Boothbay approves new gourmet popcorn business
At the July 10 Boothbay planning board meeting, Knickerbocker Group senior architectural designer Randy Smith explains plans for demolishing the former Pinkham’s Seafood building on Route 27 and constructing a new building for making gourmet popcorn and fudge. BILL PEARSON/Boothbay Register
At the July 10 Boothbay planning board meeting, Bottle Cove resident Ray Egan explains his plans for a timber harvest. BILL PEARSON/Boothbay Register
Planning board member Bruce Bowler reviews Ray Egan’s plans for a timber harvest. Egan submitted his plan’s as a requirement of his participation in the Maine Tree Growth program. BILL PEARSON/Boothbay Register
At the July 10 Boothbay planning board meeting, Knickerbocker Group senior architectural designer Randy Smith explains plans for demolishing the former Pinkham’s Seafood building on Route 27 and constructing a new building for making gourmet popcorn and fudge. BILL PEARSON/Boothbay Register
At the July 10 Boothbay planning board meeting, Bottle Cove resident Ray Egan explains his plans for a timber harvest. BILL PEARSON/Boothbay Register
Planning board member Bruce Bowler reviews Ray Egan’s plans for a timber harvest. Egan submitted his plan’s as a requirement of his participation in the Maine Tree Growth program. BILL PEARSON/Boothbay Register
A familiar building is getting a whole new look. The former Pinkham’s Seafood Store is getting demolished and a new snack food business will emerge. The Boothbay planning board approved Lester Spear’s plans to move forward with buying the building at 798 Wiscasset Road and establishing a business selling and serving gourmet popcorn, fudge and beverages.
On July 10, the board voted 5-0 to approve Spear’s plans to demolish the structure and build a new one. The application also calls for rebuilding the current parking lot and installing underground power and a roadside median.
Spear and his father, Rod Spear, approached the board in February. The two are sales representatives who sell fudge and apparel to local businesses. The Spears entered into a purchase and sale agreement with building owner Alan Baldwin of Boothbay. The building has been vacant for over nine months. Lester Spear expects to begin the project in September.
In other action, the board unanimously gave conditional approval for a timber harvest on Bottle Cove Road. Ray Egan received approval to selectively cut 150 of his 178 acres on the property. His land is entered into the Maine State Tree Growth Program. Fagan enrolled in 2003. He is required to submit a tree growth management plan and perform periodic harvesting. He told board members the harvest would take place during the dry seasons in 2019 and 2020.
“I’m only cutting to comply with the law,” Egan said. “It’s a commercial harvest. I’m hoping to recoup the costs. There will be minimal disruption to the ground and vegetation.”
Egan received conditional approval because he didn’t answer a question on his application. Harvest applicants are required to select one of two options regarding the harvest. Applicants are asked if the cut will remove 40 percent of tree volume or if it will leave a 60 square foot residual basal per area of woody vegetation. Egan didn’t have an answer during the meeting so he informed the board a representative would email the code enforcement officer.
The board meets next at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 21 in the municipal building's conference room.
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