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Politics & Government

New Deli to open Next to Palmer Nursery

But the Palmer Township Zoning Board denies the new deli outdoor seating and extra signage.

 

Randy Stitt, owner of Bosago LLC, wants to open a deli/sandwich shop where the at 2210 Corriere Road used to be. He told the Palmer Township Zoning Board Tuesday night that he plans to serve deli sandwiches, coffee, smoothies and other “quick-on-the-go” items.

Stitt, who ended up running into some problems at the meeting regarding outdoor seating and extra signs, said he won’t be doing any cooking at the site, just sandwiches, not hot foods.

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Stitt hopes to attract patrons from the parents waiting next door while their children attend a class at the cheering gym.

Kerri Huber, the owner of Rocket Elite, told the zoning board that she thinks the sandwich shop will do really well. The parents wait outside while their children are at a lesson. The shop would give them somewhere to go for a while.

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“They're begging for it,” Huber said.

Stitt approached the board to find out if his business idea fits in line with the former use of the shop, and if he could get approval for a freestanding sign.

Steven Goudsouzian, an Easton attorney representing Stitt, explained that there are currently two signs on the building, each about 12 square feet. Stitt wants to replace those signs with two of a similar size, but also install a 20-square-foot sign in front of his shop.

Both Board Chairman Charles Roseberry and board member Cherie Kavanaugh questioned why Stitt would need a freestanding sign when he anticipates many of his patrons to come from the cheerleading gym.

Kavanaugh said she goes down Corriere Road often, and she thinks the Young Chefs' sign was plenty big enough to see from the road.

“It’s easier to see a sign along the road,” Stitt said. He would also like to pull patrons in who are passing by.

The board asked Joseph Rizzolino, president of the Palmer Nursery Center, if there is any space available on the large freestanding sign near the intersection of Corriere and Tatamy roads. Rizzolino said that there is a spot available for Stitt's business to be added to that sign. Rizzolino is leasing the 2,000-square-foot store space to Stitt.

The zoning board decided not to allow for an additional sign beyond what was already available.

The board questioned if there was enough parking in the lot for a sandwich shop. The problem is that Stitt said he wants to have indoor and outdoor seating and four employees. Member Kristopher Grube said the chart he used to calculate parking spots factors in one spot for about 2.5 people. That meant that Stitt would need 12 spots, but there were only four available.

The Palmer Nursery Center has 52 parking spots, and needs 43 spots. Of the nine remaining spots, adjacent to Stitt’s shop needs five spots. That leaves four, Grube said.

“I would hate to deny him just because of the spots,” Roseberry said.

Grube figured out that if Stitt didn’t provide outdoor seating, that would reduce the number of parking spots he would need.

Zoning Officer James Raudenbush said that if the gravel lot near the proposed outdoor seating area was paved, then Stitt would have enough parking spots. Gravel lots cannot be factored in for parking spots, he said.

“I imagine this being a stop-and-go place,” Raudenbush said.

The board decided to deny the outdoor eating area, because of the parking issue. If Rizzolino decides to pave the gravel area, then the outdoor eating area could be permitted at that time.

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