Middletown planning commission continues hearing on year‑round farm market at Stone Post Key

The Middletown Planning & Zoning Commission on June 24 continued a public hearing on an application to convert the Gardens at Stone Post Key, 1171 Randolph Road, into a permanent year‑round farm market with limited private events.

Applicant Dominic DeMarro, who said he is the prospective owner and operator, told the commission he has operated a greenhouse and botanical gardens on the property for four years and wants to preserve the site by adding farmers‑market days and a small number of private events. “Our goal is to create a sustainable future for the property by supporting local agriculture, small businesses, education, and tourism, while preserving the rural character of the neighborhood,” DeMarro said.

Neighbors expressed sharp concerns about recharacterizing the site as year‑round retail and allowing event space. Richard Bergen, who said he lives at 34 Maple Shade Road, argued the property has been used well beyond a barn or seasonal farm stand and urged the commission not to approve the special exception. “A year‑round farm stand is just a store,” Bergen said, adding he had seen what he described as prior misuse of the property.

Maria Bergen, an adjacent property owner, said she observed a large wedding with what she estimated was more than 100 attendees and described noise and sanitation concerns. “There was at least four food trucks and, as far as you could see, cars — I think it was more than a 100 people,” she said.

Former commissioner Sebastian Giuliano said he did not oppose the greenhouse operation itself but urged careful review of any event‑space uses and recommended either withdrawing and resubmitting the application or asking for a continuance so neighbors and the applicant could reach agreement.

Commissioners and staff discussed how the proposal fits the zoning code. Director Kozakowski told the panel the property is zoned R‑15, where agricultural uses are permitted, but the applicant is seeking approval under the code’s permanent year‑round farm market special‑exception standards. Kozakowski summarized the code language cited by staff and noted that, by the commission’s 2021 zoning text amendment, the special‑exception standard includes specific allowed activities and size thresholds.

DeMarro described current and planned operations in answer to commissioners’ questions: he said the site has 48 established parking spaces plus designated overflow areas; he operates a year‑round tropical greenhouse and leases four acres in Florida to grow additional stock; he proposed farmers‑market openings limited to two weekend days per month and two weeknights per month (no more than four market days a month, reduced in winter) and up to 10 private events per year with a 100‑guest cap for events. He also said vendors would stage in the rear of the site and that portable restroom units and vendor‑provided sanitation would be used.

Commissioners pressed for clearer, binding details on event frequency, parking management, traffic impacts on Randolph Road (a state route near a high school and other commercial activity), and the applicant’s plan to notify and work with neighbors. Several commissioners said they supported preserving the property’s agricultural use but wanted firmer commitments or mitigations for event‑related impacts before any approval.

Chair Tom Petavino moved to keep the public hearing open; the motion was seconded and passed unanimously. The commission continued the hearing to its next meeting, scheduled for July 22, and directed the applicant to work with neighbors and provide more concrete plans and documentation on parking, traffic mitigation and event management.

The commission also handled routine business, including approval of minutes and a staff note that a petition to amend the zoning map had been submitted for a future public hearing. The meeting adjourned after those items.