Public hearing opened on zoning change to allow storage in office–business district; petitioners, neighbors differ on impacts

The Town of Middletown council opened a public hearing on a proposed zoning ordinance amendment that would allow standalone storage uses in the office–business (OB) district by special-use permit. The hearing was the ordinance’s first reading; council kept the hearing open for additional comment and materials.

What was proposed Attorney David Martin, representing the petitioner, said the change would permit storage as a use allowed by special-use permit in the OB district, enabling the owner of the KVH building (a roughly 70,000-square-foot structure near Town Hall) to formalize about 30,000 square feet of existing storage while pursuing mixed reuse of the remainder of the building, including health/fitness uses and office space. Martin told the council that the planning board recommended the use be permitted by special use so…