City staff presented a package of text amendments on April 28 to implement the "Destination Deerfield" form-based code and regulating plan. The presentation summarized map changes, new subdistrict rules, revised permitted uses and a set of incentives intended to steer development patterns along the Highway 9 corridor.

Bob Buscemi, director of special projects, told council the amendments are the implementation step following community outreach and concept work. "This is really just gonna represent a lot of the mechanics," he said, noting a year-long study and a robust outreach program. Staff said there are four character subdistricts: North Deerfield, Central Deerfield, South Highway 9 and South Deerfield Parkway, and explained changes to the Stone Creek/Stone Creek Church frontage to better align with the corridor character.

Major changes presented

- Subdistricts and map edits: Some areas would allow single-family detached homes on smaller lots in northern sections while reserving higher intensities for other subdistricts. The Stone Creek frontage would be reallocated so the front becomes T5 (higher-intensity mixed use) while the rear stays lower intensity.

- Townhomes and multifamily: Townhouses would be permitted as-of-right in T5 only when part of mixed-use developments; multifamily apartment buildings would require a council use permit. Council discussion focused on townhome minimum widths: staff noted the current code allows townhomes as narrow as 18 feet, and several councilors recommended increasing the minimum to around 28 feet to maintain Milton's character and reduce per-acre density. Buscemi and councilors offered a compromise suggestion of a middle standard near 20–28 feet for T5.

- Incentives and parking structures: The amendments include development incentives intended to increase nonresidential floor area and public amenities. For example, a parking structure that houses 50% of required parking would earn additional residential density; higher amounts of public open space or public trail provisions would also improve allowable residential ratios toward a 70/30 nonresidential/residential policy target mentioned by staff.

- TDRs and heights: Transferable development rights (TDRs) remain in the framework but staff reduced maximum TDR-enabled density in some areas (for example, lowering one allowance from 36 to 16 units per acre). Maximum heights were proposed at eight stories for core commercial in T6 and lower limits in T4.

- Concurrency and ground-floor commercial: Staff proposed requiring nonresidential components be built concurrently with residential components to reduce the risk of residential-only projects that do not deliver promised retail or office uses.

Schedule and process

Buscemi said the package will appear before the Planning Commission on a special-call meeting, have a first read before council May 5, and — if the review process proceeds — be scheduled for adoption May 19 along with an urban design manual.

Why it matters: The amendments set the rules that will guide private development along Highway 9. Council members noted that small changes to dimensional standards and incentive structures could materially affect what projects are built and whether the plan achieves the city's commercial-target goals.

Ending

Councilors asked staff to return with clarified numeric thresholds (for example, proposed minimum townhome widths) and to bring the text to the planning commission for further review prior to the May first read. No binding vote on adoption occurred at the April 28 presentation.