MILFORD — Phase 1 of the Milford Corporate Center project was slated to be done March 10, but because of two major snowstorms this year and the discovery of gas and telecommunications conflicts along Milford Harrington Highway, the infrastructure work won’t be finished for another four months.
The City Council on March 9 unanimously agreed to extend George & Lynch Inc’s contract through July 10 to complete those efforts. KCI Technologies reviewed the contract extension, which will not cost the city anything, and deemed it reasonable.
The council a week earlier approved two change orders worth nearly $900,000 for George & Lynch for Phase 1 of the project, bringing the contract’s total cost to $18,884,554.19.
One change order was for $693,515 to install electric conduit for all city-required electric lines, do a bore under Canterbury Road and install conduit for Delaware Electric Cooperative under the corporate center’s Canterbury Road entrance. The city earlier budgeted $800,000 for those efforts, but the amount was not included in George & Lynch’s original contract.
The other change order was for $200,255 and involved asphalt milling and overlay work along Canterbury Road, which also had not been included in the original contract. Upon completion, that work will be eligible for reimbursement from Delaware Department of Transportation’s Transportation Infrastructure Investment Fund.
Home business OK’d
Council members March 9 also unanimously approved a conditional-use permit for Stone & Sage Holistic Healing, which began operating out of owner Amy Perfetti’s house at 206 N. Walnut St. last summer, but was cited by city officials in September for lack of proper permits.
Ms. Perfetti now will need to obtain a new certificate of occupancy, a building permit for signage and approvals from the Office of the State Fire Marshal and Delaware Health and Social Services. The 1,388-square-foot section of the 4,975-square-foot home that the business occupies was used for decades as a pediatrician’s office.
The business has another location at 37 N. Walnut St., which still is open six days per week and accepts all of the company’s deliveries, Ms. Perfetti said.
City planning officials earlier expressed concern that the site’s eight off-street parking spaces could lead to vehicle stacking, but did not press the point March 9.
“Staff has taken the stance that a residential-type driveway would be sufficient for a home occupation and not necessarily (require) a full-scale commercial parking lot,” said planning director Rob Pierce.
“I think it’s a wonderful opportunity for their business to be blooming in the city of Milford,” said council member Katrina Wilson.
Street paving projects
The council at the meeting also approved spending $748,259 for asphalt milling and overlay and installation of handicapped ramps, curbs, sidewalks and storm-drain structures on seven city streets.
The roadways, which received poor evaluations during a 2023 pavement-condition assessment, are Salevan Place, Northeast Ninth Street, East Street, Eighth Street, Dixie Aly, Orchard Lane and Wilbur Street.
The spending includes contractor Diamond Materials LLC’s $650,666 bid, $65,066 for KCI Technologies to provide project management and quality control, and a 5% contingency allowance to cover additional work and possible oil cost increases.