Bayhealth was granted a variance from the Milford Board of Adjustments to expand the number of parking spaces for a new office building they plan to construct on their Sussex Campus.
“In order to construct the new building, Bayhealth must obtain the following variance which requires one landscaped island or peninsula a minimum of 9 feet by 18 feet for every 12 contiguous parking spaces,” City Planner Rob Pierce said. “The applicant is seeking permission to increase the number of parking spaces between landscape islands from 12 to 33 resulting in an increase of 21 parking spaces between landscaped islands.”
John Falkowski, Civil Engineer with Becker Morgan Group, pointed out that the hospital building would be placed in an institutional district which can contain medical facilities, hospitals and educational facilities.
“Unlike an educational facility, a medical facility, such as a hospital and medical office building does require continuous use of the property,” Falkowski said. “Designs are hard to prioritize access, emergency vehicle access, emergency response and an operational efficiency for the entire campus.”
Falkowski explained that this building would be part of a master plan done many years ago and that some of the parking area was already constructed. This would be an extension of radial parking that is on the outside perimeter of the center circle already built.
“That section was done before there was a code change, so this is a new requirement,” Falkowski said. “The previous code required vertical islands every 12 feet so what we have done with this parking area is mimic the original design.”
Falkowski also pointed out that islands can impact storm drain infrastructure as well as an operational hardship. He confirmed that this would be an office building for doctor’s offices and not a surgery center.
“This medical office building is strictly going to be doctor’s offices, especially clinics, neurology, orthopedics, women’s care,” Mitch Brees, Senior Director of Support Services for Bayhealth, said. “It’s Monday through Friday, 9 to 5. So this building is 100 percent occupied by Bayhealth programs and an integral part of the campus.”
The request was approved with a vote of three to zero.
