Milford Planning Commission Meeting — July 21, 2026

The Milford Planning Commission met on July 21, 2026, with four members present after roll call. The source packet contained no written agenda or minutes, and no minutes were identified in the packet for approval. The meeting included a brief public comment period, a decision on a preliminary site plan, and the second workshop for the 2028 Comprehensive Plan update.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were offered; no one signed up in person or joined online during the 15-minute public comment period.

New Business: PSP-302-2026 Maston Trade Yards Preliminary Site Plan

• Planning Director Rob Pierce presented the application as a permitted-use preliminary site plan for a vacant I-1 limited industrial property along Maston Circle. The project proposes five flex office/warehouse buildings totaling 203,690 square feet.
• Staff stated the proposed uses are permitted in the I-1 and OC1 districts and that the project is similar to the previously approved PUGS 2 project, with rearranged buildings and essentially the same, or slightly larger, square footage. The applicant received two Board of Adjustment variances on June 11, 2026, reducing the 200-foot non-industrial boundary setback, the same variances granted under the earlier PUGS 2 approval.
• Applicant Cliff Mumford, a civil engineer with Davis Bowen & Fidel, and Ryan Mitchell, construction director for property owner Jack Lingo Asset Management, described the redesign: more rectangular buildings, a rear stormwater pond to reduce fill, two access points, and parking and loading spaces that meet or exceed requirements. They agreed with staff's analysis.
• The applicant requested one site-plan waiver from Chapter 230-20K's six-inch upright curb requirement for the north side of Building 5, using precast wheel stops to allow runoff to sheet-flow into a swale. When asked whether the waiver could later apply to other locations, staff responded that the commission can grant less than shown but generally not more; other areas could be raised as design work continues.
• Commissioners asked about bicycle parking, which was included and required by code, and about delivery vehicles; the site is designed for a 67-foot tractor-trailer, though typical tenants are expected to be plumbing, electrical, and trade contractors using box trucks.

Workshop: 2028 Comprehensive Plan Update

• The workshop was the second for the 2028 update. Consultant BJ DeCourcy from the University of Delaware assisted with the discussion. A scheduled conversation with the Carlisle Fire Company was postponed because no representative attended.
• Staff summarized city council priorities from its April workshop: collaborate with the Milford School District; coordinate with the fire company; ensure robust community engagement; address housing affordability without concentrating low-income housing in one ward or area; explore recreational opportunities, including a possible community recreation facility; and continue work with the Delaware State Housing Authority on SJR8 zoning and land-use reform.
• Public engagement so far included a late-May open house at the public works facility, an online community questionnaire from late May through the end of June, and a National Community Survey mailed to 3,000 randomly selected households, with 361 responses, a 12% response rate. Public feedback ranged widely, from anti-growth comments to suggestions to eliminate single-family zoning.
• Commissioners raised concerns about process transparency and demographic diversity. DeCourcy noted the survey responses appeared predominantly white, with roughly 2% Black or African American and negligible Hispanic representation, and staff noted that demographic questions were optional. One commissioner encouraged outreach to underserved communities. Staff said housing, transportation, and possible agency experts such as DSHA and DelDOT would be addressed in future workshop sessions.

Position-Statement Deliberation

• DeCourcy reviewed state-required position statements, presenting existing, conservative, and optimistic options for several topics.
• On population and housing growth, the 2018 plan position was strongly pro-growth, describing Milford as prepared and poised for growth and seeking to become the riverfront gateway to southern Delaware. Commissioners generally favored an optimistic but non-apologetic tone, with explicit attention to balancing growth with public services and serving a mixed population of retirees, younger workers, families, and varied incomes. Housing language was expected to include affordable rentals, starter homes, and a range of housing types.
• On expansion of boundaries, commissioners favored a conservative statement emphasizing infill, redevelopment, and build-out inside the city before annexation. They discussed whether to use will or may for entertaining annexation requests within the urban growth boundary. The UGB has not changed since 2008, and roughly 30% of land inside city limits is vacant, down from about 40% in 2018.
• On development of adjacent areas, the draft position would not extend municipal services beyond the UGB and would coordinate with neighboring jurisdictions. A commissioner noted that growth in Sussex County just outside the UGB is the largest external pressure, and recommended adding both counties and intergovernmental coordination, especially because properties in the county can avoid participation in the hospital-area transportation improvement district.
• On redevelopment, community character, and land use, commissioners supported welcoming redevelopment of vacant or underutilized properties, including residential rehabilitation in the downtown development district, and asked to preserve historic character and include arts, culture, and open-space identity. The general land-use statement was adjusted to emphasize a balance among employment, retail/service, and community while preserving intrinsic characteristics and natural features.
• On critical community development issues, commissioners identified lower median household income, housing affordability, relatively high poverty, workforce training and economic opportunity, transparent decision-making, and outreach to households with limited English proficiency as themes to develop in the plan.
• On infrastructure, commissioners and DeCourcy described water, sewer, and electric utilities as relative strengths; the main pressure points identified by public input were recreation/green space, traffic, police/EMS/fire services, and schools. DeCourcy described the city's sustainability and green-infrastructure practices as already partly ahead of current state requirements.
• DeCourcy also reported on new state legislation signed into law on July 13, 2026, creating statewide transportation improvement districts and requiring municipalities and counties in growth zones to allow at least four dwelling units per acre in their least-dense residential zone. He estimated Milford's least-dense R1 zone at about 4.35 units per acre, so the city appears likely to be compliant.

Key Outcomes

• The Planning Commission approved PSP-302-2026 Maston Trade Yards preliminary site plan by a 4-0 vote, including the requested curb waiver. Commissioners stated the plan meets Chapter 230 and Chapter 200 standards, is compatible with the I-1 zoning district, and the applicant demonstrated a need for stormwater conveyance and appropriate variance relief.
• The Carlisle Fire Company discussion will be rescheduled.
• DeCourcy will draft revised position statements based on the commissioners' direction and bring them back for review at future workshops. Staff expects to hold roughly one-and-a-half-hour workshop sessions, adjusting for normal business and public hearing schedules.
• The motion to adjourn carried.