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Record of Proceedings

Middletown Planning and Zoning Commission Regular Meeting – August 26, 2026

Common Council & Commissions — Wednesday, August 26, 2026
BodyMiddletown, Connecticut
SessionCommon Council & Commissions
DateWednesday, August 26, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 4:59:50

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
0:26

We started last year, I just went for the walls.

0:29

Maybe I'll go back to the world.

1:56

I'll probably uh just sit on the writing one more or two at the time.

2:04

But it won't go.

2:09

But I do have to go on a hundred.

2:19

It was just too funny.

2:20

She she weighs a hundred twenty pounds.

2:22

She didn't have enough gas to keep the seat down, which you should be.

2:30

So she makes it with that's and then you were just there, so driving the left side and go around there and then around the order with the handboard and around the front the other side.

2:41

Yeah, we can't see coming.

2:42

Okay.

2:43

So I wouldn't put gas in it today.

2:55

That works.

3:20

Yeah.

3:21

It took you a long time to get to make sense.

3:23

Oh yeah, my wife.

3:26

I better always do that.

3:32

I believe you were still.

8:59

Seven oh nine, please rise for the pledge if you're able.

9:03

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all Commissioner Eckstrom, if you wouldn't mind sitting in for secretary today.

9:22

Yes, most certainly.

9:24

Um sorry I dropped my point.

9:28

Um summarized.

9:33

We're gonna go through the roll call.

9:35

Uh Chairman, Tom Patavina.

9:37

Present.

9:37

Vice Chair Tyler Extram, present.

9:40

Secretary Nathaniel Spencer.

9:43

Uh regular commissioners, Elizabeth Emory.

9:47

Absent.

9:48

Commissioner Morgan Manarca.

9:50

Present.

9:51

Commissioner Andrew Regan.

9:54

Commissioner Vinice Zinkowitz.

9:56

Present.

9:57

Alternates, Commissioner Alan Cunningham.

10:00

Commissioner Conrad Leonard.

10:04

And Commissioner Emily McAvoy.

10:07

Commissioner Cunningham will be seated for Commissioner Spencer.

10:10

Commissioner McAvoy will be seated for Commissioner Emory.

10:15

Item three, items removed from the agenda.

10:19

There are oh no no items that were removed from the agenda.

10:21

And no items.

10:25

Number four, public comment on items on the agenda, which are not currently scheduled for a public hearing.

10:31

There's nothing on the agenda that is not scheduled for a public hearing.

10:35

All right.

10:35

Number five, confirmation that all hearing signs have been properly posted.

10:39

Yes, all public hearing signs were amended and posted.

10:43

Perfect.

10:44

That brings us to item six, uh public hearing.

10:47

Uh there'll be item 6.1, it's continued our public hearing for the petition for a zoning map amendment to rezone multiple parcels on Church Street, High Street, and William Street from the DVD zone to the ID zone, and rezone William Street, map lot 24-0138 from the DVD zone to the MX C zone.

11:09

Applicant agent Richard D.

11:11

Corella, Esquire, Updike Kelly and Spelacy, Z 2026-5.

11:18

Please state your name and address for the record.

11:21

Good evening, uh Mr.

11:22

Chair and Commissioners.

11:24

Uh, my name is Jesse Langer of Updike Kelly and Spellisi on behalf of uh Wesley University.

11:30

I'm here in um in this Richard Corella.

11:33

Um with me this evening is uh Jeff Murphy, who is the campus planner and project manager, Alan uh Rubacha, uh the associate vice president of facil facilities, and Brandy Hood, the director of uh campus planning.

11:48

And we're here to discuss further our application uh regarding uh Wesleyan University's uh application for a zoning map change um application uh regarding properties bounding it by William High and Church Street.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Miscellaneous██████████████████████████████████████38%
Community Engagement████████████████████20%
Zoning Regulations███████████████15%
Historic Preservation███████7%
Public Engagement██████6%
Procedural█████5%
Housing████4%
Affordable Housing██2%
Education Funding██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Middletown Planning and Zoning Commission Regular Meeting – August 26, 2026

The Middletown Planning and Zoning Commission held a regular meeting on August 26, 2026, at 7:00 PM in the Council Chambers and via WebEx. The primary agenda item was a continued public hearing on a petition by Wesleyan University to rezone multiple parcels on Church Street, High Street, and William Street from the Downtown Village District (DVD) to the Institutional Development District (ID), with one parcel rezoned to the MXC zone. After extensive public testimony and commission deliberation, the petition was unanimously denied.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • The public hearing drew approximately 20 speakers, including Wesleyan students, faculty, residents of the Traverse Square neighborhood, and community advocates. Every speaker opposed the rezoning.
  • Jennifer Alexander (110 Washington Street) argued that the DVD zone has successfully protected the historic fabric and warned that rezoning would strip the Design Review and Preservation Board (DRPB) of its authority.
  • Brendan Barry (Wesleyan student) criticized the lack of specific project commitments, calling the rezoning a "blank check" that would allow Wesleyan to build oversized structures inconsistent with the neighborhood.
  • Melissa Shulke (3 Hubbard Street) cited a local example of unfulfilled development promises and urged protection of the village district.
  • Diana Martinez (143 Prospect Street) accused Wesleyan of ignoring community input and pointed to past failures, such as the closure of Green Street Learning Center, and demanded a binding community benefits agreement.
  • Aria Dancing Honey (72B Home Avenue), a Wesleyan student and Traverse Square program coordinator, highlighted community distrust and asked for denial.
  • Maya Nelson (Wesleyan student) testified about negative impacts on Traverse Square families, including increased noise, dust, and health risks from demolition.
  • Renee Treber (10 Coval Hill Road, Portland) noted that the DVD provides vital community review that would be lost.
  • Rowan Angela Raudebush (Wesleyan student) raised environmental and health concerns, particularly lead dust from demolition of 1970s buildings.
  • Krishna Winston (655 Bow Lane) emphasized historic preservation and the value of older homes.
  • S. Stokes (Wesleyan student) argued that the DVD holds Wesleyan accountable and that the university has acted in bad faith on labor and community issues.
  • Steve Beeblitz (Glastonbury) pointed out that the four houses on William Street are restorable and urged their preservation.
  • Sam Bretschneider (Wesleyan student) opposed the rezoning as inconsistent with the POCD and harmful to Traverse Square.
  • Lucas Holman (Wesleyan student, student government) called the proposal a surrender of city control to a non-taxpaying institution.
  • Catherine Johnson (161 College Street) argued that the ID zone would allow a five-story dorm incompatible with the scale of the neighborhood.
  • Yael (recent Wesleyan graduate) described how Wesleyan's development has not benefited the community and urged retention of DVD oversight.
  • Ed McKeon (76 Pearl Street) worried about long-term change in leadership and the loss of protective zoning.
  • Liam Dorian (Wesleyan student) asked the commission to reject the rezoning without binding community benefits.
  • Saul FairhealthCon (49 Home Avenue, Wesleyan student) requested a denial without prejudice and demanded a project labor agreement and community benefits.
  • Blythe Lavin (Wesleyan student) stated students do not want to live in dorms built without community support.
  • Evie Lee (41 Lawn Ave, Wesleyan student and union member) cited lack of transparency and Wesleyan's budget cuts to community programs.
  • Hannah Frank (35 Foss Hill Drive) emphasized the unequal relationship and asked for denial.
  • Coco Raleigh (185 High Street) argued that the rezoning would enable development without meaningful community input, especially for Traverse Square.
  • Casey Dunning Soray (Wesleyan student) said Wesleyan does not consider student or community needs in major decisions.
  • Uma Sinderham (49 Brinyard Avenue) urged denial until binding agreements are in place.
  • Trevor Brooks (227 Pine Street) cited Wesleyan's past funding cuts to community partnerships.
  • Several other online speakers echoed similar concerns.

Wesleyan representatives (Jesse Langer, Jeff Murphy) presented a slide deck and responded to criticism, arguing the rezoning would allow for a 200-bed replacement project, streetscape improvements, and that the ID zone still permits site plan review and public hearings. They acknowledged not having a specific project yet and noted they had engaged with some community groups.

Discussion Items

  • Director Kozikowski advised the commission on the legal framework for zone map amendments, noting 11 criteria under Section 7.3.2, and reminded them that the decision cannot be conditioned and that they have 65 days to decide.
  • Commissioner Eckstrom (Vice Chair) stated the rezoning is not in line with the Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) and that the DVD zone has served its purpose; he would not support the change.
  • Commissioner Pattavina (Chair) echoed Eckstrom, saying the proposal does not advance community connections and is inconsistent with the POCD.
  • Commissioner Monarca said the rezoning does not benefit the historic value of the area.
  • Commissioner Regan emphasized protecting the DVD to preserve commission powers.
  • Commissioner McAvoy noted Wesleyan should work within existing zones.
  • Commissioner Cunningham stated the applicant did not meet the burden for a zone change and requested more community outreach.
  • Commissioner Szynkowicz concurred that the sweeping change was not in the spirit of the original village district.

Key Outcomes

  • Vote on Z2026-5 (Petition for Zoning Map Amendment): The commission held a roll-call vote on a motion to approve the rezoning. The motion failed unanimously (7 opposed, 0 in favor). All voting members (Chairman Pattavina, Vice Chair Eckstrom, Commissioners Monarca, Regan, Szynkowicz, Cunningham, McEvoy) voted nay.
  • The public hearing was closed before the vote, and the application was denied.
  • Other Business: The minutes of the August 12, 2026 meeting were approved with one abstention. The meeting adjourned at approximately 9:30 PM.

Meeting Transcript

We started last year, I just went for the walls. Maybe I'll go back to the world. I'll probably uh just sit on the writing one more or two at the time. But it won't go. But I do have to go on a hundred. It was just too funny. She she weighs a hundred twenty pounds. She didn't have enough gas to keep the seat down, which you should be. So she makes it with that's and then you were just there, so driving the left side and go around there and then around the order with the handboard and around the front the other side. Yeah, we can't see coming. Okay. So I wouldn't put gas in it today. That works. Yeah. It took you a long time to get to make sense. Oh yeah, my wife. I better always do that. I believe you were still. Seven oh nine, please rise for the pledge if you're able. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all Commissioner Eckstrom, if you wouldn't mind sitting in for secretary today. Yes, most certainly. Um sorry I dropped my point. Um summarized. We're gonna go through the roll call. Uh Chairman, Tom Patavina. Present. Vice Chair Tyler Extram, present. Secretary Nathaniel Spencer. Uh regular commissioners, Elizabeth Emory. Absent. Commissioner Morgan Manarca. Present. Commissioner Andrew Regan. Commissioner Vinice Zinkowitz. Present. Alternates, Commissioner Alan Cunningham. Commissioner Conrad Leonard. And Commissioner Emily McAvoy. Commissioner Cunningham will be seated for Commissioner Spencer. Commissioner McAvoy will be seated for Commissioner Emory. Item three, items removed from the agenda. There are oh no no items that were removed from the agenda. And no items. Number four, public comment on items on the agenda, which are not currently scheduled for a public hearing. There's nothing on the agenda that is not scheduled for a public hearing. All right. Number five, confirmation that all hearing signs have been properly posted. Yes, all public hearing signs were amended and posted. Perfect. That brings us to item six, uh public hearing.

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