Council President Paul M. Rodrigues, Presiding
Vice President Thomas P. Welch, III
Councillor Peter D. Connerton, Sr.
Councillor Christopher M. Logan
Councillor Emily M. Tessier
Councillor Dennis B. Turano
Councillor Barbara A. VonVillas, Members Present
POSTED – December 5, 2023
SPECIAL MEETING – December 12, 2023
The following items of business, having been filed with the Town Clerk under the Rules of the Council, will come before the Council at a special meeting to be held on Tuesday, December 12, 2023 at 5:30 P.M. at the Middletown Town Hall, 350 East Main Road, Said meeting will be conducted in person, you may listen by telephone conference call/ webinar, members of the public may access and listen to the meeting in real-time by calling 1-877-853-5257 (Toll Free) or 1-888-475-4499 (Toll Free) and entering Meeting ID: 883 1209 8173 or on the web at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88312098173
Wendy J.W. Marshall, Town Clerk
Town of Middletown
Town Hall – 350 East Main Road
Middletown, Rhode Island 02842
Dear Ms. Marshall:
Pursuant to the provisions of Article II, Section 203 of the Town Charter and in accordance with Sections 42-46-2., 42-46-4., 42-46-5., and 42-46-6., RIGL, I hereby call a Special Meeting of the Town Council to formally consider, discuss and act upon the following items of business. All items on this agenda, may be considered, discussed and voted upon.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
Said meeting will be held at the Middletown Town Hall, 350 East Main Road, Middletown, Rhode Island 02842 on Tuesday, December 12, 2023 at 5:30 P.M.
____________________________________
Paul M. Rodrigues, President
Middletown Town Council
cc : Town Council Public Library Finance Director
Town Administrator Town Solicitor School Committee
This meeting location is accessible to the handicapped. Individuals requiring interpreter services for the hearing-impaired should notify the Town Clerk’s Office at 847-0009 not less than 48 hours before this meeting.
Posted on December 5, 2023 at Middletown Town Hall, Middletown Public Library, Middletown Web Site and Secretary of State Web Site.
1. Joint meeting with the Middletown Planning Board, re: Presentation - Zoning Amendments.
On motion of Vice President Welch, duly seconded, it was voted unanimously to begin said joint meeting with the Middletown Planning Board and presentation.
Also, present were Town Administrator Shawn Brown (arrived at 5:35 pm) and Principal Planner and GIS Manager Anita Guo.
Present representing the Planning Board were Chair Paul A. Croce, Vice Chair William J. Nash, Jr., Members Leonidas Amarant, John L. Ciummo (arrived at 6:19 pm), Michael J. Fenton, Betty Jane Owen and Arthur S. Weber, Jr.
Town Solicitor Peter B. Regan and Assistant Town Solicitor Michael Monti presented a power point presentation regarding the 2023 Legislative Update: Statewide Zoning Changes, which is on file in the Office of the Town Clerk.
Discussion centered around if the Town sewer and drainage systems will accommodate a potential increase in housing, the state not giving the cities and towns notice of the 2023 state zoning amendments, all 39 cities and towns are having the same issues with the state zoning amendments, the zoning amendments will increase the Planning Board’s work, the Zoning Official will be busy with minor zoning applications that do not have to be heard by the Zoning Board of Review, the state made these changes to the zoning code to increase housing stock/inventory throughout the state, cities and towns lobbying against the zoning amendments, moving forward with the amendments to the Middletown Zoning Code to be compliant with the state law, reviewing the Town Zoning Code while updating the Town Comprehensive Community Plan and increasing the impact fees, due to a potential increase in development within the Town.
On motion of Vice President Welch, duly seconded, it was voted unanimously to adjourn said meeting at 7:15 p.m.
_________________________
Wendy J.W. Marshall, CMC
Council Clerk