Jul. 9, 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

July 9, 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

Also present

Ron Wolanski, Town Planner

Michael Monti, Assistant Town Solicitor

Anita Guo, Principal Planner

Member absent

Steve Huttler

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

• Mr. Croce suggested edits to the June 11, 2025 minutes including add a motion and vote indicating the closure of the public hearing under Item 5A, under Item 9, clarify Tree Commission input, including landscaping in front of sliding doors, and under Item 15, clarify that there is no cap on STRs in the Atlantic Beach District.

**                                          i.    *Motion *by Ms. Owen, seconded by Mr. Vaillancourt to approve the June 11th meeting minutes as amended. Vote: **6-0-0.

• Motionby Ms. Owen, seconded by Mr. Vaillancourt to approve the June 2- ndmeeting minutes.- Vote:6-0-0.

• None.

a.    The remaining items were heard in the following order 4A, 4B, 4C, 5B, 5A, and 6.

• 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.    Attorney Jay Lynch shared that the applicant retained a traffic engineer but the engineer was unavailable tonight and requested a continuance to the August 13th meeting.

ii.    Motion by Ms. Owen, seconded by Mr. Vaillancourt to continue this item to the August 13, 2025 regular meeting. Vote: 6-0-0.

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. Wolanski shared that the applicant’s attorney has notified him that they are working on resolving tenant issues and has requested a continuance to the September 10th regular meeting.

ii.    Motion by Ms. Owen, seconded by Mr. Vaillancourt to continue this item to the September 10, 2025 regular meeting. Vote: 6-0-0.

c.     Concept review – Request of John & Allison Morgan for Planning Board review and comment on a conceptual major conservation subdivision development plan for property fronting on Miantonomi Ave., Boulevard, and Vernon Ave., and further identified as Lots 80 & 81 on Assessor’s Plat 108SE.

i.    The applicant was not present.

ii.    Motion by Ms. Owen, seconded by Mr. Vaillancourt to continue this item to the August 13, 2025 regular meeting. Vote: 6-0-0.

a.    Public Hearing - Application of Aquidneck Commerce Center, LLC for combined Preliminary and Final Development Plan Review for an adaptive reuse of an existing commercial building to establish a 7-unit multi-family dwelling structure under the provisions of Middletown Zoning Ordinance Section 728. Property located at 811 Aquidneck Ave, Tax Assessors Plat 114, Lot 504.

i.    Motion by Mr. Fenton, seconded by Mr. Vaillancourt to open the public hearing. Vote: 6-0-0.

ii.    Attorney Jay Lynch, applicant Chris Bicho, and engineer Molly Titus were present. Mr. Lynch shared the proposal for adaptive reuse of a commercial office building to a 7-unit multifamily structure (6 one-bedroom units, 1 two-bedroom unit). No zoning relief or waivers are requested. All work is interior; no site work or additional landscaping proposed. Bike racks and prior landscaping from the recent second-floor addition are in place.

iii.    Mr. Wolanski shared that adaptive reuse is allowed by right.

iv.    Ms. Owen shared that she had no concerns.

v.    Mr. Vaillancourt asked whether a traffic study has been addressed which Mr. Lynch confirmed is referenced in the development impact statement.

vi.    Engineer Molly Titus shared the traffic and utility impacts were minimal, with potential for one additional school-aged child.

vii.    Mr. Fenton asked whether any exterior changes to buffer the building from traffic areas. Ms. Titus confirmed only interior work was proposed. Mr. Wolanski shared that the review is limited in scope since no site work is proposed. Mr. Lynch shared landscaping was requested during the 2nd floor addition and has already been planted.

viii.    Mr. Amarant asked about parking which Mr. Lynch confirmed 7 parking spaces are required and they are providing the seven.

ix.    Mr. Croce opened the floor for public input.

x.    No members of the public wished to speak.

xi.    Motion by Owen, seconded by Vaillancourt to close the public hearing. Vote: 6-0-0.

xii.    Motion by Mr. Vaillancourt, seconded by Mr. Fenton to approve the preliminary and final development plan review and make the required findings. Mr. Vaillancourt stated, and others agreed, that the findings had been met. Vote: 6-0-0.

b.    Request of the Town of Middletown for consideration of amending the Preliminary Plan decision of a Major Land Development Project to remove the condition of approval which require the RIDOT permit be secured prior to the issuance of a building permit. Properties located at 1113 & 1199 Aquidneck Ave., Tax Assessor’s Plat 113, Lots 199 & 198A.

i.    Mr. Monti recused from this matter.

ii.    Town Solicitor Peter Regan represented the Town of Middletown and shared that the Town received the RIDEM permit for the middle/high school project and a letter from RIDOT stating that they have no objections to the work and the permit will be forthcoming but recommended that the project not be made subject to the issuance of the RIDOT permit due to a delay in processing the permit. He requested that the condition of the preliminary plan approval requiring state permits prior to issuance of building permits be removed.

iii.    Motion by Mr. Vaillancourt, seconded by Ms. Owen to remove the condition that state permit must be secured prior to building permit issuance. Vote: 6-0-0.

iv.    Mr. Monti returned.

a.    Status update on housing legislation introduced in the 2025 General Assembly session.

i.    Mr. Wolanski shared there are no updates since the last meeting and he is waiting for a report from the League of Cities and Towns on the final legislative action on the housing bills.

• Status Report on Planning Board action items.

i.    Mr. Croce inquired about inclusionary zoning changes. Mr. Wolanski shared that if it is something the Board wanted to discuss, he can put it on next month’s agenda. There was consensus to wait until the Board receives an update on the housing bills as they will include inclusionary zoning changes.

• Committee reports

i.    Comprehensive Plan Update Committee – No updates. There are no meetings in July and August. Planning staff will meet with the consultants tomorrow and will keep the Board updated.

ii.    Tree Commission – Ms. Owen shared the Commission is updating commemoration stone benches.

iii.    Open Space and Fields Committee – Mr. Fenton shared the Committee is working with the Citizens Advisory Committee on the public area for the Middletown Center and on Dunlap-Wheeler Park.

iv.    Conservation Commission – No updates.

v.    Middletown Center Citizens Advisory Committee – Mr. Fenton shared the Committee conducted a site visit to the proposed open space at the Middletown Center site for the purpose of making recommendations to the Town Council.

• Upcoming meetings:

i.    Regular Planning Board meeting – August 13, 2025

Motion by Ms. Owen, seconded by Mr. Vaillancourt to adjourn. Vote: 6-0-0

Meeting adjourned at approximately 6:30pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Mike Fenton, Secretary