Sep. 10, 2025 - Planning Board Meeting

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350 East Main Road, Middletown, RI 02842 (401) 849-4027 | MiddletownRI.com |

PLANNING BOARD MINUTES

Regular Meeting

September 10, 2025, 6pm

Town Council Chambers – Town Hall

350 East Main Road

Middletown, RI 02842

Board members present:

Paul Croce, Chair

Charlie Vaillancourt, Vice Chair

Michael Fenton, Secretary

B.J. Owen

Leon Amarant

Joe Pierik

Steve Huttler

Also present

Ron Wolanski, Town Planner

Michael Monti, Assistant Town Solicitor

Mr. Croce called the meeting to order at 6:00pm

• Motionby Ms. Owen, seconded by Mr. Vaillancourt to approve the August 13, 2025 meeting minutes.- Vote:7-0-0.

• Memorandum of the Town Planner dated August 13, 2025 re: Administrative Subdivision approval – Application of Richard W. and Marion E. Gallipeau Trust involving properties located at 118 Wolcott Ave., and further identified as Lots 75 & 76 on Assessor’s Plat 121NW

b.    Memorandum of the Town Planner dated August 26, 2025 re: Minor Subdivision approval – re: Application of Victor J. & Dixon P. Hoogendoorn for combined Preliminary and Final Plan approval of a 2-lot minor subdivision of land. Property fronting on Berkeley Ave., Plat 119, Lot 15

c.     Motion by Ms. Owen, seconded by Mr. Vaillancourt, to receive both correspondence. Vote : 7-0-0.

a.    None.

• Public Hearing– Application for combined Preliminary and Final Development Plan Review by Jeff Lipshires on behalf of CCE Development, LLC for adaptive reuse of an existing commercial building to establish an 8-unit multi-family dwelling structure under the provisions of Middletown Zoning Ordinance Section 728. Property located at 499 East Main Road, Tax Assessors Plat 113, Lot 27.

i.    The applicant was not present. Mr. Croce stated that the applicant has requested a continuance to the October meeting and requested a motion.

ii.    Motion by Ms. Owen, seconded by Mr. Vaillancourt to continue the matter to the October 8, 2025 regular meeting.

iii.     Mr. Huttler stated that since the application has been continued for more than six months it should be removed from the agenda per the Planning Board’s policy.

iv.    Mr. Wolanski stated that the applicant indicated to him that they will be prepared to proceed with the hearing during the October meeting.

v.    Mr. Amarant stated that traffic studies should evaluate projects in context with the surrounding area and anticipate future development.

vi.    The motion was amended to add a condition that the matter will not be continued again if the applicant is not prepared to proceed during the October meeting.

vii.    Mr. Fenton asked about the ongoing effort to prepare guidelines for traffic studies. Mr. Croce stated that those guidelines will be brought to the board but are not yet complete.

viii.    Vote on the motion to continue: 7-0-0.

b.    Public Hearing – Application of CGRI Middletown, LLC for combined Preliminary and Final Plan approval of a Minor Land Development Project for the construction of a 1,940 +/- sq. ft. bank with a drive-thru PTM lane, parking, landscaping, stormwater management, utilities, and other site improvements, and including requests for waivers from certain provisions of the commercial development design requirements of Section 521 of the Middletown Rules and Regulations Regarding the Subdivision and Development of Land, including sections 521.1.B.1; 521.1.B.2; 521.1.E.4 and 521.3.D.1. The application includes requests for special use permits per Middletown Zoning Ordinance Section 602 to allow alteration to an existing shopping center, Section 717 to allow a drive-up window, and Section 1212 to allow a sign 26’ in height where 10’ is allowed and 177 sq. ft. where 80 sq. ft. is allowed, and a request for variance from zoning ordinance Section 1305 to provide 0 loading spaces where 1 is required. Property located at 1400 West Main Road, Tax Assessors Plat 106, Lot 53A.

i.     Mr. Pierik recused himself from this matter.

ii.    The applicant was not present.

iii.    Mr. Wolanski stated that the applicant is requesting a continuance as they continue to work to secure the tenant for the proposed building. The applicant was informed that this would be the last continuance before reaching the board’s 6-month limit on continuances.

iv.    Motion by Ms. Owen, seconded by Mr. Vaillancourt to continue the matter to the October 8, 2025 regular meeting Vote: 6-0-0.

a.    Discussion and recommendation to the Town Council on proposed amendment to the Middletown Zoning Ordinance to implement inclusionary zoning for affordable housing.

i.    Mr. Wolanski stated that the proposed draft ordinance to implement inclusionary zoning was provided at the request of the board in order to reexamine the option since state law has been revised. Prior statutory requirements that impacted density caused to the board to not proceed with the prior proposed draft. He explained the amendments to the enabling statute.

ii.    Mr. Croce suggested that a subcommittee be established to review the draft ordinance and consider revisions and a recommendation to the full board at a future date.

iii.    Mr. Amarant stated that he is concerned that inclusionary zoning would have an adverse impact by discouraging potential housing development in Middletown. He also suggested that until the Town Council has requested the ordinance, no action should be taken by the Planning Board. All types of housing are needed.

iv.    Mr. Monti suggested that the board might want to table the matter until the Town Council has indicated how it wishes to proceed.

v.    Mr. Vaillencourt stated that he agreed with Amarant’s concerns over a mandatory affordable housing requirement.

vi.    Mr. Croce asked if the board would be interested in proceeding.

vii.    There was discussion of the comprehensive permit process in comparison to inclusionary zoning.

viii.    Mr. Croce stated that if the matter is continued to the October meeting he could talk with the Town Council president to get a sense as to whether the Council is supportive of the concept.

ix.    Mr. Pierik stated that he agreed with the concerns raised by Mr. Amarant regarding not wanting to disincentivize housing development in town.

x.    Motion by Ms. Owen seconded by Mr. Vaillancourt to continue the matter to October 8, 2025 regular meeting. Vote: 7-0-0

b.    Discussion and recommendation to the Town Council on draft amendments to the Middletown Zoning Ordinance, Sections 311, 323, 728, 805, 906 & Article 17, and the Middletown Rules & Regulations Regarding the Subdivisions and Development of Land, Sections 402, 403, 404, 406, 407 & 805  necessary to implement recent amendments to state statutes as contained in 2025 RI General Assembly bills, H5794,

i.    Mr. Wolanski reviewed his memo to the board which summarized proposed amendments to the zoning ordinance and subdivision regulations due to amendments to state planning and zoning statues during the 2025 session of the General Assembly. The proposed amendments address legislation that became effective upon passage. Additional draft amendments will be presented at a later date.

ii.    Mr. Croce walked through each page of proposed amendments and requested comments from board members. Questions from board members were addressed by Mr. Wolanski and Mr. Monti.

iii.    It was noted that all of the revisions are required by state law, but with some areas of limited discretion, such as the potential to determine density limitations on adaptive reuse projects.

iv.    Mr. Wolanski stated that a public hearing must be scheduled to address proposed amendments to the subdivision regulations.

v.    By consensus the board requested that Mr. Wolanski poll board members in order to schedule a special meeting for the public hearing.

c.     Consideration of potential topics of discussion for the joint Town Council/Planning Board meeting to be held in the Fall.

i.     Mr. Croce requested input from board members on topics for discussion with the Town Council during the joint meeting scheduled for November 3, 2025.

ii.    Suggested topics included: Town Council priorities, the West Main/Coddington development, the new library, undergrounding of utilities in the Atlantic Beach District, need to evaluate the ability of town infrastructure to support new development, housing affordability and tax policy, town fees, the town’s housing priorities and strategy.

iii.    By consensus it was agreed that Mr. Croce would draft a memo to the Town Council with the suggest topics of discussion.

• Status Report on Planning Board action items.
• Committee reports

i.    Comprehensive Plan Update Committee – Mr. Wolanski noted the next meeting of the committee on Septemebr 11th.

ii.    Tree Commission – Ms. Owen stated that there is ongoing discussion of potential tree cutting at Paradise Valley Park in order to facilitate the running of the windmill.

iii.    Open Space and Fields Committee – Mr. Fenton stated that there is discussion of the possibility of a connection form Brown’s Lane to Burma Road.

iv.    Conservation Commission – Mr. Amarant stated that during the most recent meeting a new chair of the committee was elected.

v.    Mr. Wolanski was asked to add the Middletown Center Citizen’s Advisory Committee to the agenda going forward.

• Upcoming meetings:

i.    Regular Planning Board meeting – October 8, 2025

ii.    Comp Plan Update Committee meeting – October 9, 2025

iii.    Joint meeting with the Town Council – November 3, 2025

Meeting adjourned at approximately 7:20pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Mike Fenton, Secretary