New Hearing for Mini-Mart

Photo by Evan Brandt

This is the location at which the Torres Mini-Mart is being proposed.

An approved mini-mart at the corner of King and Washington streets was unapproved by council Monday, but hopes to get re-approved.

Borough Council voted unanimously to revoke the April 14 approval of a "conditional use" permit for Emmanuel Torres, for opening a mini-mart on the first floor of 454 King St.

The most recent use for the space was as Lotto's Bar.

Council approved the conditional use the same month it approved another convenience store, this one at 451 N. Charlotte St. in the space most recently occupied by the Milkman Lunch Co. before that shop moved to High Street.

That store has since opened.

Torres said he would not be cooking at the store and would only be selling pre-prepared and packaged foods.

But several residents, including Katy Jackson of King Street, Cindy Conard of Wilson Street and Barry Beasley Jr. of Jefferson Avenue all noted at the time that there are already several such stores within several blocks of the King Street site.

“I don’t know how many more mini-markets a town our size needs,” Beasley said.

At Monday's meeting, Borough Solicitor Charles D. Garner Jr. told council that the conditional approval "was appealed by the owner of a neighboring property."

Attorneys for the borough, the business and the appealing property owner all agreed to have the approval negated by Torres "withdrawing" his request, and then re-submitting it.

That will result in a new conditional use hearing, tentatively scheduled for the council meeting of Monday, Aug. 11, Garner said.