NORTH HAVEN, Conn. – Quinnipiac University has filed an appeal to overturn the town of North Haven’s denial of its plan to convert the former Mount Carmel Christian Church into an adult education center.
In March, the university purchased the 3.3-acre property with plans of repurposing the building to provide accessible education and development opportunities for adults in the Hamden community.
While the town’s Inland Wetlands Commission approved the proposal on Aug. 25, the North Haven Planning and Zoning Commission later rejected it.
On Dec. 20, Quinnipiac filed an appeal with the New Haven Superior Court, arguing its proposal met all zoning criteria and was denied without substantial evidence.
In this appeal, the university also argues that two Planning and Zoning Commission members did not properly disclose their conflicts of interest due to connections with the neighborhood where the church is located during the application review.
Residents in the area have expressed concerns about potential traffic increases and environmental impacts associated with the building proposal. This site faced previous development challenges; a proposal for a private school was denied three years ago due to similar concerns from residents.
