Milton council grants extension on Scarlet Oaks

Milton Town Council has unanimously approved a time extension for the special review committee to continue its work on an annexation application for Scarlet Oaks, a 163-unit housing development proposed to be built on a 50-acre parcel off Harbeson Road.

Council agreed to give the committee until Monday, May 2, to complete and submit its report. 

Councilman John Collier, who chairs the review committee, said the extension was necessary because the committee, by town code, has 90 days to review an application. But in the case of Scarlet Oaks, the committee has not yet received a report from the state’s Preliminary Land Use Service, a review by state agencies of land uses in Delaware. Collier said it was important to have that report before the committee could give a recommendation.

He said the applicant, The Company Store LLC, had sent a meeting request to the Office of State Planning Coordination, which oversees the PLUS review, but for whatever reason, the request was not followed up on. Collier said the application will be heard at the Wednesday, March 23 PLUS meeting. 

“We’re asking for an extension so the PLUS review can be completed and we can receive the comments before making a decision,” he said. “We feel this is an integral part of the process.” 

Council members were receptive to the idea for an extension. 

Councilman Sam Garde said he was in favor of giving the committee as much time as it feels it needs, and proposed the May 2 date as enough time to review the PLUS report and make a recommendation. 

Scarlet Oaks has been proposed to include 75 single-family homes with 88 duplex/townhouse units. The proposal is for the property to be zoned R-1 residential with a large-parcel development district overlay, which gives the developer some freedom in terms of setbacks and lot sizes.