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Downtown business owner says building-code fines threaten small-business investment; downtown group asks city for supportive compliance program
Summary
Gravel Road Brewing owner Dan Lohr and Downtown Middletown Inc. urged the city to balance enforcement with support for small businesses, and called for stronger action against absentee landlords with vacant, code-violating properties.
A downtown brewery owner and downtown revitalization leaders used the City Council public‑comment period on Tuesday to urge Middletown staff and council to pair code enforcement with supportive compliance programs and tougher enforcement for absentee landlords.
Dan Lohr, owner of Gravel Road Brewing Company in downtown Middletown, told council he received multiple building-code citations, including two that he said would cost $8,000–$10,000 to fix. Lohr said the cost threatened his young business and that his requests to city staff for collaborative solutions produced limited engagement. He also said a former community and economic development director told him his business “doesn't matter” because it did not generate W‑2 payroll yet; Lohr called for fair and consistent application of codes and for pathways that help small businesses comply without jeopardizing operations.
Mary Johnson, chair of Downtown Middletown Inc. (DMI), spoke in support of Lohr and described Gravel Road as integral to downtown commerce and events. Johnson urged the city to create a downtown-specific program to assist small-business building owners with repairs—similar to existing residential repair programs—and to prioritize legislation and enforcement addressing vacant properties and absentee landlords, which she called a primary drag on downtown revitalization.
Councilmembers acknowledged the competing priorities: enforcing building and safety codes while avoiding sudden burdens on small business owners that could lead to closures or rent increases. Councilmember Horn said he favors working with small-business owners and suggested pairing the city’s planning commission liaison with historic commission assignments to streamline reporting. Councilmember West said he would follow up with Dan Lohr. Several councilmembers and staff said they hear the concerns and will examine options for assistance and enforcement that are consistent across properties.
No ordinance or new program was adopted at the meeting; comments were part of the public‑comment period and council discussion. Council asked staff to continue work on vacant-property legislation and to follow up with affected business owners. The council did not set a date for a downtown business assistance program but directed staff to continue drafting options.
