By TERRENCE S. MCAULIFFE
The Middlebury Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) on Jan. 7 scheduled public hearings for Thursday, Feb. 4, for site plan approval, excavation and grading permits, and approval of a larger-than-normal roadway sign for a planned high-end grocery store at 1000 Southford Road.
The store will be built across from the former Golden Age of Trucking Museum on property owned by Joseph Desantis and Richard Brown of Middlebury D/B/A Southford Road LLC. They combined their 2.3-acre parcel at 1000 Southford Road with an acre from the adjoining lot at 984 Southford Road owned by Francis Cipriano of Watertown D/B/A Southford Park LLC. Permits for constructing the commercial building in wetlands were received Nov. 24 from the Conservation Commission after extensive mitigation, planting, and erosion control plans were approved.
The building, which has an 11,700-square-foot main retail level and a basement of the same size, may also have a mezzanine. It has a walkout level in the rear for loading docks and dumpsters and parking for 70 vehicles around the perimeter. The owner still needs to obtain permits from the Water Pollution Control Authority to tie into town sewer lines and also needs to have an architectural review done by the Economic and Industrial Development Commission.
Land use attorney Michael McVerry told commissioners the market was tentatively named “Middlebury Fresh Market” in the drawings, but that might not be the final name. He also said the operator of the building did not yet want his name released.
Zoning Enforcement Officer Curtis Bosco squashed rumors it might be Dinova’s, LaBonne’s, or Trader Joe’s, saying the operator was an independent grocer who has other stores. McVerry pointed out Middlebury Consignment is to the south on the same strip of what is known as the Gateway Industrial Design District and called the grocery “a perfect gateway for the town of Middlebury.”
The next regular P&Z meeting will be Thursday, Feb. 4, at 7:30 p.m. at Shepardson Community Center.
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