The Milford Annexation Committee voted to accept a committee report to move forward with annexation proceedings for a little-over–half-acre parcel at 2 North Brandywine Road owned by the revocable trust of Pamela Davis Thompson so the owner can connect to city sewer after reporting a failing septic system, the committee was told.

City planner Rob Pierce told the committee the property, inside the Shawnee Acres development, is currently in Sussex County and zoned AR-1; the proposed municipal zoning is R-1, the city's lowest-density single-family residential classification. "The septic system is failing and they're seeking connection to the city utility system, which is what's prompting this request," Pierce said. He said water and sewer mains already run in the roadway and the owner would be required to connect "at their expense." Pierce also said the streets in Shawnee Acres are maintained by the state of Delaware and that the parcel already receives electric service from the city.

The committee heard the annexation would not alter the property's membership in its homeowners association. "No. They would still be part of their HOA. It's indeed correct," Pierce said in response to a question from Councilman Dan Marabella (Ward 1). Pierce said the parcel is served by the Carlisle Volunteer Fire Company and that annexation would shift police service to the Milford Police Department. He also said the city's comprehensive plan designates the site as future low-density residential and that R-1 is an allowable zone under the plan's future land-use table.

Pierce described next steps: acceptance of the committee report lets staff prepare the plan-of-services application and submit the packet to the state planning office for review of consistency with the comprehensive plan; after the office issues its letter, the city will schedule public hearings with the planning commission and city council. He emphasized that accepting the committee report is not the same as final approval of annexation. "This is not a vote to accept or approve the annexation," he said; rather, the committee's action advances the application to the state review and subsequent public hearings.

Committee members noted public-works practice of recording sewer-and-water agreements for properties with failing septic systems that may later annex when they become contiguous with municipal limits. Pierce said the city has had multiple such agreements over the last decade recorded with public works or engineering.

Councilman Dan Marabella moved to recommend moving the process forward as detailed in the application; Councilwoman Nadia seconded. Members voiced agreement and the committee signed the report to accompany the plan-of-services application.

Next steps are the state planning office review, receipt of the office's consistency letter, and then public hearings before the planning commission and the city council, at which the public may comment and the council would take any final annexation action.