Milford Board of Adjustment Meeting — January 8, 2026

The Milford Board of Adjustment convened on January 8, 2026, with a full quorum and solicitor Mr. Sharp. It held five advertised public hearings and one findings-of-fact approval. Public hearing notices were published in the Daily State News on December 19, 2025, mailed to properties within 200 feet, and posted on the subject properties.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No one signed up or joined online for the non-agenda public comment period.
• On the 19 Columbia Street Habitat application, Julie Morris of 210 East Street spoke in opposition, saying she was adamantly against the variance and raising concerns about fire risk, the close 1.39-foot separation, maintenance, drainage, and access between homes.
• On the Perfetti application, Julie Morris spoke in support, noting the property had historically operated as a quasi-commercial medical office and recommending conditions tying approval to the homeowner and requiring retail/deliveries to remain at 37 North Walnut Street.
• For the Frost fence application, staff reported that neighbor Andrew Singleton initially expressed concern, then withdrew his objection after learning the fence would simply be replaced in place.

CCGTL Properties LLC — 282 North Rehoboth Boulevard

• Application BOA-227-2025. The C3-zoned property has an existing office building (original building dated to 1960), and the applicant proposes a new 2,400-square-foot single-tenant office building to the rear.
• Staff planner Rob Pierce explained the requested area variances: reduce 90-degree parking stall length from 18 feet to 15 feet, and reduce the two-way drive aisle width from 24 feet to 21 feet on the south side of the existing building. These would allow the existing, longstanding parking lot to remain.
• Applicant engineer Carlton Savage testified the lot already meets parking demand, no new parking is required, the site is below stormwater thresholds, and DelDOT requires only channelization of the entrance. Board members discussed the tight dimensions and the possibility of designating smaller spaces.
• The board approved both variances 5-0 with a condition that signage be installed directing compact vehicles to the smaller spaces.

Sussex Habitat for Humanity — 19 Columbia Street

• Application BOA-239-2025. The R2-zoned property contains a single-family dwelling under construction. Habitat sought a 6.43-foot variance from the 8-foot north side-yard setback (to 1.57 feet) for a proposed landing and stairs, instead of a wider ADA-compliant ramp that would be exempt from zoning setbacks.
• Habitat construction director Alan Starr testified the prior board-approved side setback for the house did not cover the stairs, the stairs are smaller than the ramp, and moving the entrance would reduce the first-floor bedroom and affect affordability.
• Staff confirmed the building official will still review construction and fire-code compliance. The board approved the variance 5-0.

Sussex Habitat for Humanity — 21 Columbia Street

• Similar adjacent application. Habitat sought a 6.61-foot variance from the 8-foot side-yard setback for the same type of landing and stairs on the north side.
• Alan Starr testified the plan is a mirror image of the 19 Columbia Street house, with both staircases on the north sides and no issue between the two homes. The board approved the variance 5-0.

Lands of Thaddeus Frost — fence replacement

• The transcript refers to the property inconsistently as 108 Lakeview Avenue and 108 Lake Lawn Drive. The applicant asked to replace an existing 6-foot-tall wooden privacy fence with a 6-foot PVC privacy fence in the same footprint along Regent Road on a corner lot.
• Requests: a 2.5-foot area variance from the 3.5-foot front-yard fence height limit, and a use variance to allow a privacy fence in the front yard, where privacy fences are generally prohibited.
• Thaddeus Frost testified he has lived there 25 years and needs the height and privacy for pets, grandchildren, gardening, and to address teenagers trespassing and littering on the corner lot. The fence is about 50 feet from Regent Road.
• The board approved both variances 5-0.

Lands of Amy Perfetti — 206 North Walnut Street

• The application caption is read as 206 North Monet Street, but all other references use 206 North Walnut Street. The R2-zoned property houses Stone & Sage Holistic Healing, a major home occupation operating without approval. A code enforcement notice was issued September 19, 2025, and a conditional use application was filed October 10, 2025.
• Amy Perfetti testified she bought the home in July 2025, moved her healing center from 37 North Walnut Street, and did not check the zoning code before opening. The business offers Reiki, meditation, and a Himalayan salt room; she has no employees but works with three subcontractors; classes are held after normal business hours; and limited retail items are sold.
• The board considered ten variance requests. The solicitor noted the use variance standard requires a showing of unnecessary hardship, while area variances use an exceptional practical difficulty standard.
• Variances 1-4 (use variances for up to three non-resident employees, up to four clients at once, limited accessory retail sales, and instructional classes of up to eight participants with two instructors): approved 5-0.
• Variance 5 (use variance for a 15x55-inch building sign above the business entrance): approved 5-0.
• Variances 6 and 7 (use variance for a 17x57-inch parking sign on the fence and a 1-foot front setback variance for that sign): approved 5-0.
• Variances 8 and 9 (area variances for the freestanding sign: 5-foot front setback variance and 9-foot side setback variance): approved 5-0.
• Variance 10 (area variance for the freestanding sign height from 4 feet to 5 feet): denied 5-0. The approval of variances 8 and 9 included a condition that the freestanding sign not project into the adjacent sidewalk.
• The major home occupation still must go through conditional use public hearings before the planning commission and city council.

Key Outcomes

• CCGTL Properties: both variances approved 5-0 with compact-vehicle signage condition.
• Habitat 19 Columbia: side-yard variance approved 5-0.
• Habitat 21 Columbia: side-yard variance approved 5-0.
• Frost: fence height and privacy-fence variances approved 5-0.
• Perfetti: nine variances approved and one denied, as itemized above; conditional use review remains pending.
• The board also approved the previously drafted findings of fact for application 2023-2025, Reserves at Herring Creek (townhouse height).