By Glenn Rolfe

MILLSBORO — Ongoing growth along the town’s commercial district on both sides of DuPont Boulevard has led to site plans for an Aldi store and a Meineke Car Care Center.

On Thursday, Town Council cast preliminary site plan approval for an Aldi grocery and conditional final site plan approval for a Meineke. Both projects are permitted uses in the town’s highway commercial zoning.

Aldi, a global discount supermarket chain with existing stores in all three Delaware counties, is planning a 19,334-square-foot site in the Peninsula Crossing Shopping Center, on a lot between PetSmart and Lowe’s.

“I don’t see anything as far as our end that would prevent them from getting preliminary site plan approval,” said Millsboro public works director Kenny Niblett. “There are still some comments to be addressed before final site plan approval, and we’ll work through that.”

Aldi’s designs also were reviewed by AECOM, the town’s planning consultant.

A representative from Aldi planned to attend the council meeting but, due to a wintry weather forecast, was advised by town officials not to make the seven-hour trip.

Aldi's plan is to open its Millsboro store later this year.

Meineke’s proposal is for a 6,400-square-foot car-care facility along U.S. 113 north, northwest of Papa John’s.

Primary access for the location would be off U.S. 113, with a secondary entrance to the rear of the site, off Northern Avenue.

Meineke’s conditional approval was granted by council following a request from Roger Gross, an engineer with Merestone Consultants, which prepared the site plans. Mr. Gross said that, on Wednesday, Merestone had received additional comments from Millsboro town engineer Carrie Kruger regarding the facility.

“We request conditional final site plan approval subject to us working out those three or four issues with the town. Most of them had to deal with the fact that … the town updated their construction standards, so a lot of the details on the plans needed to be changed,” said Mr. Gross.

“We’re also looking at connecting to the sewer in Northern Avenue in a different fashion than what was shown on the original site plan,” he said. “We’re working with Kenny (Niblett) and Miss Kruger on that.”