Planning board to hold inclusionary zoning discussion at joint meeting; board will seek council direction

The Town of Middletown Planning Board agreed to defer substantive work on a draft inclusionary zoning ordinance until a joint meeting with the Town Council, asking the council to indicate whether it wants the planning board to proceed with drafting or revising an ordinance.

Board members said the issue previously had been a council priority and that a first draft exists from several years ago; one member said changes to state inclusionary zoning laws had paused work. The town solicitor noted the planning board could either form a subcommittee to update the draft now, send a formal letter to the council requesting direction, or discuss the matter at the upcoming joint meeting.

Several board members recommended using the joint meeting to get full council feedback before expending significant staff and volunteer time. Members also asked that the joint meeting discussion include related infrastructure topics — such as development impact fees, water and sewer extension, and traffic and watershed capacity — so the council could prioritize topics for the planning board to pursue.

The board instructed staff to revise the draft memo for the joint meeting to include infrastructure, development impact fees, water/sewer extension, open-space impacts, and the inclusionary zoning draft as items for council prioritization. Members suggested scheduling the joint meeting in January so the planning board can align priorities with the new year and the pending comprehensive plan update.