Middletown zoning board approves variance for new home at 83 Shore Drive, conditions CRMC sign-off and neighbor buffering talks

The Town of Middletown Zoning Board on Sept. 23 approved a variance allowing Austin and Mary Willis to demolish and replace a nonconforming house at 83 Shore Drive with a new, elevated home, provided the project receives final approval from the Coastal Resources Management Council.

The board voted to approve the petition to move the proposed house footprint forward on the lot — a change the applicants say was requested by CRMC to increase the distance from the shoreline — while also granting relief for two side-yard setbacks. The measure passed after a 4–1 roll-call objection; one member recused themself before the hearing.

The request drew detailed technical testimony about competing regulatory requirements, the lot's irregular shape and design constraints. The Willises' attorney, Gerard Galvin, told the board the existing structure is nonconforming and that CRMC advised the applicants to locate the new house no closer to the shore than the current building. “After deliberation, that led to us submitting a request for a variance from the zoning setback restrictions,” Galvin said.

Mary Willis said the couple bought the property about a year ago and found the existing house had substantial deferred maintenance and did not meet FEMA standards. “For both safety and financial reasons, we've made the decision to start fresh and build a…