Planning and Zoning Commission Regular Meeting - June 11, 2026
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Planning and Zoning Commission Regular Meeting - June 11, 2026
The Middletown Planning and Zoning Commission met on June 11, 2026, to consider subdivision applications and a major zoning code amendment related to state housing mandates. The commission approved two subdivisions and continued a public hearing on zoning amendments.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Kate Miller, a resident of Boston Road and member of the Commission on Conservation and Agriculture (speaking as an individual), expressed support for the city's acquisition of the 19-acre property at 159 Boston Road for open space. She highlighted the property's proximity to high-density housing and noted the Conservation Commission had voted in favor of exploring the purchase. She requested that the city work with the property owner to ensure public access during the lease period.
Discussion Items
- Subdivision at 109 Old Road Drive (Item 8.1): George Law, representing the applicants Brian and Linda Kronenberger, presented a request to subdivide a 7.11-acre lot into two lots (3.927 and 3.187 acres) in the R-60 zone. The property is accessed via a private road, and a variance for frontage was previously granted. Commission members discussed the need to include easement language on the mylar for the private road access. The subdivision was approved unanimously.
- Subdivision and Open Space Acquisition at 159 Boston Road (Items 8.2 & 8.3): Director of Land Use Marek Kozikowski presented a proposal to subdivide a 19-acre property into two building lots and excess land for open space. The city will purchase the excess land for open space preservation, with the current owner retaining a lifetime license to continue haying. The property will be named after the owner's family. Commissioners expressed strong support for the open space acquisition and discussed future public access, parking, and trail development. Both the subdivision and the affirmative GS 8-24 report were approved unanimously.
- Zoning Code Amendments for Housing and Parking (Item 6.1): Director Kozikowski presented a comprehensive set of amendments to comply with Public Act 25-1 (An Act Concerning Housing Growth). The amendments include creating a new "mixed-use middle housing" use (buildings with 2–9 dwelling units and non-residential space), deleting obsolete definitions, modifying multifamily regulations to allow up to nine units, and eliminating the redevelopment design district. For parking, the amendments would delete most residential parking requirements for developments with 16 or fewer units, create a Parking Management District covering 3.99% of the city's land area (including downtown, Washington Street, and South Main Street corridors), and establish standards for parking needs assessments. Commissioners raised questions about ADA accessibility for units with no parking and the delineation of the parking management district boundaries. The public hearing was continued to the next meeting on June 24, 2026, for a vote.
Key Outcomes
- Item 8.1: Subdivision at 109 Old Road Drive approved unanimously.
- Item 8.2: Subdivision at 159 Boston Road approved unanimously.
- Item 8.3: GS 8-24 report for acquisition of 19-acre parcel approved unanimously.
- Item 6.1: Public hearing continued to June 24, 2026.
- Minutes: Minutes of the May 27, 2026, regular meeting were approved.
- Adjournment: Meeting adjourned.
Meeting Transcript
Okay. Um members Elizabeth Emory present. Um Morgan Monarca. Andrew Regan. Present. Vinny Sinkowitz. Present. Alan Cunningham. Emily McAvoy. Conrad Leonard. Okay. Uh Commissioner Cunningham is online. He will be seated for Commissioner Patavina. Um I would like to um move that we uh move um item uh eight point one um ahead um of all of new business. Okay, ahead of all of new business, we're gonna move all of new business ahead. Um to um right under item two. Second that motion. All right, all those in favor? Aye. Aye. Any opposed. All right. Motion passes. Uh if the applicant will please uh approach the podium. Eight point one. Yeah. Um item eight point one request for subdivision creating two lots from a seven point one one acre property located at one oh nine old at Road Drive and the R-60 zone applicant agent, Brian T. Cronenberger and Lina Linda Cronenberger, yeah. Uh S twenty twenty-six-three. Sir, could you please just state your name and address for the record so we can say like the microphone. I'm George Law. Um my address is five ninety-five Main Street in Portland, Connecticut. I represent the applicants Brian T. Cronenberger and Lena Cronenberger, um of this application, S two Zero Two Six-3 for a two-lot subdivision at one oh nine Old Drive Road in Middletown. Um as your commissioner secretary indicated, it's a seven point one one four acre lot. Um the proposed lots are three point nine two seven acres and three point one eight seven acres. Um you all should have received revised page twos of the map. They were delivered on Monday, um, as the result of some additional soil testing, which is now reflected on that page. Um on the first page of the subdivision map, you'll note that there is a copy of the uh variance granted by the Middletown Zoning Board of Appeals dated December ten, two thousand twenty-five. Um and that was allowing for a variance of section two point five three of your zoning regulations uh to allow this subdivision of a lot without road frontage. Um this this property, as you may know, um old lane road is is a private road or an easement right-of-way um off of Westfield Road. Um behind the lot that we're seeking to subdivide this seven-acre lot, there are in fact three similar seven-acre lots also divided all down the center by this this uh right of way. And thank you. And the three lots to the north have all been subdivided. So what we're proposing is very consistent with the neighborhood. It does, in fact, meet all of the uh regulations, the subdivision regulations, your regulations, with the exception of the frontage for which the variance has been been granted. So we're happy to entertain any questions you may have, but I believe we meet the requirements for the proposed subdivision. Do any of the uh commissioners have any comments or questions? Um I'll ask one. So um looking at the um outstanding issues here um that are just included in our packets.
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