VASSALBORO — The former site of the controversial topless coffee shop on Route 3 might soon harbor a self-storage business.

David Coulombe, doing business as Stoney Acres Investments LLC, got unanimous approval Tuesday from the Planning Board to convert the existing building into storage units, with one apartment.

Code Enforcement Officer Daniel Feeney said that after the former Grand View Motel housing the coffee shop was torched in June 2009, owner Donald Crabtree built a 20-foot-by-166 foot building on the cement slab where the motel originally stood and got a town permit for a residence. The coffee shop was relocated to a separate portable building.

According to Feeney, Crabtree is in the process of selling the property to Coulombe.

Coulombe plans 24 storage units, half on the front of the building and half on the back. Two separate driveways will allow renters to bring vehicles to the units’ doors.

The building will look like his other self-storage building on Route 17 in Chelsea, Coulombe said, with a hunter green roof and doors and tan siding. Because he intends to have the occupied apartment as a security measure, he does not plan to fence the property.

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Coulombe said he will remove the portable building that’s on the lot.

Planning Board members found Coulombe’s application met all ordinance criteria and approved it after a half-hour discussion.

They also approved permits for:

* Francis and Mary Zmigrodski, to sell Christmas trees and related items from their property on Legion Park Road; and

* Dr. Douglas M. Perry, to open a chiropractic office in a building formerly permitted, but never operated, as a sporting goods store on Perry’s property at 1022 Riverside Drive near the Augusta city line.

Three other applications were postponed:

* Feeney said additional information on Alex and Lucille Murphy’s application to continue their dog sled business on Whitehouse Road was received too late to distribute to board members.

* Lorilee Michael and Nicholas Dumont were not present to explain their proposed use of a Dunham Road building for a catering business, perhaps with a cooking school or restaurant.

* Richard and Joanne Bradstreet withdrew their application for a change in lot lines in Sherwood Heights subdivision.


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