Planning & Zoning Commission

Chair Thom Pattavina (’27) Middletown Vice-Chair Vice-Chair Secretary Nicholas SebastianFazzino Giuliano(’21) Thom Pattavina (’23) (’25) Secretary Shanay Fulton (’25) Planning and Zoning Members Members ers Richard Pelletier (’23) Rogers Pylant (’25) Catherine Johnson(’27) (’23) Marcus Fazzino (’21) Elizabeth Emery (’27) Vacant (’21)Spencer (’27) Morgan Monarca Nathaniel Commission Alternates Alternates Kellin Atherton (’23) Tyler Eckstrom (’25) Shanay Fulton (’23) James O’Connell (’21) Alan Cunningham (’27) Emily McEvoy (’26) Ex- Ex- Officio Officio Mayor Mayor Ben Ben Florsheim Florsheim Marek Kozikowski, AICP, Director of Land Use Gary Middleton, Assistant City Planner REGULAR MEETING MINUTES WEDNESDAY, May 28, 2025 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: 7:00 PM End: 7:52 PM 1. Pledge of Allegiance The Pledge of Allegiance was made. 2. Roll Call Present: Commissioner Thomas Pattavina Commissioner Sebastian Giuliano Commissioner Shanay Fulton Commissioner Rogers Pylant (Remote) Commissioner Morgan Monarca Commissioner Elizabeth Emery Commissioner Nathaniel Spencer Commissioner Tyler Eckstrom Commissioner Emily McEvoy Commissioner Alan Cunningham (Remotely) Absent: None. Staff: Marek Kozikwoski, Director of Land Use Public: Five members of the public in person. Two members of the public on WebEx. 3. Items removed from the Agenda Director Kozikowski stated that items 6.1 and 6.2 were removed from the agenda. The applicant requested a postponement and extension to the June 25th meeting. Page 1 of 4 4. Public comment on items on the agenda which are not currently scheduled for a public hearing None. 5. Confirmation that all hearing signs have been properly posted Director Kozikowski stated that no public hearing signs were required for the items being presented tonight. Motion to move item 8.1 before item 6.3. Moved by Commissioner Giuliano, seconded by Commissioner Fulton. Passed unanimously: 7-0. 6. Public Hearings 6.3 Petition to amend Sections 1.15, 5.6, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 and the addition of general Section 4.24 of the Middletown Zoning Code regarding Bus Stop Passenger Shelters. Applicant/Agent: City of Middletown/Department of Land Use. Z2025-5. Director Kozikowski presented the application. Currently, bus shelters are allowed by special exception use in most zones. Director Kozikowski would like to eliminate bus stop passenger shelters from the use schedules and as a special exception use. Connecticut has the Bus Stop Enhancement Program. The purpose of this program is to have 700 bus stops throughout the State that will all be ADA compliant. A new section will be created in the zoning code that will treat shelters as a structure and not a use. There will be specific standards that must be met in order to apply for a bus shelter including, but not limited to, limiting the applicant to the City, State, or Transit District, public hearing requirements that must be adhered to, no application fee, and the applicant must demonstrate a need for the bus shelter. Commissioner Giuliano stated that he doesn’t think this commission has the authority to eliminate fees. That falls under the common council prevue. Commissioner Giuliano commented that he’s pleased that the public hearing requirements will still be part of the application process for bus shelters. Commissioner Giuliano would like the property owners that are around the bus shelter to have the opportunity to state that the shelter isn’t being used or maintained properly and it should be removed. Commissioner Fulton asked if there is a limit as to the number of shelters that are allowed in the city. Brendan Geraghty, Transit Planner for River Valley Transit as well as RiverCOG, 62 Loveland Street, responded that the shelters are limited to need. Mr. Garrity also stated that River Valley Transit maintains the bus shelters. Commissioner Emery asked if they should hold off on voting until the common council takes a look at this proposal. Director Kozikowski responded the fee schedule is listed in the city ordinances. Bus shelters are not listed as having a fee. Max Halpern, 3rd year student at Wesleyan, spoke in support of this amendment. Commissioner McEvoy commented that this good for what is needed. Commissioner Emery asked Mr. Garrity if there are any provisions for bikers who take the bus. Will they be able to keep their bike in the shelter and not outside, especially if it’s raining? Mr. Geraghty responded it would be site dependent. Maybe a bike rack can be used for some locations. Motion to close the public hearing. Moved by Commissioner Spencer, seconded by Commissioner Giuliano. Passed unanimously: 7-0. Page 2 of 4 Motion to approve the text amendment. Moved by Commissioner Spencer, seconded by Commissioner Giuliano. Passed unanimously: 7-0. 7. Old Business None. 8. New Business 8.1. Request for a site plan approval for interior expansion of the approved office use at 10 Main Street in the B-1 zone. Applicant/Agent: Rocco Petitto, Quisenberry Arcari Malik, LLC./ Charles Foster. SPR2025-86. Rocco Petitto, QAM Architecture, Farmington and Nancy Levesque, Engineer with Benesch presented the application. Ms. Levesque explained that they are requesting a parking waiver for the change of use from a retail use to an office use. The owners would like to construct an interior mezzanine which would add another 4,300 SF of interior space which would require an additional 15 spaces according to the zoning requirements. The property was previously approved with a shortage of parking. Changing from a retail to an office space may help the combined parking with Mondo restaurant since the peak hours aren’t quite the same. There are currently 106 parking spaces and 18 spaces of on-street parking. Commissioner Eckstrom inquired if there will be enough parking spaces for the office employees. Ms. Levesque responded that there will be enough parking for the employees. Commissioner Eckstrom commented that this waiver request is reasonable. Director Kozikowski clarified that the commission does not have the authority to waive the parking requirement. The commission does have the authority to modify the parking requirement under Section 4.19.8 of the Zoning Code. If the commission votes to modify the parking requirement, they are saying that the existing 106 parking spaces is enough to satisfy the parking demand for all the use and floor area of the building. Commissioner McEvoy inquired about the number of employees that will be in the office. Mr. Petitto responded that he believes there are over 100 employees, however some of them will be going out into the field on calls. They are just expanding the space, not the number of employees. Motion to approve the site plan. Moved by Commissioner Spencer, seconded by Commissioner Emery. Passed unanimously: 7-0. 8.2. Request for an 8-lot subdivision of a 17.98 acre property located at Arbutus Street (Map-Lot: 38-0183). Applicant/Agent: Stephen Charton. S2025-4. Motion to schedule a public hearing for this application on June 25. Moved by Commissioner Spencer, seconded by Commissioner Giuliano. Passed unanimously: 7-0. 8.3. Request for a modification to the Mercy View Subdivision to waive the sidewalk requirement on Jack English Drive. Applicant/Agent: Coccomo II, LLC. S2016-1. Motion to schedule this application for a public hearing on June 25th. Moved by Commissioner Spencer, seconded by Commissioner Giuliano. Passed unanimously: 7-0. 8.4. Discussion regarding canceling the regular meeting scheduled for June 11th. Page 3 of 4 Director Kozikowski informed the commission that the June 11th meeting conflicts with Cruise Night. Commissioner Pattavina is amendable to canceling the regular meeting on June 11 th. 9. Public comment on topics which are not or have not been subject of a public hearing David Winkel, 418 Mile Lane, requested an update on his previous request as to whether there was a verification on the number of potential customers per day that will be visiting the proposed cannabis dispensary. Director Kozikowski responded they don’t have any additional testimony from the applicant related to Mr. Winkel’s inquiry. Director Kozikowski will reach out to the application again to remind them of this question that was posed to them. 10. Minutes, Staff Reports and Commission Affairs 10.1 . Minutes Motion to approve the April 23, 2025 regular meeting. Moved by Commissioner Spencer, seconded by Commissioner Giuliano. Passed unanimously: 7-0. 10.2. RiverCOG Report Commissioner Emery reported that they discussed House Bill 5002 that is of great concern. The implementation of this bill is not well thought out as to the ramifications to the different towns and cities throughout the State. It’s hard to say whether it’ll pass at this point or not. Director Kozikowski added that if this were passed he would expect that changes to the code would need to be made so as to be compliant. 10.3. Staff Report None. 10.4. Commission Affairs None. 11. Adjournment Motion to adjourn. Moved by Commissioner , seconded by Commissioner Fulton. Passed Unanimously: 7-0. Submitted, Marek Kozikowski, AICP Director of Land Use Page 4 of 4