Planning commission votes to forward rezoning of 1800–1931 Southland Lane to city council

The New London Planning Commission voted 6-0 on May 22 to approve forwarding a rezoning request for addresses 1800 through 1931 Southland Lane from R-1 single-family residential to R-2 single- and two-family residential and referred the matter to the City Council for final action.

The proposal was brought by the property owner, who said he initially planned single-family homes of about 1,500–1,800 square feet but has been unable to sell two completed houses in over a year at the current market price. He told the commission he would use the R-2 allowance to build duplexes on a limited number of lots as a fallback to recover investment if single-family sales remain weak. The applicant said water and sewer infrastructure are already sized for duplexes.

Why it matters: The change would allow duplex development on lots now limited to single-family homes and could alter traffic and stormwater patterns in a part of the city where neighbors said they prefer to keep primarily single-family houses.

Commission and public discussion focused on housing market conditions, lot sizes, traffic and stormwater safety. Several neighbors urged the commission to keep R-1 zoning to preserve the single-family character, citing concerns about increased vehicle trips and runoff into a nearby pond. One resident said the notice period had been insufficient for some adjoining homeowners. City staff and the applicant said the development includes an engineered stormwater-retention pond that the city engineer reviewed and that the pond has a designed normal water depth of about 4–5 feet with a safety shelf.

Planning commission members and attendees also discussed existing nearby multifamily and duplex developments, the property’s inclusion in a tax increment financing (TID) district for infrastructure financing, and options short of full duplex development such as smaller single-family homes or 0-lot-line duplexes where each half of a building is sold separately.

Formal action: A motion to approve forwarding the rezoning passed by voice vote with six commissioners recorded in favor, none opposed. The commission chair announced the action will be placed on the next City Council agenda and that staff will consult the city attorney to confirm procedural requirements raised during public comment.

The commission’s referral does not itself change zoning; final approval rests with the City Council. The applicant and several residents requested and received clarifications about stormwater design, planned tree plantings along apartment-facing lots and future driveway access points. Public works staff said they do not expect the added development to create undue stress on nearby streets but noted intersection control and driveway spacing as separate operational issues for the Board of Public Works to review.

Votes at a glance: Motion to forward rezoning of 1800–1931 Southland Lane from R-1 to R-2 — outcome: approved and referred to City Council; recorded tally: yes 6, no 0.

Next steps: The council will consider the rezoning at its next meeting; the planning commission’s referral packet will include the retention-pond engineering report and staff comments for council review.