Council to consider housing grant

According to Bill Warner in the Department of Planning, Conservation and Development, tonight the Common Council will be considering the application to hire a consultant to study:

- the existing impediments to creating housing downtown

- how to overcome those impediments

- the creation of design guidelines

- the establishment of an overlay IHZ (Housing Incentive Zone)

- a package of residential incentives

The study would include an inventory of all buildings within the downtown and the identification of those which have underutilized space and the impediments to using these spaces for owner occupied residential units

There will also be an inventory of infill locations within and surrounding the downtown core and an identification of vacant and underutilized parcels which can be targeted for mixed use (commercial/residential) development.

According to the proposal the Council will consider, the study, if conducted will calculate the potential for creating housing units downtown, and develop a package of "no strings attached" incentives for developers.

If the state awards Middletown the $50,000 grant, a consultant will be hired within one month, and the study will be managed by the Department of Planning, Conservation and Development.

Aside from the regular meeting (see the agenda in our right margin), the Council will hold a special meeting at 6 pm in executive session to discuss security issues surrounding the city's information technology department.