will be able to ask questions and discuss the property in question. The final decision on the annexation and the zoning is up to City Council.

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