At a recent meeting, Milford City Council approved the extension of a land-lease between 111 N. Walnut Street LLC and the city for a land exchange. According to City Manager Chris Coleman, the current lease agreement was signed on June 2, 2025.
“The city has worked on this project, meeting up with the property owner and our consultant,” Coleman said. “We have identified a couple of things we want to speak with the property owner about. We feel we need some additional time to do that. This agreement would go through December 31, unless there is a mutually agreed upon date by both parties thereafter.”
A review of the February 10, 2025, meeting in which council approved the agreement indicates several things were supposed to happen in order for this land exchange to take place. Under the original agreement, the city would complete the boundary surveys for each property and complete the lot consolidation process through the planning department. A parcel would be transferred from 111 N. Walnut Street, LLC in exchange for the city transferring two equally sized parcels. The transferred parcel from 111 North Walnut Street LLC would maintain the minimum setback the building structures at 109 and 115 North Walnut Street while the parcel transferred from the city would have a minimum depth from Northeast Front Street of 50 feet.
“Planned improvements to parcel C by 111 North Walnut Street LLC shall first be approved by the city,” the agreement reads. “The city agrees to complete the construction of a new parking lot by September 1, 2026. 111 North Walnut Street LLC agrees not to begin any construction on parcel B until the city’s parking lot construction is completed, providing the parking lot construction is completed by September 1, 2026. The concrete block garage at the rear of 115 North Walnut Street will be razed by the city at city expense.”
In preparation for developing the vacant lot located between 109 and 115 North Walnut Street, 111 North Walnut Street LLC, owned by Zack and Marissa King, submitted plans for a mixed-use building on the lot. The building would have commercial on the first floor with 16 affordable apartments on the upper floors as well as a potential commercial property on the top floor. The proposal went before the Board of Adjustments who granted the request for additional density, but denied a height variance, necessary for the addition of elevator equipment to make the building handicap accessible.
In May, 2026, the project went before the Planning Commission who denied the entire project due to traffic and parking, despite the fact that there was testimony that the location has ample parking available. The King’s then withdrew the project from city approvals. Since the original land exchange agreement included wording that 111 North Walnut Street LLC would be able to develop the vacant land, including the traded parcel, it is likely this required additional discussion between the city and the owners.
In addition, the city has not yet begun construction on the new parking lot configuration which was supposed to be completed by September 1, 2026. Therefore, the agreement likely needs to be completely revamped since the property owner has been limited in what can be done with the vacant lot and the city has not yet begun construction on the parking lot.
Council voted to approve the extension by a vote of seven to zero.
