Town Council and Planning Board for #MiddletownRI meet Tuesday night and discuss the anticipated impact of changes to local zoning codes brought on by legislation approved during the last General Assembly session.
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CONTACT: Matt Sheley at (401) 842-6543 or msheley@middletownri.com
ZONING CHANGES IN STORE TO HELP WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING
MIDDLETOWN, R.I. (DECEMBER 12, 2023) – Every year, it’s not uncommon for a few amendments to be proposed to the Middletown zoning code.
In most instances, they’re isolated adjustments aimed at one property — or a handful of sites — often to make sure those rules mesh with the town’s comprehensive plan.
But as a result of the passage of about a dozen bills by the General Assembly earlier this year, Middletown is working on its most sweeping update to its zoning ordinances since the early 1990s.
State leaders said the move by Rhode Island lawmakers will help create more affordable housing inventory and reduce the amount of “red tape” for such developments.
The Town Council and Planning Board met Tuesday night in Town Hall to discuss what it all means and what’s next for Middletown moving forward.
After a wide-ranging conversation, the council announced it was holding a second public hearing on the proposed amendments Monday, Dec. 18 at 6:30 pm in Town Hall, where residents and businesspeople can offer feedback.
“I didn’t have a grasp on how big this thing was and how it could really change the face of what Middletown looks like,” council President Paul M. Rodrigues has said.
“These are the biggest changes in zoning that have taken place since the Zoning Enabling Act was put together in 1991,” Town Solicitor Peter B. Regan has said. “Every city and town is going through this same process…”
Town Planner Ronald Wolanski said per state law, all the new affordable housing bills okayed by the General Assembly go into effect on Jan. 1, 2024. He said it was critical Middletown move forward before the beginning of the new year with amendments dealing with special-use permits, however.
“The law requires that the towns adopt specific and objective criteria for consideration of any special use permits,” Wolanski said. “If we do not adopt these criteria for each use category where special use permits are required by Jan. 1, all such uses will then be allowed by right, meaning no review by town boards as is typically required for a special use permit.”
Not everyone in attendance was happy about how the changes came about. Several said they didn’t know anything about the amendments and weren’t thrilled with how much impact they could have on Middletown with little oversight from the community itself.
In response, others said while they understood those concerns, but the process had to play out and the changes should help boost the amount of affordable housing stock.
Affordable housing has evolved into one of the biggest issues facing The Ocean State — and communities across America.
Summarizing the results of a recent Housing Works RI report, Town Administrator Shawn J. Brown said there are 7,217 housing units in Middletown. Of those, 56 percent are owner occupied, with the remainder rented out.
Brown said the Housing Works RI data indicated those units that were owner occupied, 33 percent were considered “burdened,” meaning they pay more than 30 percent of their gross pay towards housing. For those who rent, Brown said Housing Works totals indicated 41 percent were “burdened.”
Seeing the trend on the horizon, the Middletown council has pledged to do what it can to help and focusing on ways to make the community more affordable its No. 1 priority.
Last week, the Planning Board gave its blessing to a master plan proposal to bring a total of 57 affordable housing units to 26 Oliphant Lane and 650 Green End Ave. The way those developments are structured, town officials have said the projects won’t cost Middletown property owners a dime in local tax dollars. For more, visit Affordable Housing online.
Brown has also stressed to town department heads the need to keep their budget requests to a minimum. Noting the Fiscal 2025 budget was going to be “tough,” Brown said no department should expect more than a 2 percent increase — if that.
Document Link: https://www.middletownri.com/DocumentCenter/View/10067/NYCU-Home