Several Milford residents urged the City Council during public comment to halt a proposed townhouse development on Truett Avenue and to review recent actions by the Board of Adjustment. Julie Morris, a Milford resident, said the developer has been granted “32 separate variances gutting Milford zoning code, flood protections and environmental safeguards” and argued sections of the project lie in FEMA Zone A and the FEMA-designated floodway. Morris said she filed an ethics complaint with the Delaware Public Integrity Commission alleging the mayor accepted VIP NASCAR seats from a local contractor who also chairs the Board of Adjustment.

The complaints were voiced during the council’s public comment period and did not prompt an on-the-spot council vote; they were appeals to elected officials and requests for follow-up. Morris asked the council to “halt new housing developments, remove the Board of Adjustment, and restore integrity to the city's decision making.” She also cited a petition filed with the city clerk.

Why it matters: Residents said the project could increase flood risk and remove wetland buffers. One neighbor, Maura Cleary of 510 Truett Ave., told the council many nearby residents were unaware of how far the project had advanced and said the design lacked guest parking. Cleary said, “There is absolutely nothing in the plans for guest parking,” and urged a careful review to consider a smaller number of units.

Council did not take formal action at the time; the remarks were part of public comment. City planning staff previously identified the Truett Avenue submission as a preliminary major subdivision to be reviewed by the Planning Commission at its August meeting and returned to council for a public hearing on Aug. 25, according to staff comments later in the meeting.

Details from speakers: Julie Morris, 74 Cedar Beach Road, pointed to FEMA maps and Milford code standards, and told the council Delaware data shows a “26% flood damage risk over a 30 mortgage in this zone.” Morris also said the project “violates wetland buffers, sidesteps the rezoning process, lacks DNREC approval, and ignores open space requirements by counting wetlands and floodplain as recreational areas.”

Public comment context: Councilmembers and staff did not debate the merits of the allegations during public comment. Planning staff indicated a formal review process was under way for a Truett Avenue preliminary major subdivision; the Planning Commission will consider land use applications in August and the council will receive items back on its August 25 agenda.

What residents asked for: Among requests, speakers asked the council to pause the project while the city confirms compliance with floodplain and wetland rules, to examine Board of Adjustment conduct, and to investigate the ethics complaint. No formal direction to staff or council action on those requests was recorded during the meeting.