Middletown public meetings in 2020
8 substantive meetings from 2020, with official agendas or minutes and plain-English summaries.
Special Meeting
The Middletown Town Council held a special meeting by teleconference on December 17, 2020. The sole substantive item was an executive session to discuss personnel matters regarding the Building Official, followed by a unanimous vote to ratify the salary and appointment for that position as recommended by the Town Administrator. The executive session minutes were sealed, and the meeting adjourned shortly after.
- Executive session on personnel (Building Official)
- Unanimous vote to ratify Building Official salary and appointment
- Executive session minutes sealed per RIGL 42-46-7
Special Meeting
The Middletown Town Council held a special meeting on December 14, 2020, primarily to discuss a Planning Board presentation on full-build traffic and environmental impacts, which included potential zoning changes. The Council voted to authorize the Planning Board to lead the project and report back in 90 days. The Council also handled routine consent items, including approving minutes, receiving communications, and granting licenses.
- Authorized Planning Board to champion zoning change and traffic study, report in 90 days
- Appointed Robert Hanley as Interim DPW Director
- Appointed Vincent Regasta Jr. as bargain successor negotiator for NEARI contract
- Approved zoning change petition for 438 East Main Road for housing including low-income units
- Granted new victualling house license to Plant City X at 619 West Main Road
Special Meeting
This was the inaugural special meeting of the newly elected Middletown Town Council, held by telephone conference. The council was sworn in, elected Robert J. Sylvia as Council President and Paul M. Rodrigues as Vice President, and unanimously appointed Peter B. Regan as Town Solicitor along with several assistant solicitors and judges. The meeting also included a speech by the new president outlining priorities such as redevelopment, affordable housing, and a revised short-term rental ordinance.
- Robert J. Sylvia elected Council President (4-3 vote)
- Paul M. Rodrigues elected Council Vice President (unanimous)
- Peter B. Regan appointed Town Solicitor (unanimous)
- Anthony Pesare appointed Assistant Town Solicitor for Prosecution (unanimous)
- Francis S. Holbrook, II appointed Municipal Court Judge (unanimous)
Special Meeting
The Middletown Town Council Elect held a special meeting to unofficially discuss and vote on leadership positions and appointments. All votes were non-binding, with binding votes to occur at the inauguration on December 7, 2020. The council elected Robert J. Sylvia as Council President and Paul M. Rodrigues as Council Vice President, and appointed several town officials including the Town Solicitor, Assistant Town Solicitors, Probate Judges, and Municipal Court Judges.
- Elected Robert J. Sylvia as Council President (4-3 vote)
- Elected Paul M. Rodrigues as Council Vice President (unanimous)
- Appointed Peter B. Regan as Town Solicitor (6-1 vote)
- Appointed Richard Sayer, Adam Thayer, and Christopher McNally as Assistant Town Solicitors (unanimous)
- Appointed Francis S. Holbrook, II as Municipal Court Judge (6-1 vote)
Special Zoning Board Meeting
The Middletown Planning Board of Appeals is holding a special meeting to consider an appeal by Eugene Goldstein of the Planning Board's October 2019 denial of a proposed 8-lot major subdivision on Prospect Avenue. The appeal has been continued multiple times since December 2019. The meeting will be held remotely via Zoom due to COVID-19 executive orders.
- Appeal of Eugene Goldstein of denied 8-lot major subdivision on Prospect Avenue
- Property located 0.3 miles east of Prospect and Aquidneck Avenue intersection, lot 66A on plat 121NW
- Appeal continued from 12/17/2019, 3/24/2020, 6/23/2020, 8/25/2020, 9/22/2020, 11/10/2020
- Meeting held via Zoom webinar per Executive Order 20-46
Zoning Board Meeting
The Middletown Zoning Board of Review will hold a remote meeting to consider a lengthy agenda of continued petitions, including several hotel projects, a solar array, and residential variances. The board will also adopt minutes and the 2021 meeting calendar. Most items are continuations of previously heard cases, with a few new full hearings.
- Atlantic Beach Suites II: special use permit for 23-unit hotel at 42-44 & 56 Wave Avenue
- James L. Paradise: variance for six residential units at 170 Aquidneck Avenue
- Newport National Real Estate: variance for clubhouse at 425 Mitchell's Lane
- Cenz Corporation: variance and special use permit for solar array at 0 West Main Road
- Newport County Regional YMCA: special use permit for 11,406 sq ft addition at 792 Valley Road
Special Meeting
The Town Council held a special meeting to consider extending the local state of emergency declared under Executive Order 2020-16. The council voted unanimously to extend the emergency through December 14, 2020, then adjourned. The meeting was conducted by teleconference due to COVID-19 restrictions.
- Voted to extend the State of Emergency in Middletown through December 14, 2020
Zoning Board Meeting
The Middletown Zoning Board of Review will hold a remote meeting to consider several variance and special use permit requests, including multiple items continued from prior meetings. The board will hear requests for a hotel, a solar array, a YMCA expansion, and several residential variances, among others.
- 18-room hotel at 59 Aquidneck Ave with restaurant, parking, and buffer variances
- Ground-mounted solar system at 0 West Main Road with screening variances
- 11,406 sq ft YMCA addition at 792 Valley Road exceeding size limit
- Six residential units at 170 Aquidneck Ave requiring density and setback variances
- Clubhouse at 425 Mitchell's Lane exceeding height and footprint limits