NEWINGTON - Council Chambers was packed for the July 27 Town Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, but only a few of the people in attendance got up to speak on the draft version of the Newington Junction regulation.

       Residents who did address the proposal during the Commission’s public hearing-which was continued to the next regular meeting-voiced concerns regarding traffic-driven â€�"quality of life” impact in residential neighborhoods, as well as a stated need for housing for those with disabilities.

       The regulations drafted by Town Planner Craig Minor call for mixed use development by special permit, with incentives offered to applicants with projects that include â€�"at least one of each of two or more” of retail, office, industrial, and residential types.

       Residential development cannot exceed 10 units per acre, the draft says.

       Incentives include less mandatory landscaping and/or on-site parking, as well as reduced front, side, and back yard setbacks. In order to be eligible, applicants must prove that there is a need for the proposed type of development, a public benefit, as well as a potential to improve vehicle and foot traffic flow.

       â€�"These are more or less typical requirements for Transit Oriented Development regulations,” Minor said during the meeting.

       He said that he modeled them after CROCOG’s recommended regulations. The mixed-use approach is similar to the TPZ’s handling of the Cedar Street/Fenn Road CT FasTrak station area, but with an emphasis on pedestrian-friendly development to accommodate the Junction’s residential neighborhoods.

       Newington resident Cara Santaro, who lives on Francis Avenue, said that she does not want to see development that will draw crowds, noise, and more traffic to the area near her home.

       â€�"I think you’re opening another can of worms when you get into that kind of stuff,” Santaro said. â€�"It’s [the quality of life’s] already diminishing [near Francis Avenue] with the traffic and crime.”

       Commissioners, who opted to keep the hearing open in order to solicit more public comment, had similar concerns.

       â€�"This needs to be approached slowly,” said Commissioner Stanley Sobieski. â€�"I don’t want to see neighborhoods devastated.”

       TPZ Chair Frank Aieta agreed, but emphasized that special care would be taken to ensure that residential areas would not be hit with development that does not fit their neighborhood. Under the regulations, all applications will include a public hearing process as part of the path to a special permit.

       â€�"We knew this was not going to be an easy task because of the amount of residential area, and we’re still developing it,” Aieta said.