Planning board approves bank, drive‑through and reduced sign at 1400 West Main Road with waivers

The Town of Middletown Planning Board on Nov. 13 approved land‑development permits and related waivers for an applicant identified as CGI Middletown LLC to construct a roughly 1,940‑square‑foot bank with a drive‑through at 1400 West Main Road (Assessor's Plat 106, Lot 53A).

At a public hearing opened by the board, David Martland, attorney for CGI Middletown LLC, said the application revives portions of a larger 2022 approval that were not implemented and now seeks permission for the bank site, associated site work, and a pylon sign. The application requested waivers from commercial development design standards in the Middletown rules and regulations (§5.2.1 and subsections), special‑use permits under the Middletown zoning ordinance (§6.02 and §7.17) to alter an existing shopping center and to allow a drive‑up window, a sign exception, and a variance under §1.305 to provide no formal loading space where one is ordinarily required.

Renee Codiga, a professional engineer with VHB, explained technical waivers requested for loading spaces, bike rack counts and landscape buffers and said the technical review committee had no outstanding concerns beyond reduced tree quantities (from 20 to 17) recommended by the tree committee to reflect on‑site constraints. Martland and project designer David Taglianetti said Riverhead (the adjoining land‑condominium owner for much of the site) will occupy rear portions of the property while the bank parcel will be owned and built by the applicant; Riverhead will have reserved panels on the shared pylon sign.

Board members questioned sign scale and visual impact on West Main Road, where members said a proliferation of large signs has been an ongoing concern. One member suggested two ordinance‑compliant signs instead of a single tall pylon; the applicant offered to reduce the proposed pylon from 26 feet to 24 feet and then agreed to design and submittal changes and ultimately to a limitation matching the adjacent Stop & Shop monument sign. The planning board attached a condition limiting the approved pylon to 23 feet in height and 126 square feet of signage area.

The board voted, by voice and with the chair recording aye votes, to: grant the variance allowing 0 loading spaces (motion passed), approve the special‑use permit to alter the shopping center (subject to TRC findings and conditions), approve a separate special‑use permit for the drive‑through, approve the special‑use permit for the sign limited to 23 feet and 126 sq ft, and grant combined preliminary and final plan approval with the requested waivers.

The board did not record roll‑call tallies by name in the transcript; actions were made by motion, seconded, and carried by majority voice vote in each case. The applicant will submit revised sign drawings with dimensions and the required findings and conditions noted by staff before permits are issued.

What happens next: the applicant must provide the revised sign plan and demonstrate compliance with the TRC conditions before building permits are released; Riverhead and the applicant indicated amendments to their land‑condominium agreement will be necessary to reflect the signage arrangement.