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Middletown planning board approves several small-business special-use permits, amends one application
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Summary
At its Dec. 3 meeting the board approved multiple small-business permits — including a sandwich/smoothie shop and a saloon — and amended a grocery/deli resolution to exclude UPS and Amazon drop-off services pending a future site-plan amendment.
At the Dec. 3 meeting the City of Middletown Planning Board considered and approved several small‑business special‑use applications and amended one resolution to remove proposed courier/return services.
Bell Flavors & Fragrances: The board approved a 2,684‑square‑foot addition at 12 Sprague Ave. to separate its quality‑assurance and quality‑control operations. Ryan Felencer of Felencer Engineering said the project will not increase impervious area and that the site provides 62 parking spaces while the zoning calculation requires 27. The plan notes that odor‑mitigation details will be submitted with the building permit; the chair and CPL said they will not issue final approvals until CPL confirms mitigation is satisfactory.
Smoothie / Açai shop (23–27 West Main): Applicant Sarah Varo Sacks presented plans to open a smoothie and acai‑bowl shop and said she would employ interns from local culinary programs. The board confirmed mailings, set hours consistent with the resolution (8 a.m.–6 p.m.) and approved the special‑use permit.
BDK Masonry & Construction (101 North St.): Benedicta Gomez and Jorge Quesada presented a renovation for a restaurant with beer and wine service. The board flagged potential easements in a rear parking area where the applicant proposed a walk‑in cooler and asked the applicant to provide a current survey; the board adjourned the application for future consideration and left the public hearing open pending the easement check.
154 Wickham Avenue: Owner Alan Alvarez sought approval for a grocery/deli/coffee shop with Western Union service and proposed Amazon/UPS drop‑off. Alderman Joe Massey submitted constituent concerns about parking and sight lines; after discussion the board amended the resolution to approve the grocery/deli/coffee/Western Union configuration while removing UPS and Amazon return/drop services. The board noted that if the applicant later secures courier agreements he must return with an amended site plan.
Other small‑business matters on the agenda — barbershops at East Main Street and reopening the Empty Bottle Saloon — were approved by roll call with routine conditions such as licensing and final DPW/fire inspection sign‑offs.
Next steps: Applicants approved tonight should comply with any DPW, health and fire‑inspection conditions in their resolutions; applicants proposing future use changes (e.g., courier services) must return with amended site plans.
