Blogger: Court Rules Against Planning Board in White Castle Decision

Blogger "Middletown Mike" reports on a development in the 2012 application for a drive-thru burger restaurant in Port Monmouth.

White Castle Denied: Appeal in Future?

Failure to provide a larger buffer zone between the burger place and nearby residences displeased the Middletown Planning Board.

The White Castle application for a 24/7 drive-through fast food restaurant at Route 36 and Main Street in Port Monmouth has been unanimously denied by the Middletown Township Planning Board.  The vote, taken at the board's March 7 meeting, followed several rounds of hearings and changes to the site plan for the proposed 1,952-square-foot facility. White Castle has the right to appeal, but whether or not it will remains to be seen. The board said the application, by White Castle Management Company, did not conform enough to its standards or address issues potentially affecting neighbors’ quality of life. The board had requested buffers of at least 50 feet between the restaurant site and nearby residences. The site plan, as presented at the …

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Agenda: White Castle Up for Approval

A public hearing and vote on the proposal is on the agenda for tonight's Planning Board meeting.

Whether or not a White Castle will slide its way onto Route 36, in the Port Monmouth section of Middletown, could be a decision made at tonight’s Planning Board meeting at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall. The board will conduct its continuation of the public hearing on the White Castle Management Co. application, with a decision due by March 7 (tonight), according to the meeting agenda. White Castle is seeking a “conditional use permit and preliminary and final major site plan approval.” A contingent of residents has opposed the plan, which calls for a 1,952-square-foot drive-through fast food restaurant with a 36-stall parking lot on the 1.5-acre site at the intersection of Main Street and Route 36. They are concerned about what they say is a …

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In Their Opinion ...

Guest Column: White Castle a Good Fit?

Residents question the viability of a White Castle on Route 36 in Middletown and its neighborhood appeal, or lack thereof.

They can’t fit 10 pounds of White Castle in a 2-pound bag. That is what the Columbus, Ohio-based fast-food chain is trying to do in Middletown. As some of the residents of Port Monmouth are becoming aware with White Castle’s fourth attempt to gain approval from the township planning board scheduled for March 7, 2012. With each planning board meeting, the laundry list of problems grows and grows. I and many other homeowners in the immediate area have attended the meetings in opposition of this type of over development in our community. The property White Castle plans to build a 2000-square-foot restaurant is located on a vacant lot between Main Street and Wilson Avenue on Route 36. It’s right next to Iron Horse Motors. The zone is a B3 (…

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White Castle Sliding onto 36 or Crawling?

As planning board testimony continues, applicant's attorney seeks waiver from 50-foot-buffer requirements. Nearby residents press for board to enforce zoning laws.

White Castle representatives are finding themselves on a slippery slope as they try to persuade township officials to let them build one of their fast-food restaurants on Route 36 in the Port Monmouth section of Middletown. When or if the Columbus, Ohio-based fast-food chain will be allowed to construct a new sit-down and drive-in location east of the state highway's intersection with Main Street is up to the Middletown Township Planning Board. Right now, shoehorning White Castle's building, its 36-stall parking lot, buffers and a shed for dumpsters onto the selected 1.5 acre site are all obstacles for the applicant. Meanwhile, nine property owners living on Chestnut Street, which runs directly behind the proposed eatery site are concerned…

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