Milton Town Council to meet June 15

Milton Town Council will resume discussion of a proposed medical office facility on Mulberry Street that was a source of significant controversy before the COVID-19 pandemic spread across Delaware.

At a 6:30 p.m., Monday, June 15 meeting, council will accept an advisory report from the planning and zoning commission, which has recommended against rezoning a nearly 8-acre parcel from R-1 residential to commercial, which is necessary to allow building two proposed medical office buildings, one of which would be occupied by Beebe Healthcare. 

After accepting the advisory report, council will pass a resolution to reschedule a public hearing on the proposed project, brought by developer Phoenix RCHS Holdings LLC. 

The proposed rezoning and construction of a medical office complex has met with considerable citizen outcry since it was first unveiled in January. 

Signs are up all around town, especially along the Mulberry Street corridor, opposing rezoning. Since the initial planning and zoning meeting on the proposal, new signs could be seen scattered around town in support of the project. 

Milton resident David Krasnoff lives adjacent to the property and said he was concerned about the traffic and the number of cars coming into the facility. Krasnoff said Willow Street is not built to handle the number of cars the complex will bring in; Willow Street is a through street that leads from Union Street to Mulberry Street. 

Krasnoff, like many who have spoken in opposition to the project, said he supports the idea of a medical office complex in Milton, but not in that location. He said he initially supported the proposal, but when he attended a January planning and zoning meeting on the rezoning, he was turned off by Phoenix RCHS Holdings’ presentation, viewing the second building in particular as a Trojan horse for something that would not be appropriate for the neighborhood.

Milton resident M.J. Ostinato said, “I am not against a Beebe facility on the outskirts of town, but I feel that this location for a project of this size is inappropriate.”

Among other concerns, she said while one building would be leased to Beebe, the town would have no control over what happens with the second building, which Phoenix RCHS Holdings representatives have said would be used for doctors’ offices and additional medical outpatient services. 

“Part of the property is in the historic district, and we would like whatever is built there to be an enhancement to the district's appeal,” Ostinato said. 

Council members themselves are holding their feelings close to the vest; Mayor Ted Kanakos said, “I can’t say until it comes to a vote on it. I’m still taking in information. We’re a long way off. Nothing is in stone.”

While planning and zoning recommended against rezoning the property, that recommendation can be overruled by a simple majority of town council. 

New Councilwoman Randi Meredith, who ran for council in opposition to the project, did not wish to comment. 

Councilman Rich Baty said, “This is a tough one. There are still many open issues. All I can promise is that I will vote whatever way is the largest benefit to the town of Milton.”

Council will discuss that item and more at the council's first public meeting since early March. The meeting will be held in a split in-person/electronic format. The meeting will be held at Grace Church Fellowship Hall, 512 Union St., with limited seating. Kanakos said the capacity of the room will be about 30 people in total, which includes the seven council members and town support staff, meaning the actual number of open seats will be about 20. 

Those who cannot attend in person can listen online or over the phone. To listen online, find log-in information on the town’s website, www.milton.delaware.gov, under “Meetings and Events”; to listen by phone, call 425-436-6360. Comments can be emailed to Town Manager Kristy Rogers, krogers@ci.milton.de.us, by 4:30 p.m., Friday, June 12. Those calling in by phone can make public comments during the public comment period of the meeting agenda. 

Among other items on the agenda are the nomination and confirmation of the vice mayor, secretary and treasurer, and awarding of the Lifetime Volunteer and Citizen of the Year awards. 

In old business, council will discuss and possibly vote to accept an advisory report from the special review committee on a petition by Milton Attainable Housing LLC to annex 26 acres of property on Route 16 into town and amend the comprehensive development plan to reflect a zoning of 5 acres as commercial and the rest as R-3 residential. 

Council will make appointments and reappointments to town boards and committees, review the 2020 budget including the police department rank structure and pay scale and discuss a request from the Milton Chamber of Commerce to close a portion of Magnolia Street Aug. 22 and 23 for Bargains on the Broadkill. 

Finally, the council will discuss resolutions on the mixed-use residential/commercial district, the Limited Light Industrial Use district and the Marine Resources Use district.