Wallingford Commission Denies Apartment Plan for Historic Farm

0:00It's April 23rd. I'm Cory with the story, and this is Hartford News today. Your AI-powered local news. Wallenford's town planning and zoning commission just shut down a plan to turn an old family farm into apartments. The spot at 386 Williams Road is zoned, rural, residential, RU-40, and the commission voted unanimously 5-0 against it during their April 13th meeting. Owners Mark and Mike Malkiotti wanted a special permit to adapt three existing buildings into 7-1 bedroom units, mostly in the barn. They scaled back from nine units to dial down the project's intensity, adding less parking pavement and planning two septic systems like for regular. Homes. Rep Bob Whiteeman, from Sunwood Development, pitched it as a smart reuse of the original Malkiotti homestead, which runs on well and septic now. Commissioners pushback hard, saying the regs demand public water and sewer for that kind of setup. Vice Chair Jeffrey Cohan highlighted how it clashes with the single family vibe of the neighborhood.

1:03Folks questioned if apartments fit the rural feel, and after reopening the hearing from March 9th, they denied it flat out. So the farm stands pat for now, keeping that slice of history intact amid the push for more housing.