Milton board approves variance for housing project

Milton Board of Adjustment unanimously approved a variance from parking requirements for Milton Attainable Housing LLC, which is planning to build a 240-unit, mixed-use development on a 26-acre parcel at Route 16 and Country Road.

At its July 27 meeting, the board voted to allow Milton Attainable Housing LLC to have 2.3 parking spaces per unit as opposed to 2.5 spaces per unit, which would have been required under town code.

Developer Preston Schell said the proposed development, to be known as Cypress Grove, had enough land to accommodate the larger parking requirement, but the smaller number would allow for more open space and less impervious surface. 

Charles Schwinabart, who lives on Route 16 near where the development will be, said he questioned why the town has parking regulations if town officials are just going to ignore them. He said there was no special reason to allow it, other than it will save the developer money and cause less impervious surface. 

The July 27 meeting was a continuation of the board’s June 15 meeting, when members tabled a vote on the application due to a lack of adequate written public notice for nearby property owners. Town Project Manager Tom Quass said the delay was due in part to the post office’s COVID protocols slowing delivery. 

Milton Attainable Housing is a joint venture of Schell and Rehoboth Beach businessman Eric Sugrue. The 26-acre parcel for their proposed development was annexed into town in December, and they presented plans 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 number 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. 

Following the board ruling, Schell said he was looking forward to getting final site-plan approval from Milton Planning and Zoning Commission, and beginning construction in early 2022.