Milton council moves Federal Street project forward
Milton Town Council gave the developers of a proposed mixed-use facility a guide list before sending them off to put their proposal in front of both the town’s historic preservation commission and planning and zoning commission.
At council's Feb. 5 meeting, Eric Wahl and Brennon Bickel, the engineer and architect for the project, respectively, gave a brief presentation on the project. Plans call for a three-story, mixed-use building on a 1.2-acre parcel at 100 Federal St., at the corner of Union and Federal streets. The property is zoned Town Center Use, which allows for both residential and commercial uses.
Developer RJL Associates has proposed a 50-foot wetland buffer at the rear of the property, which backs up to the Broadkill River. The first floor of the building would be used for restaurant and retail space, with the second and third floors having residential apartment units. Plans call for six apartment units on each floor. Wahl said the project density is about nine units per acre, which is under town code’s threshold of 12 units per acre for the TC zoning classification.
He said while parking is not required in the TC district, the complex would utilize the existing parking lot with 37 parking spaces. Wahl said the access to the parcel would come from Front Street Extended, the alleyway that runs behind the Milton Theatre House, and that road would be widened to 24 feet.
Wahl said drainage will be through an underground infiltration basin, with overflow going out to the wetland buffer. He said there is not a lot of room for landscaping at the property, but there will be screening of the parking lot area.
The gist of the Feb. 5 meeting was to allow council to provide feedback before the matter goes to planning and zoning.
Councilwoman Randi Meredith asked about pedestrian access and connection to downtown. Wahl said there would be connections from the development to the sidewalks on Federal Street, but there won’t be sidewalks at Front Street Extended, since there is no room for sidewalks on that street.
Councilman Scotty Edler said he liked the idea of more retail spots in downtown Milton. He asked the development team to try to include one parking space for each residential unit. Both Edler and Vice Mayor Lee Revis-Plank said they would like to see the actual building fit in more with the downtown look, with generally brick structures. But council members echoed the feelings of Mayor John Collier, who said he was intrigued by the project.
“What I see here is a start,” Edler said.
Because the project is within the town’s historic district, the historic preservation commission will also get to weigh in on the development. Its first meeting on the project will take place at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 13, at Milton library. The first date planning and zoning could begin discussion would be Tuesday, Feb. 20, although that agenda has not been posted yet.
