Residents press council on comprehensive plan, housing and short‑term rentals during public forum

At the start of the public forum, several residents urged the council to prioritize community preferences in planning and housing decisions. Christopher Rowe, a resident of 177 Chases Lane, thanked the council and planning board for postponing a presentation until the draft comprehensive plan could be made readable, and he urged leaders to ‘‘apply that thought process to the Navy Lodge lot’’ and to prioritize community needs over developers’ interests.

Rowe criticized repeated zoning ordinance changes and warned that some proposed comprehensive plan changes could make it easier to alter existing zoning. He also urged caution about placing a hotel in the Middletown Center and supported exploring redevelopment of existing lots before building on green space. ‘‘A hotel does not fit that vision,’’ he said, and asked that his remarks be made part of the meeting record.

Other public commenters included a resident who praised the council for their service and Greg DeSantis, who said he faces a zoning hearing over keeping four hens and asked whether a special‑use permit or administrative relief could be pursued; town staff offered to review the ordinance and follow up. The council also received a petition requesting traffic calming on 3rd Beach Road and voted to forward the issue to the police department and public works for review and recommendation.