New London ― The Planning and Zoning Commission this week rejected a developer’s zoning change request for a property in the northeast section of the city that would have allowed construction of the only type of multi-family homes the company specializes in building.

The commission, in a 5-2 vote on Thursday, opposed an application by New York-based Vessel Technology to re-zone 23.75 acres of private property from its current R-2 designation, which allows one- and two-family construction, to R-3, which allows for multi-family buildings, such as apartment complexes.

The heavily wooded property at 0 Stonebridge Drive, owned by the Shiloh Baptist Church since 1999, is bracketed by Briggs Street to the south and Williams Street to the east, not far from the Lyman Allyn Art Museum and Connecticut College. Power lines and a small portion of another multi-family zone lie west, and the college’s arboretum sits to the north.

Thursday’s vote came amid fierce opposition by abutting property owners who, in many cases, railed against any development of the residential property, despite the narrow scope of Vessel’s application – a point commission member Barry Levine raised several times.

Residents and others worried any housing development on the property would hurt wildlife and negatively change the character of the neighborhood.

“I appreciate the public’s strong views brought to us, but we are a land use commission and must follow those rules,” Levine said, characterizing Vessel’s request as “very small,” essentially allowing building heights on the land to increase from 2½ stories to four.

Levine and commission Chairman Charles Peterson voted to approve the application with members Jason Barnwell, Russell Carr, Adam Sprecace, Rona Stuller and Valerie Tomano opposing.

Levine and Carr sparred over whether allowing a multi-family complex on the property would lead to more residents living there compared to if several single- or two-family homes were built.

Levine said the zone change proposal came at a time when housing is in short supply in the state, and the region is poised to deal with an influx of thousands of new Electric Boat workers.

“They have to have a place to live, and if New London doesn’t seize the gold ring, they’ll take their salaries and stay in the towns they live in,” Levine said.

Carr contended smaller homes would lead to a “greener” environment when lawns and other landscaping was added up. Levine countered the multi-family model enabled developers to build up, instead of out, leaving more of the property undeveloped.

Vessel representatives previously said the property only offers two practical building sites: a 4.5-acre kidney bean-shaped area in the southeast ― the developer’s preferred option ― and a 12-acre plot in the west.

On Friday, Josh Levy, executive vice president of Vessel, issued a written statement.

"The Williams Street site presents a unique set of challenges, which is why it’s remained undeveloped to date,“ the statement said. ”The Commission’s determination that it’s not suitable for multifamily is of course disappointing, but not unreasonable. We look forward to the opening of our Bank Street project and to delivering the thousands of units we already have in development in towns and cities across the state."

Vessel specializes in constructing “panelized” apartment complexes that entail building floors, ceilings and walls off-site and shipping them to a building site. The company is still building a five-story complex at 174 Bank St. that includes 30 one-bedroom apartments that were originally slated to open in October.

Shiloh Baptist Church’s pastor, the Rev. Benjamin K. Watts, did not return a call seeking comment on Thursday’s vote. Watts previously said his church has had no luck in marketing the property until the Vessel proposal was brought forward decades after the church bought the land.

Vessel Technology, if Shiloh Baptist Church agrees, can appeal the denial to state superior court within 15 days of the vote’s posting.

j.penney@theday.com

Editor’s note: This version adds a statement from Josh Levy, executive vice president of Vessel.