Milton planners approve Cannery Village preliminary plans

September 26, 2023 13

The Milton Planning and Zoning Commission, by a 5-1 vote Sept. 19, approved preliminary site plans for Cannery Village 3B, a 96-unit development located adjacent to Dogfish Head’s truck entrance on Cave Neck Road.

The commission had originally tabled the application and left the public record open at its July meeting because of questions regarding the access to the parcel. Plans had called for the entrance to the development to be located off Cave Neck Road, but the commission raised safety concerns and asked for access to come via the less-traveled Sam Lucas Road.

Under its revised plans, the entrance to the development would come via Off-Centered Way, the Dogfish Head truck entrance. Cars would go down Off-Centered Way and turn left to get into the development. The layout of Cannery Village 3B includes four three-story buildings comprising 24 units each. The center of the development would have two open fields, with parking around the fields. There would also be two stormwater retention ponds, one in the rear of the property and one adjacent to Sam Lucas Road. The parcel is zoned residential with a large-parcel development overlay.

Brock Parker, engineer on behalf of developer LC Management, said the decision was made not to have the entrance on Sam Lucas Road after advice from the Delaware Department of Transportation, which wanted the traffic to flow into what is essentially a four-way intersection between Front Street and Cave Neck Road.

Commissioner Lynn Ekelund, the only no vote, said DelDOT’s preference would make for an awkward traffic pattern.

Commissioner Jeff Seemans criticized the proposed landscaping plan for both its selection and placement of trees around the parcel. He said he would want to see a condition where the developer brings in a professional landscaper to bring forth a better plan before final approval.

Besides the landscaping, the commission also imposed a condition calling for revisions to the proposed security lighting behind the buildings.

With preliminary site-plan approval in hand, the next step for Cannery Village 3B is to meet the conditions and get approvals from state and local agencies before returning for final approval.