So much to do, so little space

MILFORD — For borough officials the question never changes: how do you satisfy growth and historic preservation without damaging either? The question echoed once more Monday as members of the borough officials met with planner Carson Helfrich to review changes being considered in the borough’s zoning ordinance. Three issues dominated the two-hour session: signs, business expansion and parking. With its fairy tale architecture, historic Milford is a magnet for tourism and tourism dollars are the primary source of income for many borough merchants. But the borough, at one-half square mile in size, is all but built out. Its boundaries are not going to change. New business may have to go in non-traditional business areas. “We want the business district to grow a little, within itself, not in residential (areas),” said Borough President Matt Osterberg. “We don’t want a Cooperstown or a Cape May where they lock it up in November and go to Florida,” he said. Milford’s fruitfully named single-lane alleys could see more business. They already serve several businesses and act as feeders for parking and drive-in facilities for businesses fronting Broad and Harford streets. Planners considered alley business and demands that might bring an expansion of existing alley buildings. They would propose allowing expansion if the developer also increases parking to required levels and met other zoning standards. “But most buildings don’t have enough parking now. Accessory (alley) buildings would never be able to meet that,” said Reggie Cheong-Leen, who is a member of the planning commission and the owner of Forest Hall. With redevelopment, a change in the property use, expansion provisions could apply, Helfrich replied. Borough officials would also like to move parking and the development of new parking from the street side of businesses, by directing development of rear and side yard parking. Those who could demonstrate that meeting the standard would not be physically possible could retain front parking. “The idea is that you just can’t pave over the front lawn,” said Osterberg. With stormwater runoff limits now on new construction, a zoning amendment likely will bring new bounds on paving for residential as well as commercial parking. Current zoning allows 75-percent coverage of a residential lot, but that doesn’t include existing driveways and sidewalks. “A new definition should include all impervious surfaces,” Helfrich advised. Planners also talked about the introduction of bed-and-breakfast businesses in residential zones, and the conversion of garage spaces for B&B use. Osterberg favored the idea but struggled with where to offer it. “I’d like some (areas), but not all. We need to limit the size and space or they’ll eventually turn into apartments,” he said. The hottest topic on the Monday agenda was commercial signs. While they declined making a court appeal, some borough officials are still unhappy about the Zoning Hearing Board’s decision to override borough denials and allow increased signage at the Hotel Fauchere. Milford currently allows 40 square-feet of signage per business, or one square foot of signage for every linear foot of road front for properties with more than 40 feet of street front. Cheong-Leen appeared to have the role of the business delegate on the panel. His Forest Hall has 160 feet of road front and six tenants. “Twenty-six feet each is not enough,” he said. . “Shall we give them each 40 square feet? or forty, one square-foot signs. Get it cluttered and then see what they want,” Osterberg asked rhetorically. “They each need a sign for traffic and a sign for pedestrians... Different businesses have different needs,” Cheong-Leen said. “They can have two signs now... Do we want more signs or less? I’m hearing more,” Osterberg asked the group. There was no resolution. The panel also discussed and panned sandwich board signs, saying that most narrow borough sidewalks would not accommodate them. Osterberg said they were discussed and rejected four years ago. Lately they have been the subject of emails claiming the borough is anti-business, he said. “I’m tired of that... It’s not helping my business, telling people that I’m anti-business, when I run a small business myself,” he told Cheong-Leen. Osterberg said the review is being done to parallel the borough’s new comprehensive plan. “The topics we’re discussing, parking, signs, come up several times a year,” he said. The planners will make another stab at it when they meet at 7 p.m. on Sept. 24, at the Milford Fire House.