Milford Mall Plans Rejected Again By Planning and Zoning Board

MILFORD, CT — It's strike 2 for owners of the Connecticut Post Mall, who were once again denied a regulation change that would have set the stage for a massive redevelopment that owners claim is needed to save the state's largest mall.

The Planning and Zoning Board rejected the regulation change by a vote of 7-3. It's unclear what is next for the mall, as the owners wanted approval for a zone change that would have allowed for up to 300 apartments and a multiphased development. A portion of the project would have included eliminating a portion of the mall.

It's no secret that retailers, especially malls have been struggling for several years as people increasingly shop online.

PZB member Joseph L. Castignoli said he disagreed with the idea of housing on the site, an absence of complete plans, and that the board was being asked to be supportive of a business, according to meeting minutes.

PZB member James Kader agreed with Castignoli about housing, saying that despite reassurances, he feels it will compete with downtown businesses as the mall had done historically.

PZB member Carl S. Moore agreed with those comments, saying he felt the project was too open-ended. PZB member John Mortimer said a housing use is already allowed in the Shopping Center District (SCD). He asked the board to consider what material change was really before them and said he didn’t think it was alarming—it was just a change to the format of the already-permitted housing use, meeting minutes state.

City Planner David Sulkis said Mortimer was correct in saying the housing use has always been permitted in the zone. He said the proposed regulation would allow mixed use housing with commercial and residential in the same building. He noted that the applicant is asking for an actual height reduction, because now buildings can go up to 120 feet but the request would limit these new mixed buildings to 85 feet.

Sulkis said another proposed change is making the minimum lot size 4 acres to permit ownership subdivision like that now used by Target. He said that new language supporting the addition of other uses was based on board and public input from last year’s public hearing.

He said the matter before the board was an applicant asking for change in development rules to
guide the development of an application; the board was not being asked to review a specific plan because a future application would have to be scrutinized by the board on its own merits.

He pointed out that there are three other property owners in the SCD zone that would be affected by the proposed changes, not just one owner.

PZB member Peg Kearney said that after listening to the previous proceedings 4 or 5 times, she wished she had voted for the original plan that featured housing being more distinct from the mall area. She said she preferred to see a new tenant in Sears building that would bring jobs, possibly a tech company, and add housing in the rear.

PZB member Nancy Austin stressed that a regulation change was the only matter before the board. Austin said that the board could not vote on something that might or might not happen in the future—the group could not vote on a vision but rather the vote must focus on the regulation change.

Chairman James Quish described the mall as a gateway to the city and said that there could be differences of opinion on the impact proposed changes might have on downtown. He said he had become convinced that the mall owner wants highest and best use of the property for the city—that if their proposed solution to reimagine the mall doesn’t work for Milford, it won’t work for them either. He called the relationship between city, board, and mall symbiotic. He said he didn’t think there would be much of a downside to implementing the regulation change.

Mall officials had previously stated that the proposed development would include a plaza design that would be the new anchor for a modern park-like setting activated by music, art-walks, performances, and other attractions drawn from the local arts and educational community.

Mall officials said the goal would also be to attract office, research, and medical uses in addition to the retail and restaurants currently there.

Mall officials told Hearst CT that they are disappointed with the latest rejection but will continue to work with local officials to devise a project that works for everyone.