Zoning board rejects Safe Harbor marina storage building variance after neighbor concerns

Safe Harbor Marinas sought variances and approval to build a 150-by-100-foot boat storage and maintenance building at 164 Rogers Avenue in Milford, but the Milford Zoning Board of Appeals voted the application down on Sept. 9 after hearing neighbor testimony and board discussion. The applicant reduced the proposed building height from 50 feet to 46 feet and said the facility would include a 40-foot service door to accommodate larger boats.

The applicant, Joshua Twiddle, regional vice president for Safe Harbor Marinas, told the board the company met with neighbors in August and revised the proposal based on feedback. “We went back and went kinda door to door with our neighbors…we invited everybody to a town hall meeting, and just kinda laid out the plans and just heard some comments and made some revisions,” Twiddle said. He said the revised building would be set farther from the water and that exterior finishes had been discussed with neighbors to make the building less industrial in appearance.

Neighbors offered mixed comments. Eileen Russell, trustee of a trust that owns property across the street, said Safe Harbor organized an August 16 meeting, presented revised plans and had removed derelict boats and made other improvements, and urged approval. “I can attest to the attention paid to the landscaping and condition of the buildings,” Russell said. Bridal Magnan, a Rogers Avenue resident, also spoke in favor. Kurt Moore, who said he has lived at 139 Rogers Avenue for 51 years, expressed ambivalence and asked the board to weigh the building’s growth and commercialization impact on the neighborhood.

The application sought multiple variances, including reduced easterly side-yard setbacks for the main building (proposed 13.65 and 18.85 feet where 30 feet is required) and for a small shed (19 feet where 30 is required); relief from required buffer distances; and expansion of a nonconforming structure under section 6.3.2. The applicant’s survey was prepared by John Paul Garcia Associates (June 3, 2025). Twiddle said the 40-foot door and a 35-ton travel lift set internal dimensional requirements; he estimated the finished building would accommodate roughly a dozen inside-storage vessels.

After discussion, a board member moved to approve the variances with modifications including the reduced height of 46 feet. The motion received recorded votes of: King — no; Wolf — yes; Sota — no; Hirsch — yes. The chair announced the motion failed.

Board members who spoke noted the lot’s wetlands and topography but expressed differing views on scale and aesthetics. One board member said reduction of height and neighborhood outreach were positive; another said the building “is too industrial looking and doesn’t belong there.” The board did not adopt any direction for staff or require further study; the application failed and no permit was granted.

If Safe Harbor chooses to reapply, the board record includes the June 3, 2025 survey and the revised dimensions the applicant presented at the Sept. 9 hearing. The public record also contains written support letters submitted by some neighbors and the statements made during the public hearing.