Wetlands Agency To Discuss FedEx Proposal Wed Night

Reminder: FedEx's proposal to build a facility on the former Aetna property in Westfield is on the agenda for tonight's Inland Wetlands & Watercourses Agency meeting. The meeting is scheduled for 7pm in the city council chambers.

An 'open public forum' is also part of the meeting. A previous community meeting with the Westfield Residents Association was cancelled by FedEx. The public will be able to comment during the P&Z process as well, assuming the project progresses that far.

Principles of Plan Provoke Polite Protests

The Planning and Zoning Commission held a public hearing on the guiding principles of the Plan of Conservation and Development on Wednesday evening. The POCD is the document which guides all zoning regulations and thus exerts a powerful influence on all individual land use decisions in the City. The guiding principles were the consensus product of a workshop last September, and will be used to shape the drafting of changes to the POCD.

Two members of the public spoke against the guiding principles. Both of them are long-time citizen activists who have studied Planning and Zoning documents and frequently attend public meetings to express their support or opposition to P&Z actions.

Eleanor Kelsey opened the discussion with a complaint that the POCD documents were inaccessible on the web site, and when she asked for a copy from the town clerk's office, the clerk also had no copy. Laurence Buck echoed this complaint, and added that the POCD as written or as proposed, does not have a 'guiding principles' section. He concluded that the notice for the public hearing ("Proposed update of Guiding Principles of the Plan of Conservation and Development") was illegal.

Neither Phipps nor Deputy Director Michiel Wackers said that the guiding principles were on the web site (the Planning Department has an extensive and nearly exhaustive set of POCD documents, but as far as I can find, the guiding principles are not there, my report on the discussion on principles is in the September 24 Eye, but final language of the guiding principles was developed after that meeting, by Bill Warner).

Kelsey expressed her concern that some of the language in the guiding principles might prevent a land owner from using their land in a way they see fit, "You would have stripped landowners of their rights without compensation." She also objected to an encouragement of alternative forms of transportation without any encouragement of better auto traffic patterns, "We need to connect streets to create cross-town connections. We need to address more than just buses, bikes, and walking."

Kelsey urged the commissioners to hold the public hearing open to allow other members of the public to comment. The Commissioners agreed with her, and continued the public hearing until the April 28 P&Z meeting.

Other matters

A two lot subdivision at 309 Chamberlain Hill Road was approved without controversy. This subdivision will divide a 20 acre active farm with one house, into a one acre lot with the existing house, and a 19 acre lot with the farm and a new house.

The Commission scheduled a public hearing on a proposed zoning Code text amendment regarding the "sale or dispensation of marijuana and/or medical marijuana." This hearing will be at the April 28 meeting.

Commissioner Barbara Plum returned from her annual 4 month Hawaii hiatus, attending a meeting of the commission for the first time since November.

The controversial February P&Z decision to allow The Public Nightclub on Main Street to continue operating was discussed briefly. Mayor Giuliano, who strenuously opposed the P&Z approval, initiated an appeal by the City of the P&Z decision in Superior Court (Middletown Press coverage). Chairman Phipps reported that he had spoken about this issue at the April Common Council Meeting.

Phipps told his fellow Commissioners that The Public had closed since the lawsuit was filed, and thus the appeal by the City was moot.

Conservation Commission Meeting Notes 3/11/2010

The Conservation Commission meets on the second Thursday of every month. There was no meeting in February due to lack of a quorum. The March meeting was held Thursday 3/11/2010. The meeting started out with happiness and congratulations all around thanks to the return of our illustrious Sheila Stoane. We are all very thankful to have Sheila back and glad that she is feeling better.

The Commission held its elections at Thursday night's meeting. Sheila Stoane, after a long stint as Commission Chair, the actual length of which was up for discussion but was generally thought to be about 20 years, was elected as Vice-Chair. Jane Brawerman who had been the Vice-Chair for the past several years was elected as Chair. Votes were unanimous.

Planning and Zoning Commissioner Catherine Johnson visited the Commission to discuss the previous night's vote to approve the City's Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD). The POCD has been undergoing a revision process which was under a state-imposed deadline restriction for certain funding stipulations. This has been written about in the Eye in several past articles that can be found by searching for "POCD" in the search box at the upper left corner of the Eye blog. There was some confusion among the Conservation Commission regarding what was actually voted on and what version of the POCD was adopted. At the time of the P&Z vote on March 10th, he POCD document was still in a draft form and the revision process that Commissioner Johnson was spearheading was still ongoing, with a definitive completion schedule sketched out that would meet the state-imposed deadline. The Conservation Commission is actively seeking clarity about what was adopted and where the current revisions stand in terms of how the revision process can move forward as a potential amendment process, with the goal being to have a stand-alone document that provides a clear and concise guiding framework that will be practical and can be put into active use.

The Commission also discussed the March 8th vote of approval by the Economic Development Commission for a lease of Maromas land for a proposed 9-hole golf course. The Arawana golf course and other proposals for Maromas land have also been extensively written about in the Middletown Eye. The Conservation Commission voted at the March 11th meeting to write a letter reiterating the position that we have previously expressed regarding any potential development of Maromas land. The Commission has expressed support for proposals that uphold these key principles: 1) maintain public accessibilty to the land and maintain ecological integrity of the land and 2) take into serious and thorough consideration all of the public comments that were obtained during the many public informational sessions that were held prior to the Request for Proposal (RFP) process. The Commission is opposed to the golf course proposal because it does not uphold the stated principles. The stated principles were written by the Commission collectively to express the need to put the protection and health of Middletown's land and resources at the forefront of importance.

Additional items were dicussed briefly; the complete meeting minutes, as always, are available on the City's Planning website, via the link on the left side for "Conservation" in the list of Boards and Commissions.

Plan of Conservation and Development Meeting Tuesday

Tuesday June 30, 6:30 to 8 pm Hubbard Room, Russell Library.
A survey will be taken about what people value
ALL ARE WELCOME

You are invited to the 4th PUBLIC INPUT SESSION for the city Plan of
Conservation & Development. The primary focus of this LAST session will be
to determine what qualities people value and want to see realized in our
city in terms of development and land preservation.

On Tuesday, a survey will be taken asking you about your opinion on
development, land conservation and transportation. Your answers will
provide guidance and inform land use decisions, both in policy and
practice, for years to come. Because we rarely get together as a city to
chat about The Big Picture, this survey is one of the few ways to see how
people feel about what’s going on and where we should go.

We realize many of these topics might be things you do not think about
every day nor possibly have ever thought about, but we hope that won’t keep
you from participating. We want the opinions of people who live here and
know how things work. The more voices that contribute, the most inclusive
the Plan can be, instead of the work of only a handful of people.

RESCHEDULE OF PLAN OF DEVELOPMENT MEETING

Plan of Conservation & Development Public Input Session #4 originally scheduled for tonight Wed June 17 has been rescheduled for Tuesday June 30, 6:30 at the Hubbard Room, Russell Library. However the P&Z Plan Subcommittee will meet tonight at 6:30 pm in meeting room #3 at Russell Library to discuss the Plan of Development. ALL ARE WELCOME !!

Questions? Catherine Johnson 343-1611

Public Input Session #1 -- Draft Plan of Conservation & Development

The first public session to solicit input from city residents on the Plan of Conservation and Development was held this evening from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the Hubbard Room of the Russell Library. I didn't actually do a head count, but I'd say between 30 and 40 people were in attendance. The meeting began with a presentation by Catherine Johnson, P&Z Commissioner (seamlessly assisted by Dave on the powerpoint), on the contrast between "historic" or traditional neighborhood design as opposed to post-1950s suburban "sprawl". Johnson noted that the state wants to see municipal planning policies that offer a sustainable model, and the phrase that is being used at the state level is "responsible growth". (This thinking reflects the work of a Governor-appointed task force, whose February 2008 report may be read here. Appendix B, "Responsible Growth", on pp. 10-12, gives the basic statement of goals, which seem similar in many respects to what is often referred to as "smart growth".)

The main aim of the meeting was to hear ideas from city residents about how Middletown should plan for future development. For the most part, discussion focused on particular areas of concern for distinct neighborhoods. Westfield and Westlake were well represented. Of particular concern to Westlake folks is the fate of the open space or "park" there -- one is unsure what to call the land, and no one seemed to know who currently owns it. All were agreed, however, that it is a nice area and that it should be better maintained. According to one speaker, named Bill (sorry, I didn't catch the last name), the Westlake area contains about 15% of the population of Middletown, yet it is neglected by the city. (The population of Westlake relative to the rest of the city can be seen on the density map in this earlier story; Westlake is represented by the large circles to the north.) Many Westlake residents wish to see the city take charge of the open space and maintain it, especially the paths that run through it.

What was particularly impressive, at least to this writer, was the high rates of owner-occupancy in the Westlake area. Upwards of 85 to 90% in some of the condominium associations, according to those present. (Please forgive me if I'm getting the terminology or numbers wrong.) The associations represented included, if memory serves, Beacon Hill and Trolley Crossing. In any case, the residents in attendance wished to correct the impression that Westlake is full of "transients" who don't care about or have a stake in Middletown. The people in the room were evidence that some "Westlakers" (my term, not theirs [at least, I didn't hear it used]) have lived in Middletown for over 40 years. And many feel a loyalty to and love for Middletown, so much so that they regret the convenience of shopping in Cromwell and wish that there were better shopping opportunities nearby. (My comment here was that perhaps one of the auto dealerships could be converted to a grocery store.) Another speaker, John Wilson, noted that Westlake boasts a diverse population, whether in terms of ethnicity, age, or income. And the bike and walking path is heavily used by all. In pleasant weather you would not be surprised to see anywhere from 200 to 400 people out for a stroll. Often one will see three generations of a family walking together -- yes, there are children in Westlake too.

Two or three people (including me) spoke of the need for better transit connections, both in town and between towns. There was some concern that there are too few arterial roads in Middletown and that we need to connect some of the suburban side roads that terminate in cul de sacs. Others were more concerned with the need for better bus and rail service, and the old trolley routes were mentioned with great longing. Johnson brought out the old trolley map for Connecticut. Another point raised was the need for better pedestrian connections, both in the downtown but also within and between other mini-centers such as South Farms, Washington Square, etc. One person spoke of having to drive to the Super Foodmart on Washington Street even though it was only about 800 yards away from her home, simply because the sidewalks are so unappealing. (I know I wouldn't care to walk on the edge of Route 66 myself.) The need for bike lanes and more bike paths was also expressed. Though it wasn't mentioned, perhaps one way of encouraging more bicycling would be to lower speed limits in town, especially in the downtown neighborhoods.

Another challenge that faces Middletown, noted by me, is how to regain access to the river. Given that the CT DOT has de-prioritized the redesign of Route 9 at both the southern (Acheson Drive) and northern (Arrigoni Bridge) interchanges (reported recently in the Design Review and Preservation Blog, where you can also view the plans), this may be an opportune moment to begin thinking anew about reclaiming the valuable waterfront. It is, after all, the reason Middletown exists. (It is a great pity that we weren't able to convince the CT DOT of the merits of the "tunneling" option. That would have been the shovel-ready project to end all shovel-ready projects.)

One speaker, whose name I did not catch, wondered about the possibility of making the Main Street less expansive -- if not narrowing it, simply making it more user-friendly. This prompted John Wilson to remark that Heidelberg, Germany, has many similarities to Middletown (including being a historic river city), and that the town fathers there decided to pedestrianize the entire Main Street from church to church.

The poor state of our trees was also noted, by none other than the son of Kerste deBoer (sorry, I didn't catch his first name). Kerste deBoer worked hard years ago to protect the lovely row of specimen trees on Long Lane (at one point, the city or state wanted to widen the street, which would have severely damaged the roots). This is why the area is now known as the Wadsworth/deBoer Arboretum (Wadsworth, because it was originally planted by the Colonel). One person observed that "Middletown used to be called the 'Forest City'", prompting Bruce Spaman (Middletown's former Urban Forester) to pipe up and acknowledge that it is still known as the 'Forest City', though the plight of our trees is admittedly pitiful. Ellen Lukens suggested the wonderfully commonsensical expedient of simply having a policy that states that whenever a tree is taken down by the city, another must be purchased to replace it.

Also worth noting is the fact that P&Z Commissioner Deborah Klekowski was in attendance. She spoke about some of her concerns as well, including how we are not doing enough municipal planning for an aging population. This means better sidewalks, access to medical care, etc. We need to do more to ensure that we can "age in place".

It was a productive meeting, particularly because there were so many new faces -- not "the usual suspects" that show up at Common Council and P&Z meetings. The NEXT meeting will be on 16 April, same time (6:30), same place (Hubbard Room, Russell Library). The special focus will be conservation and open space.

Plan of Conservation and Development Input Meetings

CT requires every city to have a Plan of Conservation & Development to
guide its land use and decision-making and to update it every 10 years. In 2008, a law was passed requiring that all Plans include Responsible Growth Principles,
a result of the governor’s Task Force on Responsible Growth (Feb 2008).

The awareness of climate change and the role of human behavior had become increasingly more evident, and this task force issued a set of principles which can be used to better guide growth, preserve natural resources, maximize infrastructure investment, and enhance the quality of life in general. Cities have until July 2010 to include these principles into their Plans if they wish to accept certain state funds after that time.

Meanwhile, Middletown had started holding public hearings on its draft Plan
(2006) and considerable work on the Conservation plan had been undertaken by the Conservation Commission and a farm viability study was also being
completed. Since the city’s final draft had yet to be assembled, it seemed
wise to look at some of these ideas now and pull them into the plan more fully.

So over the next 4 months, the Middletown P&Z Commission will host public
forums to share these Principles and discuss their applicability to Middletown’s future land use and open space conservation.

The first of 4 public input sessions will be held next Wednesday March 18
6:30-8 pm at the Russell Library, exploring answers to these BIG questions:

What is the connection between climate change and land use?
How can we continue to grow, but in a more sustainable way?
How do we grow and still be true to Middletown’s heritage?
Do we want to increase local food production? How can we support this?
What do we want to protect?
How do we want to get around?

The 4 Public Input Sessions will be held on March 18, April 16, May 21,
June 17 at 6:30 to 8 pm at the Russell Library.

Additional planning workshops will be scheduled for the end of
April or May, where residents will be invited to look at maps and locate preferred areas for new growth and preservation.

P&Z Commissioner Catherine Johnson will be the contact for these sessions.

Updates will be posted on two blogs:
middletownplanning and The Middletown Eye.

Interested residents are encouraged to contact Johnson at 343-1611.

Middletown's Vitals

Comment/Analysis

Last month's discussion of how we should vote (at large versus districts) prompted thoughts - in my twisted mind anyway - about population distribution in Middletown. Most of our council-folk hail from the newer outlying ('suburban' and 'rural', to use the PCD terms) neighborhoods in town - at least, based on the addresses listed on the 'common council' page on the city website (I'm not sure how accurate or up-to-date this page is and would be happy to hear comments on this or, of course, any other aspect of this post). Two or at most three live within or fairly close to the older 'urban' core of the city, depending on how you define 'urban'. The question of how our councilmember distribution stacks up against the distribution of people in Middletown led me to ask Bill Warner, Director of the city's Planning, Conservation, and Development Department (PCD), whether his office had any maps of town that show current population density and distribution. It turns out that this can be visually represented with the GIS software, and Bill provided an interesting map which I have reproduced above (with permission). I still haven't figured out what it all means, especially in the context of voting and council representation, but it sure is pretty. I've had a long-standing interest in Middletown's historical demography, so this map is serious eye-candy for me (thanks Bill, and thanks for answering all my questions about the map).

The 'urban', 'suburban', and 'rural' areas of the city, as defined in the current draft Plan of Conserv-ation and Develop-ment, may be seen in this map (Map A from the 'Plan'). (You may need to click on the map itself to get the text to appear legibly.) Note that the text in the map refers to 'planning tools to promote sustainable development'. Such planning tools include bike paths, the purchase and preservation of open space in rural areas, the increase (within reasonable limits) of population density in the downtown, enhanced pedestrianization, alternative transportation, etc. Bill Warner noted in a follow-up email that the city has been successful in preserving open space, developing the downtown commercial potential, and in allowing increased density where infrastructure (sewer lines, roads, electricity, etc.) exists.

On how to read the density map, Bill Warner pointed out that it is only as good as the data, and the data come from the 2000 census. According to the draft 'Plan of Conservation and Development' (see both chapter 2 on 'Population', esp. section 2.3, and chapter 8 on the 'Addressing the Urban Dilemma'), the 2000 census indicated a precipitous decline in population in the core census tracks of the city between 1990 and 2000. How accurate is this decline? I recall from conversations a few years ago that there had been questions raised about the accuracy of the 2000 census count in the downtown, particularly in the area between Wesleyan University and Main Street. Doubts revolved around the timing of the count and whether students were away during the census operations or were not included in the count for definitional reasons. In any case, according to the discussion in chapter 2 of the draft 'Plan', while the overall population of Middletown increased by 6.5% between 1990 and 2000, the downtown or 'urban' census tracts 5411, 5415 and 5416 have lost, on average, 35% of their populations. The biggest decline was in 5416, which lost about half of its population (from about 2700 to 1300 people). Meanwhile Westfield (census tract 5414) saw the greatest increase, at 15% (from about 6700 to 7700). (Note that these population number estimates by me are based on an 'eyeballing' of the bar charts in the draft 'Plan'; the exact percentages are from the 'Plan' itself).

For those policy wonks among you, the census tracts 5411, 5415, and 5416 refer to:

5411 - most of the 'North End' and the Miller-Bridge area
5415 - Wesleyan University, a little of the 'Village District' and the 'North End', and the area down to Bretton Road
5416 - the downtown, a little of the 'North End', and the eastern portion of the 'Village District'.

Census tract 5417, which is also included in the 'urban' area on the map above and pockets of which are also identified in the 'Addressing the Urban Dilemma' chapter as posing key challenges, is bounded by William Street and the river to the north, Eastern Drive on the east, and Mill Street on the south - essentially the old 'South Farms' village. (This is the census tract that I live in, though I'm on the boundary of 5415 too.)

Having a tough time keeping all this straight? Me too. These images may help:


Census Tract 5411











Census Tract 5415












Census Tract 5416












Census Tract 5417












Is your house or apartment not in one of these tracts? Not to worry. The federal government is here to help. You can map your census tract courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau.

As readers will have noted, the 'Plan of Conservation and Development' is currently being re-drafted. If anyone is interested - and frankly, everyone should be, since the 'Plan' will essentially inform spending decisions in a variety of city departments over the coming decade(s) - there are plenty of opportunities to learn more and express your thoughts. The entire draft is up on the PCD webpage. And the portions of the 'Plan' will be presented and discussed at several upcoming meetings, including two this week:

Design Review and Preservation Board-
Wednesday, March 11, 2009, 5:30 PM, B-20
&
Planning and Zoning Commission-
Wednesday, March 11, 2009, 7:00 PM, Room 208 [correction, 3/08/09: the 'Plan' is on the agenda and the P&Z commission welcomes public comment, but the full agenda suggests it will not be 'presented' as such. If any P&Z commissioner could clarify this in the comments section, that would be great.]

The agenda for each meeting is listed on the PCD webpage and on the right column of the Middletown Eye, under 'This Week: Meetings and Events'. The Design Review and Preservation Board meeting looks to be particularly interesting. You can view the extra-detailed agenda at the DRPB blog (kudos to Michiel Wackers).

In addition, P&Z Commissioner Catherine Johnson has organized a series of 'input sessions' at Russell Library over the coming months. They are scheduled for 6:30 pm in the Hubbard Room, Russell Library:

March 18 Wednesday [correction 3/08/09: was rescheduled for the 19th, but changed back to the 18th]
April 16 Thursday
May 21 Thursday
June 17 Wednesday

So, fellow readers, we have no excuse. Opportunities abound to shape the future of our fair city. We must show up to one or more of these meetings, learn about the challenges facing Middletown, and add our voices to the mix.

Planning and Zoning October 8

At Wednesday's Planning and Zoning meeting the commissioners held a public hearing on Chapter 9 of the proposed update to Middletown's Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD, full text here). The POCD outlines the goals of land use and related issues in Middletown, and provides the framework for land use planning in our city for the next decade. Chapter 9, entitled "Promoting Commercial and Industrial Growth", has as its fundamental premise that Industrial and Commercial development reduces the tax burden of city residents, because it brings tax revenue without bringing the high cost of city services (education) associated with housing development. The report highlights opportunities to enhance commerce in six areas of town: Downtown, Rte 66, Saybrook Road Medical corridor, Newfield Street, Rte 17/South Main, and South Cove. The last one is on the river just south of downtown, and could be realized only after the Rte 9 and Rte 17 interchange is modified, and the sewer treatment plant is relocated. The opportunities to expand usage of each of the eight different industrial zones is also discussed.

Several members of the public spoke to Chapter 9. Arline Rich, president of the Westfield Residents Assocation (WRA), praised the chapter. She pointed out a few clerical mistakes and out-of-date information, and handed a sheet of corrections to the City Planner. Beth Emery raised the issue of transportation, and urged that a chapter on Industrial and Commercial Growth stress the importance of pedestrian, bicycle, and public modes of transportation. She also asked that the document provide more specific data on the impact of industrial and commercial on city services and the city budget. Eleanor Kelsey lamented the absence of any small businesses that sell "real" things like bread, milk, and shoes. She suggested that Middletown encourage "little circles of communities", where residents could obtain the basics like bread, milk, dry cleaning, a doctor's visit, etc., in their local area, instead of being forced to travel across town or to a neighboring town. She also spoke forcefully against the push to concentrate traffic on a few main thoroughfares, and commented that P&Z should be preventing cul de sac developments, which prevent traffic from being evenly distributed on many roads. Commission members also commented on Chapter 9. Cynthia Jablonski asked about agricultural industry, and whether this should be in the POCD. The city planner, Bill Warner, responded that Middletown has some potential for specialty agricultural products such as local wines, goat farming, organic produce. Farmland issues are covered elsewhere in the POCD.

After the public hearing was closed, the commissioners decided to hold another public hearing on the proposed POCD as a whole. This would occur after each of the individual chapters are discussed, and give members of the public a chance to comment on changes that the first round of hearings have generated, and to comment on matters transcending individual chapters.

The next public hearing on the POCD is scheduled for the November 12th P&Z meeting. On that date, Chapter 8 (Addressing the Urban Dilemma, PDF HERE) will be discussed. This chapter focuses on transportation issues in Middletown.

In addition to POCD discussion, various land-use decisions were made:
3.1 Jackson Street subdivision: approved
3.2 Court Street Restaurant patio construction: tabled
3.3 Magnolia Avenue special exemption for 2-family dwelling: tabled
3.4 Higby Road 1-lot subdivision: approved
4.1 Landmark Square entrance change: unanimously approved
4.2 106-110 Court Street, outdoor patio and bar construction: tabled until site plan is presented.
5.2 Blasting regulations. State Statutes prohibit local towns from regulating blasting, so this application was removed by request of the petitioner (Westfield Residents Association).
5.3 Farm Markets. Zoning code text amendment. This was scheduled for a public hearing November 12th.
5.4 New church at Coe and Saybrook. Public Hearing scheduled for October 22.

During the last part of the meeting ("Discussion concerning topics not subject to a public hearing"), Commissioner Catherine Johnson brought up the resolution endorsing Cucia Park that was passed 5-1 at their September 24th meeting. She demanded to know who was responsible for the resolution, and why it was not on the agenda. Commissioner Matt Lesser accepted responsibility for bringing the resolution up, and said the text of the resolution resulted from a collaborative effort with Bill Warner. He explained that if the Commissioners wanted their opinion on the use of Cucia Park for the Army's military training facility to have any meaning, the timing of the site selection process did not allow time for putting the resolution on the agenda.

City Meetings, 9/1 to 9/8

Tuesday, September 2nd, 6:00 PM Special Common Council Meeting, Council Chambers, City Hall

• Workshop, Plan of Development (AVAILABLE HERE)
  

Tuesday, September 2nd, 7:00 PM Common Council Meeting, Council Chambers, City Hall
Council has a very full agenda (AVAILABLE HERE). Here are the highlights:

• Vote on Bond Ordinance
  The Council will vote on whether to grant a request by Water and Sewer for an Ordinance appropriating $4.5 million for the following improvements: 1) Westfield service area water pressure enhancement, 2)Route 66 Water and Sewer installation, 3)Well field planning, and 4)Equipment and material purchase.
  
• 11-1 Resolution. Approving the $4,500,000 Water and Sewer Bond Ordinance referendum question, approved at this meeting and to be submitted to the electors at the November 4, 2008 General Election.
• 11-2 Resolution. Approving closing the Council’s investigation regarding the Middletown Police Department.
• 11-6 Resolution. Approving the Parking and Traffic Study prepared by VHB, Inc (AVAILABLE HERE), and taking a number of steps to implement its recommendations.
  
• 11-7 Resolution. Approving the Middletown Base Realignment and Closure Local Redevelopment Authority Reuse Plan for 499 Mile Lane. This plan (AVAILABLE HERE) is to create a public safety facility that will include a new fire station, a regional fire training school, a regional animal shelter, and operations dispatch center. If the plan is approved on Tuesday, the city would then submit an application to the Army Corps of Engineers for the Army to give the Mile Lane land to the city at no cost. The Army approval would be after their decision on what land to use for the new military training facility.
  

Wednesday, September 3rd, 7:00 PM Inland Wetlands And Watercourses Agency Meeting, Council Chambers, City Hall
There will be a public hearing on two applications

• Application for grading and drainage improvements in the southern portion of 1153 Newfield Street.
• Application to fill 1,927 sq. ft. of wetlands and to work within the 100’ upland review area to construct a 10,036 sq. ft. church and required infrastructure to be located at 693 Saybrook Road.

Thursday, September 4th, 5:30 PM Zoning Board Of Appeals Meeting
There will be a public hearing on one application:

• Proposed variance to Section 40.03.05 with regard to the driveway width located in the TD zone at 13 West Silver Street.

Monday, September 8th, 6:30 PM Economic Development Commission Meeting

Plan of Conservation and Development Update

From the office of Middletown City Planner, Bill Warner:

Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) Update

I am happy to report the Middletown Planning and Zoning Commission approved the Prologue Section and Chapters 1 through 5 of the POCD 2008 update.

I am also happy to report that we have secured a $20,000 grant from the State of Connecticut Office of Responsible Growth. This grant will be used to create the final and most important component of the POCD, the Future Land Use Map. The map will be a graphic representation of the recommendations in the plan and how the city intends to follow the Planning Principals found in Chapter 11 of the 2008 POCD update. We will also use the money to enhance other graphics and create a user-friendly web based version of the POCD.

Due to summer vacations and requests for more time to review various sections of the POCD update we have backed off of the original schedule. Attached is a revised public hearing schedule.

William Warner, AICP
Director of Planning