The Milford Planning Board held an extended initial discussion on July 15 about possible zoning ordinance revisions aimed at increasing housing supply and variety, directing staff to refine concepts for consultants who will return on Aug. 5.
Board members framed the effort as targeted rather than townwide: they asked consultants to identify “appropriate areas for gentle density increases” — spots typically with existing water and sewer where modest increases in units per acre or smaller building types could be accommodated with design controls. Board members discussed applying different rules to sub-areas within existing zoning districts rather than changing every A or R parcel.
Ideas the board asked staff and consultants to analyze included:
- Allowing cottage courts and smaller-scale homes as an explicit option, and identifying what density (for example, 8–15 units per acre in specific areas) would make cottage courts feasible while preserving neighborhood character.
- Creating overlay districts or a new sub-zone (for example, an "R-2" or targeted A-area) where higher densities would be permitted in exchange for design or public-benefit measures such as sidewalks, trails, or open-space set-asides.
- Increasing flexibility for adaptive reuse of larger existing buildings and commercial spaces (upper-floor residential or conversion of strip-mall footprints to mixed use), while protecting ground-floor commercial activity where appropriate.
- Re-examining ADU rules, in particular the local 750-square-foot cap; board members cited consultant suggestions in the 950–1,200-square-foot range and asked staff to bring options consistent with state law changes.
Board members repeatedly urged a practical approach: pilot changes in limited areas where infrastructure exists and developers have shown market interest, rather than blanket rezoning. “Try it in small areas rather than a blanket,” one member said, calling it a way to test market response and limit unintended impacts.
Staff said consultants from Resilience (auditor/consultant referenced in discussion) will prepare proposals and examples from other towns; the board asked staff to supply water and sewer capacity information to inform where additional density is feasible.
No vote was taken; board members agreed to finalize guidance for the Aug. 5 consultant meeting and to return to the topic thereafter.