Planning & Zoning Commission

Chair Thom Pattavina (’23) Middletown Vice-Chair Vice-Chair Secretary Nicholas Fazzino(’23) Marcus Fazzino (’21) Thom Pattavina (’23) Secretary Shanay Fulton (’25) Planning and Zoning Members Members ers Richard Pelletier (’23) Richard Pelletier (’23) Catherine Marcus Fazzino (’21) Rogers Pylant (’25) Catherine Johnson Johnson (’23) (’23) Vacant (’21) Sebastian Giuliano (’25) Commission Alternates Alternates Kellin Atherton (’23) Kellin Atherton (’23) Shanay Fulton (’23) James O’Connell (’21) Kelly Sweeney (’23) Tyler Eckstrom (’25) Ex- Ex- Officio Officio Mayor Mayor Ben Ben Florsheim Florsheim Marek Kozikowski, AICP, Director of Land Use REGULAR MEETING MINUTES WEDNESDAY, November 8, 2023 Council Chambers, City Hall & Virtual on WebEx 7:00 P.M. The meeting was held both virtually and in -person. Members of the public had access via https://webex.com, the WebEx application, and via telephone. Start: 7:02 PM End: 8:35 PM Commissioner Giuliano served as secretary for the meeting. 1. Pledge of Allegiance The Pledge of Allegiance was made. 2. Roll Call Present: Commissioner Thomas Pattavina Commissioner Marcus Fazzino Commissioner Shanay Fulton Commissioner Richard Pelletier (Remotely) Commissioner Catherine Johnson Commissioner Sebastian Giuliano Commissioner Rogers Pylant (Remotely) Commissioner Kellin Atherton Absent: Commissioner Tyler Eckstrom Commissioner Kelly Sweeney Staff: Marek Kozikowski, Director of Land Use Public: Twenty-seven members of public. 3. Items removed from the Agenda None. Page 1 of 5 4. Public comment on items on the agenda which are not currently scheduled for a public hearing Mayor Florsheim presented a proclamation for Commissioner Pelletier who is retiring from the Planning and Zoning Commission after this meeting. He is a lifelong resident of Middletown who has been active in government and politics since 1990 having served on The Planning and Zoning Commission, The Citizens Advisory Committee, The Committee Concerning People with Disabilities, The Middletown Riverfront Redevelopment Commission, and Building Committee’s for numerous city projects. Mayor Florsheim proclaimed November 8th as Richard Pelletier Day in the City of Middletown. 5. Confirmation that all hearing signs have been properly posted All public hearing signs have been properly posted. 6. Public Hearings 6.1. Continued: Request for a special exception for an expansion of a multi-family development with an additional 72 new residential units to total 486 units on property located at 530- 534 Newfield Street in the M zone. Applicant/Agent: Bob Dale, Newfield Residential Partners, LLC & Newfield Residential, LLC SE2023-10. Megan Hope, attorney with Alter & Pearson, LLC in Glastonbury, CT, presented the application. They are proposing construction of two additional multi-family buildings, each with thirty-six units for a total of seventy units. After receiving approval for the first two phases of the project, they acquired an additional seven acre property to construct these two proposed buildings. They have revised their plans per comments from the Wetlands Commission and moved the buildings further away from the wetlands in the area. They did receive their wetlands permit and have addressed department comments. Ron Bomengen, Engineer with Fuss & O’Neill in Manchester, CT, showed the commission the existing conditions of the site. He explained that the entire property drains north. Mr. Bomengen then showed the site plan for the two additional multi-family buildings with the additional parking. They will be providing four electric vehicle charging stations. With the additional two buildings they are at twenty four and a half percent impervious coverage when regulations give a max of fifty percent impervious coverage. For this proposal, they will mimic the grading and drainage from south to north. He stated that the city engineer agreed with their stormwater calculations. Sill fences will be erected with slopes greater than three to one. The site utilities that were approved in phase two will support phase three. Mr. Bomengen pointed out a large outdoor patio between phase two and phase three for residents to use to hold events. David Winkle, 418 Mile Lane, expressed his concerns over the increase in traffic on Newfield Street. He also expressed concerns about where the snow will go. Adam Marshall, managing partner of Upwards Solutions and Compliance Consultants for Spring Side Middletown spoke in favor of this proposal. Gale Freeman, 92 A6 Cynthia Lane, asked where people from the new development access Newfield Street and will there be a traffic light. Anita Ford Saunders, 14 Brookview Lane, spoke to the excellent opportunities this project has given to minority contractors in Middletown. Walter Cloud, 258 Scarborough Lane, feels that this is a great project and opportunity for those moving into the area. Paul Keyes, Bloomfield, CT, a contractor with the project, spoke not only to the developer’s commitment to minority contractors but also to their commitment to environmental and sustainability Page 2 of 5 achievements on the project. He expressed his pride with being associated with this project. Attorney Nastasha Douglas Ortez, Court Street, Middletown expressed her delight that the commission had approved phase one and two of this project in creating a development that is innovative in bringing Middletown forward. 47 Norfolk Street, this development will make Middletown more of an attractive place to live. Tina Frasier, 91 Santangelo Circle, Middletown, stated how grateful she is for the opportunity this development gave her for her small business. She feels this is a positive thing moving forward. Deborah Hopkins, 218 Newfield Street, spoke in support of this project. David Winkle, 418 Mile Lane, applauded the developer for hiring minority contractors. He brought up the electric vehicle space requirement and did not see any on the plans. Attorney Hope and Mr. Bomengen responded to the public’s comments. The first one on snow removal. Mr. Bomengen stated that the area in the center of the parking lot is ideal for snow storage since everything drains that way. As far as electric vehicle charging stations go, there are four EV charging stations in the parking lot and additional six in the parking garage. In phase one and phase two there are twenty-four EV charging stations. Mark Furtucci, Senior Transportation Engineer with Fuss & O’Neill, addressed the traffic concerns. He stated that there will be an additional twenty seven trips in the morning peak hour and twenty-eight trips in the afternoon peak hour. There will be about a one percent increase in traffic for phase three. He went on to say that they are required to widen the road. They still need to go back to the state to get approval for this third phase. There is two hundred feet between the driveway and Congdon Street which won’t have a negative impact on that street. He lastly addressed the question about a traffic signal. They don’t believe they have the volume for a traffic light. Motion to close the public hearing. Moved by Commissioner Fulton, seconded by Commissioner Giuliano. Passed unanimously: 7-0 Commissioner Fazzino asked if they could fight to get a light put in on Newfield Street. He believes that getting in and out of the apartment complex will be a problem. Commissioner Johnson answered that the applicant stated that they didn’t meet the criteria at the State level. She went on to state her disappointment in the first two floors of the two new buildings having a view of the hill. She also pointed out that the open space is not following the rules. Commissioner Pattavina will be supporting this application because he believes it supports our plan of conservation and development, affordable housing, sustainability and outreach to minority employment. Commissioner Giuliano will be supporting this application for the reasons Commissioner Pattavina stated but also this wasn’t a surprise. The traffic on Newfield Street is concerning but this is not the only project on Newfield Street that is or will be generating traffic. He thinks this is a good project. Commissioner Fulton will be supporting this as well. She likes the opportunities that were presented to minority contractors. She suggested that the traffic study be conducted during different times of the day, morning, lunch time and evening. Motion to approve the special exception. Moved by Commissioner Giuliano, seconded by Commissioner Fulton Passed: 6-1 (For: Pattavina, Fazzino, Fulton, Pelletier, Giuliano, Pylant) (Against: Johnson) 7. Old Business 7.1. Request for a site plan approval for a site plan modification for the proposed two multi- Page 3 of 5  family dwellings at 173-179 Butternut Street. Applicant/Agent: David Coleman/Hillside Investments, LLC. SPR2023-189. David Coleman, This is a site plan modification request from the approved plan from 2019 for the construction of four buildings with a total of nineteen units. Because of the elevation change from front to back on the site there were difficulties in finding space for utilities and site water management. What he is proposing to change is to delete the two rear buildings and build just the two front buildings. These two building would each have seven units. Mr. Coleman stated that they received comments from Public Works and Water and Sewer and he believes that his engineer has satisfied those comments. Motion to approve the site plan. Moved by Commissioner Giuliano, seconded by Commissioner Fazzino. Passed unanimously: 7-0. 8. New Business 8.1. Request for a positive CGS 8-24 report for the acceptance of a 1,370 SF drainage easement area at 173-179 Butternut Street in the M zone. Applicant/Agent: City of Middletown/Land Use Department, LLC. GS 8-24 2023-4. Director Kozikowski presented the application. This drainage easement was part of the 2019 approval and was requested by Public Works. He explained that he would like to get an approved GS 8-24 from the commission before this goes in front of the Common Council. Motion for a positive CGS 8-24 report. Moved by Commissioner Fulton, seconded by Commissioner Fazzino. Passed unanimously: 7-0. 8.2. Request for a positive CGS 8-24 report for the construction of a 50’ x 70’ building attached to the existing building at the firing range for performing law enforcement training simulations. Applicant/Agent: City of Middletown/Public Works Department. GS 8-24 2023-5. Director Kozikowski presented the application. He explained that since this is a significant improvement to a municipal structure, it’s good practice to get a favorable 8-24 report from the commission. Commissioner Giuliano is in support of this application. Motion for a positive CGS 8-24 report. Moved by Commissioner Fazzino, seconded by Commissioner Fulton. Passed Unanimously: 7-0. 9. Public comment on topics which are not or have not been subject of a public hearing David Winkle, 418 Mile Lane, the City of Middletown has asked the Connecticuts’s Resources Conservation and Development Group to do a report on red maple swamp properties. They suggested to create an easement in perpetuity both ecologically and environmentally. He’s asking the commission to consider including the land below Lawrence School to Mile Lane and the former Sharon Park properties. Is this the proper committee to ask to add that land into any easement consideration? Director Kozikowski answered that part of the process where they would have to go in front of the Planning and Zoning commission for any easements over city land. That is when we would bring forward a request for a favorable 8-24 report. Mr. Winkle asked who would be the ones that propose the easement. Page 4 of 5 Commissioner Giuliano answered that any permanent easements need to go in front of the Common Council. 10. Minutes, Staff Reports and Commission Affairs 10.1. Minutes Motion to approve the October 25, 2023 minutes. Moved by Commissioner Giuliano, seconded by Commissioner Johnson. Passed: 6-0-1 (Abstained: Fulton) 10.2. RiverCOG Report No report. 10.3. Staff Report No report. 10.4. Commission Affairs Commissioner Giuliano gave his best wishes to Commissioner Pelletier, Commissioner Johnson and Commissioner Atherton. He thanked them for their service. Commissioner Pattavina echoed what Commissioner Giuliano stated. He also added Commissioner Sweeney. He continued by saying that Commissioner Pelletier was a mentor to him. Commissioner Johnson mentioned the new policy by the city to require residents for waste to purchase certain bags to separate their waste. She thinks this is going to be a problem. Commissioner Fulton sends her well wishes to Commissioner Atherton and Commissioner Pelletier and Commissioner Sweeney and Commissioner Johnson. Commissioner Fazzino thanked the commission for allowed him to hold the vice-chair seat. 11. Adjournment Motion to adjourn Moved by Commissioner Johnson, seconded by Commissioner Pelletier. Passed Unanimously: 7-0. Submitted, Marek Kozikowski, AICP Director of Land Use Page 5 of 5