Middleton Planning Board Pulls Zoning Amendments from May 2026 Town Meeting Warrant

MIDDLETON -- March 11, 2026, Middleton Planning Board pulls zoning bylaw overhaul from spring warrant, eyes 2027 instead. The board voted unanimously Wednesday to recommend that the Select Board exclude the proposed zoning bylaw amendments from the May 2026 Town Meeting warrant, acting on the advice of Town Planner Anna LaBelle, who told the board that comments received from other town committees and the public revealed no clear consensus on implementation provisions and that the draft "isn't ready to be finalized at this time." LaBelle unveiled a month-by-month working schedule running through December 2026, with topical public working sessions covering special permits, parking rules, commercial development standards, R2 district omissions, and North Main Street setbacks, the last to be informed by an ongoing North Main Corridor study expected to report by October. A contract with consultant VHB, which has managed the draft, expires in June; LaBelle said she would seek a no-cost extension but expects to carry the draft forward independently. The board also voted unanimously to forward a positive recommendation to the Zoning Board of Appeals for MJS Construction's special permit and site plan application for an outdoor storage yard at 50 Runlet Way.