Planning & Zoning Commission

REGULAR MEETING OF THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MIDDLETOWN CONNECTICUT JANUARY 13, 2021 The Regular Meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission of the City of Middletown was held remotely via WebEx. 1. Roll Taking Present Commissioner Stephen Devoto Commissioner Thom Pattavina Commissioner Nicholas Fazzino Commissioner Richard Pelletier Commissioner Catherine Johnson Commissioner James O'Connell Commissioner Marcus Fazzino Commissioner Kellin Atherton (not seated) Commissioner Shanay Fulton (not seated) Commissioner Quatina Frazer (not seated) Staff: Marek Kozikowski, AICP, City Planner 2. Items removed from the agenda and why None 3. Public comment on items on agenda which are not currently scheduled for a public hearing None 4. ZEO Certification that all public hearing signs have been properly noticed (when scheduled) None 5. Public Hearings (when scheduled) 1. Continued: Review and adoption of the 2020 Middletown Plan of Conservation and Development. A copy of the proposed update is on file in the Office of the Town Clerk. Proponent P&Z Comm. (Continued from the November 18th and December 9th meetings) Commissioner Devoto said that last week the Council approved this Plan of Conservation and Development. The Regional Council of Governments and River Cog has had a copy for weeks / 1 months and have declined to provide any comment. If approved by this Commission today, it will be adopted. Patrick McKenna, 149 Lincoln Street, thanks the Commission for all the work they have put into this. He would like to talk about his previous electronic comments. It is noted that Middletown has schematic goals as far as providing 10% of its housing as affordable. It is worth noted that a lot of the affordable housing is in certain areas of the City which leads to a more segregated City and provides problems with the school redistricting to meet its diversity requirements. It is important that the POCD inclusionary zoning measures that single family zoning has excluded, in the past, lower income and racial minorities from parts of the City. Allowing two family homes in single family zones would be a step in the right direction. He is the Chair of the Building Committee and has built homes in Middletown but has had trouble finding affordable sites. Marek said that The Council approved the POCD last week and the Design Review and Preservation Board as well as the Commission on Conservation and Agriculture also approved. He said Councilman Faulkner had some comments and they were incorporated into the Plan. He thanked the Commission for their patience as he was getting acclimated to the City. Commissioner James O'Connell moves to close the public hearing. Commissioner Catherine Johnson seconds the motion. The chair calls for the vote. It is unanimous to close public hearing with 7 aye votes. The chair states the matter passes unanimously with 7 affirmative votes. Commissioner O'Connell moves for the adoption of the 2020 Middletown Plan of Conservation and Development. Commissioner Catherine Johnson seconds the motion. Commissioner Devoto asked Marek if any of the previous comments were incorporated into the Plan. Marek said that Commissioner Johnson has been participating in the Public Steering Committee and provided a wealth of notes (40 pages). Her contribution to the Plan was probably larger than any other individual, committee or group. Commissioner Devoto also thanked Commissioner Johnson. After 24 months of work, this Plan is a lot better than the 2010 Plan. He urged the Commission to adopt it, knowing that it can be changed in the future. This will be a tremendous foundation for changing / updating the Zoning Code. Commissioner O’Connell said the he appreciates and respects the tremendous amount of work that staff (Marek) has put into this. It produced a document that will benefit the City of Middletown. He will be voting in favor but still has one item that he disagrees with and that’s the projections of the population in this report. He finds it absurd that we would expect a 20% increase in our population and that is the basis for all of our projections made on that. As a state and City we are experiencing a reduction of population. Commissioner Fazzino also would like to thank Marek who he thinks is a hard worker and a ‘plus’ for Middletown. He will be voting in favor. Commissioner Johnson said the 40 pages she outlined were consolidated in the CMA draft. She consolidated them into 4 pages and submitted them in July and again in October. She feels that they are a stop-gap measure until the Zoning Regulations can be rewritten and is very worried that they are not in there. She said ten years ago many members of the P&Z wanted to change to one meeting a month. One meeting devoted to talk about Planning and the other for Zoning and it worked out well for a long time. She would like to see the Commission outline the 2 priorities for 2021. She would also like the Planning Commission meet in March to discuss the POCD. She continued to speak about the points she had in those pages. The chair calls for the vote. It is unanimous to adopt the POCD with 7 aye votes. The chair states the matter passes unanimously with 7 affirmative votes. Marek said the next step will be sending a copy to the State OPM Office for their review and acceptance. He will also file a copy to the Town Clerk. 6. Old Business 1. Request for a bond reduction for the Talia’s Trail Subdivision off Mile Lane. Applicant/agent Tom Coccomo S2013-4 Marek explained the request for bond reduction on two bonds. The first one was a $90,000 Public Improvement Bond. He spoke to Public Works Engineer Tom Nigosanti and they deny reducing the bond as this point. There is also a $20,000 bond held for the Water & Sewer Dept. and they have a recommendation of reducing the bond to $5,000. Commissioner O’Connell has a problem with the way the agenda is worded. It’s only asking for a bond reduction and does not detail that there are two bond that are being held. A Commission discussion ensued. Commissioner Devoto moves for approval for the Water/Sewer Bond reduction from $20,000 to $5,000. Commissioner Pelletier seconds the motion. The chair calls for the vote. It is unanimous to approve a reduction of the Water/Sewer bond to $5,000 with 7 aye votes. The chair states the matter passes unanimously with 7 affirmative votes. Commissioner Stephen moves for a reduction in the Public Improvement Bond for the Talia’s Trail Subdivision off Mile Lane. Commissioner Pelletier seconds. The chair calls for the vote. It is 0 in the affirmative and 7 denied. Motion fails at 0-7 2. Election of RiverCog Representative Commissioner James O'Connell moves to table the election of RiverCog Representative. Commissioner Stephen Devoto seconds the motion. The chair calls for the vote. It is unanimous to table with 7 aye votes. The chair states the matter passes unanimously with 7 affirmative votes. 7. New Business 1. Request for a Special Exception for Change of Use from Mixed Use to an Office Building at 330 South Main Street. Applicant/agent Joan Reed Wilson SE2021-1 Commissioner James O'Connell moves to schedule a public hearing for January 27, 2021 for a request for a Special Exception for Change of Use from Mixed Use to an Office Building at 330 South Main Street. The chair calls for the vote. It is unanimous to schedule a public hearing with 7 aye votes. The chair states the matter passes unanimously with 7 affirmative votes. 3 8. Public comment on topics which are not or have not been the subject of a public hearing None 9. Minutes of the Regular Meeting, Transcripts, Staff Reports and Commission Affairs 1. Minutes of the December 9, 2020 Regular Meeting Commissioner James O'Connell moves to approve the minutes of the December 9, 2020 Regular Meeting. Commissioner Pattavina seconds the motion. Commissioner Devoto has one correction. In Item. 6.2 in the first paragraph change Commissioner Atherton to Commissioner O’Connell. The Chair calls for the vote to approve the minutes with correction on the December 9th meeting. The Chair states the matter passes unanimously with 7 affirmative votes. 2. River-Cog Report Commissioner Atherton gave a brief report. 3. Staff Reports Marek spoke to the Conservation Commission about what they wanted to put on that map. 4. Commission Affairs Commissioner Devoto reminds that the Charter Revision is under discussion. The Charter regulates what the Commission does. He recommends to the Commission to not change their rules for minority representation or for requiring 5 votes for approval. Commissioner Fazzino suggested that a letter be drafted on these recommendations. Commissioner O’Connell publish the letter in the Middletown Press, Middletown Eye and the Patch so the statement can reach many members of the public. Commissioner Pelletier and Pattavina share these recommendations. He stated that former Commission Molly Salafia asked if it would be better for the P&Z Commission to take the role of Design Review and Preservation which evaluates signs and historic preservation dwellings. Commissioner Fazzino said that he thinks a future workshop should be scheduled to discuss to pros and cons. Commissioner Devoto reported that there was a meeting of the P&Z Commissioners put forward by a program called Desegregate CT. This is a group of City Planners to address Planning and Zoning issues that have led and still continues to foster segregation in Cities. 10. Adjournment Commissioner Nicholas Fazzino moves for adjournment at98:10 PM. Commissioner Catherine Johnson seconds the motion. The chair calls for the vote. It is unanimous to adjourn with 7 aye votes. The chair states the matter passes unanimously with 7 affirmative votes. 4 Respectfully submitted, Marek Kozikowski City Planner 5