Portland mourns loss of zoning official and ‘great friend’

Oct. 3--PORTLAND -- Residents and town officials alike are mourning the loss of Bruce M. Tyler, the long-time Planning and Zoning Commission member who has died.

Tyler was initially appointed to the planning commission as an alternate in 2003, and then reappointed as a full member in 2010.

In 2015, he was elected chairman of the commission.

In that capacity he led the panel during the often-contentious hearings that ultimately resulted in approval of the Brainerd Place mixed-use development.

The $40 million project is in the earliest stages of construction on the site of the former Elmcrest Hospital.

Originally from Groton, Tyler, a Wesleyan graduate, initially taught school in both Norwich and East Hampton.

He subsequently became a management trainer at the Electric Boat shipyard in Groton, and then at the Hartford Insurance Group and finally in the consumer finance division of the ITT Corp. in Minneapolis.

He retired from ITT as vice president and director of human resources.

When he moved to Portland, he quickly immersed himself in its civic affairs.

In addition to the planning commission, he served on the Housing Authority, the Board of Education and a Charter Revision Commission.

"I was very saddened to learn of his sudden death," First Selectwoman Susan S. Bransfield said.

Bransfield praised Tyler for his many and varied activities on behalf of the community and the region, but especially for his commitment to Portland.

"He was always very dedicated to improving our state and Portland in particular," Bransfield said.

"Portland has lost a great friend," she added.

While he was widely known for his service on the planning commission, Bransfield said Tyler was a member of the Portland Housing Authority "for many years."

"He was very dedicated to the idea that everyone, no matter who they were, had access to safe, clean and affordable housing," she said.

"His work on behalf of Portland will last a long time," Bransfield said.

Ashley Majorowski, the town's land-use administrator, worked closely with Tyler for much of the time the Brainerd Place application was making its way through the approval process.

"As a member of the staff for the planning commission, you felt Mr. Tyler always had he best interest of the town in mind," she said. "He ran the meetings efficiently and fairly."

"And you were always aware of the level of respect that people had for him," Majorowski said.

"He will be missed," she added.

Tyler is survived by a sister, Judith Wilcox (Alan) of Dallas, Texas, two sons Anthony Tyler (Sabine) of Smith River, Calif., and Scott Tyler (Sheila) of Seabrook, N.H., and by two daughters Elise Cotrone (Ellen) of Manchester, and Hilary Phelps (Christopher) of Portland and six grandchildren: Maximilian Tyler, Luna Tyler, Kenneth Cotrone, Jr., Rachel Cotrone, Cassidy Phelps and Jacques Phelps.

Tyler died three days shy of the second anniversary of the death of his wife, Karen D. (Krueger) Tyler.

Karen Tyler also was active in the Housing Authority, rising to the position of executive director.

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