Middletown planning commission approves EcoWaste contractor yard and resubdivision on South Main Street

The Middletown Planning & Zoning Commission unanimously approved a resubdivision and site plan for EcoWaste’s proposed contractor yard at 2015 South Main Street, clearing the way for an initial phase of operations focused on processing brush, stumps and logs into mulch and firewood.

Michael Harkin, a professional engineer with Harkin Engineering speaking for EcoWaste, told the commission the project creates a 15.012‑acre parcel and will initially clear about 2.59 acres. “Phase 1 is really to get the road cut in, put the scale and the 12‑by‑24 scale house in, and start bringing stumps and brush to process,” Harkin said. He said the facility will accept only green material — no asphalt or brick — and will sell processed mulch in bulk to landscape yards rather than operate as a retail outlet.

The commission’s approval covers the resubdivision that consolidates several lots and the site plan (SPR2025‑32) that authorizes phase‑1 facilities and operations. Harkin described a multiyear, five‑phase plan that would add a garage, an office, composting operations and long‑term storage in later phases. He said composting and other future work will be subject to Department of Environmental Protection review and separate permitting.

Why it matters: the site is in a watershed protection area and is proposed as a regional processing point for woody debris. Commissioners said they wanted to ensure controls for stormwater, erosion and neighborhood impacts before future phases proceed.

Commissioners pressed for operational details. Commissioner Elizabeth Emery asked about noise and how processing might affect nearby neighborhoods; Harkin said the site is buffered by reservoir and state land and that grinders and grapple equipment produce noise similar to a routine construction site, not extreme decibel levels. “It’s not something that’s going to protrude through the air where you can hear it,” Harkin said. He and staff also described dust‑control measures tied to DEP requirements and the use of a watering truck when needed.

Commissioners also asked about truck traffic and road wear. Harkin said the trucks that will serve the yard already use Middletown roads and the site’s private road can accommodate tractor‑trailers; staff noted the town will continue to review operations and that larger operational elements will come back to land‑use for separate site‑plan details.

Other controls recorded in the approval include requirements for a striping plan, shielded lighting with full‑cutoff fixtures in later phases, a separate sign application, weekly erosion‑control checks while clearing is underway, and additional stormwater review because the parcel lies inside a watershed protection area.

Harkin said the applicant hopes to begin intake of material immediately and targeted opening for phase 1 operations as soon as scales and temporary power are installed; he stated the scale house was nearly built and the applicant’s goal was an early‑April start. Final schedules for future phases will depend on financing and DEP permitting.

The commission moved and seconded the motions to approve the resubdivision and the site plan; both motions passed unanimously. The approvals require the applicant to return with detailed plans for later phases and to satisfy DEP and town stormwater and building requirements before more intensive work begins.

The commission’s action narrows the immediate scope of development to infrastructure described in phase 1 while leaving environmental and permitting controls in place for future work.