Commission Approves Year‑Round Farm Market at Randolph Road With Limits on Events and Live Music

The Middletown Planning & Zoning Commission voted to approve a special exception and site-plan application allowing a permanent year‑round farmers market at 1171 Randolph Road, operated by the applicant who identified the business as Pines to Ponds family farm and Stone Post Key.

Applicant Dominic Demaro told the commission he operates a nursery and greenhouse operation on the site, said the farm operation predates the application and described community outreach he undertook (four open houses and hand‑delivered mailers). Demaro said the operation grows plants on‑site and that certain seasonal sales are typical of nursery operations. "We do operate Pines to Ponds family farm on that property. We're registered with the Department of Ag," he said during his testimony.

The Planning Department recommended a package of conditions in a staff report dated 07/17/2026 and proposed eight numbered conditions that the commission adopted (later adopted as conditions 1–9 in the motion). Key conditions recorded on the public record include:

- Farmers‑market and agritourism activities must remain accessory to the agricultural/horticultural use of the property.
- Farmers‑market events limited to four per month and held during daylight hours.
- Private gatherings (including weddings) limited to no more than ten events per calendar year.
- Private gatherings capped at 100 guests per event and restricted to May 1–Oct 31; events must conclude by 9:30 p.m., with guests and vendors off‑site within 30 minutes thereafter.
- The applicant must provide an annual list of private‑gathering dates to the land use office, fire marshal and police department and accommodate parking on‑site for all events.
- Staff added a condition in response to testimony prohibiting live music at private events.

Neighbors raised concerns about notice, enforcement and the possibility that private events could become frequent commercial uses. Richard Bergen, a nearby resident, said he had observed prior unpermitted activity and described the overall pattern as commercial, arguing "This is nothing but a commercial use of a residential piece of property." The applicant responded that a recent gathering mentioned during testimony was a family birthday and denied conducting commercial events without permits, and highlighted steps taken to control noise and abide by the ordinance.

After discussion, a commissioner moved to approve the special exception and site plan including the staff conditions; the motion passed on a roll‑call vote recorded in the minutes as: Chair Tom Patovino — Aye; Vice Chair Tyler Ekstrom — Aye; Secretary Navinio Spencer — Aye; Elizabeth Emery — Aye; Morgan Menarca — Nay; Andrew Regan — Aye; Vinny Sinkowitz — Nay. The commission approved the application and the enumerated conditions will be enforced through the land‑use office and, when necessary, the fire and police departments.

The approval is narrowly tailored by the recorded conditions; the commission and staff noted the conditions were designed to address neighborhood concerns about noise, parking and frequency of events.