Council signals support to rezone continuous building on Van Ness Avenue in straw vote

A public hearing at the Sept. 2 Middletown City Council meeting moved the process forward to formally rezone three parcels at 3409, 3411 and 3413 Van Ness Avenue from R‑3 (medium‑density residential) to B‑1 (neighborhood business). City planner Claire Bendinger presented the staff report, saying the request would make zoning consistent across a continuous building that now spans multiple districts and that the Planning Commission voted to recommend approval following a July public hearing. “This will be a fairly brief staff report,” Bendinger said during her presentation. Council member Horn said the change “just kind of makes sense,” noting the structure’s history as an IGA and that consistent zoning would allow the full building to function as commercial space. The council then took a nonbinding straw vote — explained by the mayor as guidance for staff writing legislation — and Council Members Lolli, Carter, West, Horn and Mayor Slamka recorded votes in favor. The straw vote does not enact the rezoning; it instructs staff to draft formal legislation for a future meeting when a final legislative vote will be taken. No members of the public spoke in support, opposition or neutral comment during the hearing.