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Middletown planning commission pauses action on proposed Steel Dog truck facility after residents raise safety and buffering concerns
Summary
The Town of Middletown Planning Commission reviewed a Town‑initiated rezoning and special‑use permit application for the proposed Steel Dog truck/fleet facility on Sept. 23, 2024. Commissioners requested additional data—wetlands delineation, landscaping percentages, idling/parking rules, noise mitigation and SUP enforcement—and did not authorize an Oct. 28 public hearing; the commission also repealed a March 25, 2024 recommendation to add truck/fleet uses to section 17‑7.C.
The Town of Middletown Planning Commission reviewed materials for the proposed Steel Dog development on Sept. 23, 2024, but delayed next steps after robust public comment and detailed follow‑up questions from commissioners.
Residents and local stakeholders urged the commission to reject or more carefully scrutinize the proposal. Anna Hatke, a Strasburg resident, told the commission she had heard "overwhelming opposition to the proposed development among local residents" and raised traffic‑safety concerns tied to heavy truck use on Route 11 and its interaction with I‑81 traffic. Kristen Laise, executive director of Belle Grove Plantation, asked that the special use permit be carefully evaluated, cited the venue’s role in attracting visitors to Middletown and requested clarity on buffering and enforcement. Jacob Anderson referenced a statement from Mayor Harbaugh that "no one supports the proposed development" and urged the commission to consider smart‑growth principles and potential effects on Belle Grove and Cedar Creek.
Senior Planner Amanda Kerns told the commission the rezoning application was Town‑initiated under a boundary line adjustment and a February Council resolution; applicant counsel Jennifer Kittlaus and representatives from Urban Ltd. presented architectural renderings and additional materials. Commissioners pressed the applicant for an updated statement of justification that explains how the proposal meets community needs and asked for factual information on wetlands, the percentage of hardscaping versus landscaping, estimated trip counts, delineation of parking types, rules about idling, overnight parking and sleeping in trucks, noise‑suppression measures at the rear of the property near I‑81, and whether the building would meet B‑2 district height limits.
On unfinished business the commission also voted to repeal its March 25, 2024 recommendation to add "truck or fleet maintenance and sales facility" to section 17‑7.C of the zoning code; Vice Chair Rebecca Anderson moved the repeal and Commissioner Angela Morelock seconded. Commissioners recorded unanimous support for the repeal, which Anderson said would allow the commission to reconsider the issue with the new application before them.
Chairman Mark Klein asked for a motion to authorize a public hearing on Oct. 28, 2024, but no motion was made. Staff were directed to return the application with the additional materials requested by commissioners before the commission schedules a public hearing or takes further action.
The meeting record shows the commission asked staff to provide enforceable SUP conditions and to consider exclusions for truck‑stop elements in any permit. The commission did not adopt or deny any permit or rezoning at this meeting; next procedural steps remain contingent on the applicant’s supplemental materials and further staff review.
