On April 6 the Groton Zoning Commission passed a set of regulation amendments for downtown Mystic that are likely the most significant rule changes in a generation. Among the many changes is a 20 percent reduction in parking requirements for businesses. More profoundly, businesses can choose to waive all parking requirements by simply participating in the parking validation program run by the Mystic Museum of Art in the large lot that they administer. 

Other than the plain vanilla public notice in a newspaper (the instructions for which specifically asked that it not be in bold), there was no notice to property owners. This includes the Mystic Museum of Art, whose parking validation program is a centerpiece of the revised rules. Meeting minutes of the Downtown Mystic Merchants indicate the proposal was never discussed with the membership or by the board. Agendas of the Mystic Cooperative Task Force indicate that they were unaware. The Mystic Chamber of Commerce has been silent, as has local media.

It is unacceptable to allow profound changes quietly drafted by town planning staff and quickly run through planning and zoning commissions for a rubber-stamp approval. All constituencies in Mystic including residents, property owners, business owners and parking lot owners need to engage in a thoughtful dialogue that reaches a fair, workable long-term solution. 

Bill Middleton

Mystic