City Council authorized payment of $130,598 to Chesapeake Utilities to relocate an 80-foot section of an existing 6-inch natural gas main that conflicts with stormwater piping at the Milford Corporate Center development site. Planning Director Rob Pierce told council that during construction five stormpipe segments were found to conflict with the gas main; two of those conflicts required immediate relocation to allow stormwork and pond dewatering to proceed.

Pierce said the relocation invoice was not anticipated in the project budget and recommended funding the work from Realty Transfer Tax reserves set aside for the project. He told council the additional cost is expected to have a “negligible impact” on the project’s price-per-acre and that project costs “Net of all grant funding received” will be recovered through future lot sales and returned to internal funding sources on a prorated basis.

Council discussion and vote: Council members asked if the conflicts could have been identified during design and whether it would be preferable to wait for a consolidated estimate if more relocations prove necessary. Pierce replied design plans showed the gas main but that the line was shallower than anticipated in the field; he said two crossings cannot be redesigned to avoid the line and thus require relocation. Staff said the remaining three crossings are under review and may be avoidable or subject to alternative designs.

Councilmember concerns included the timing impact of delaying construction to consolidate relocation work versus the cost of multiple mobilizations by Chesapeake. Pierce said delaying could slow site work and dewatering that the general contractor needs to proceed. The council authorized the $130,598 payment so staff could act without delaying on-site work; the record shows a motion, a second and an approval (motion passed). One council member later cast a recorded dissent on a related question; staff recorded the final vote as passed with a majority in favor.