Concerns, Questions & Objections
WHY WE’RE MOBILIZING, HOW WE’RE MOBILIZING
To the community and the new owners: do not take neighbor or abutter opposition to pieces of this proposal as opposition to Sweet Berry Farm as whole. We are pro-farmer, pro-agriculture, and pro-community. We are also pro-neighbor, pro-quality of life, pro-transparency, and pro-communication.
While many aspects of this construction proposal are in question, the new events building (aka the “barn”) and its chosen site location is of particular concern as this expansion beyond agricultural purposes stands to set a precedent for a commercial operation in a residential zone on conserved land.
We applaud and welcome the expanded crops and livestock to the farming mission, the additional community programming, and any need to renovate the existing 2012-built farm stand.
But it is the scale, scope, and intended uses we object to. This development stands to change the face of this quiet, rural, residential area between the Maidford River and Paradise Brook watersheds.
What Is the Community Response?
Abutter and neighbor reaction has been acute, sweeping, and specific.
- Read Public Comments & Letters to the Town (as of 5/6/26)
- Read Public Comments & Letters to the Town (as of 4/8/26)
- Read “Not So Sweet Berry” Letter to the Editor in Newport This Week (4/2/26) by 3 Mitchell’s Lane/Sweet Berry Farm abutters
- Read “Sweet Berry Farm Conservation Easement Needs to Be Respected” Letter to the Editor in Newport This Week (4/16/26) by Third Beach Road resident/Sweet Berry neighbor Steve Sullivan
- Read select Letters to the Editor, Press Clips + Letters to the Town
What Are Our Questions, Concerns & Objections?
Neighbors and abutters have asked Green End Neighbors, the Town, Sweet Berry Farm and the AILT the following questions and posed the following concerns. Most still unanswered and unresolved. These are a few:
• Zoning permissions and variances:
- How can a commercial operation of this size be allowed in an R60 residential zone?
- Why was there no public hearing by the Middletown Zoning board?
- How is that zoning official Chris Costa was able to sign off and approve the proposal in a one-page page?
• Questionable approval and support by the Aquidneck Island Land Trust:
- Is the AILT breaking the 1996 Conservation Easement by being in support of this project? It is our view that this proposal stands to set a detrimental precedent for commercial operations on conserved, entrusted land.
- Why would AILT want to allow a commercial operation of this size, that seemingly goes against the easement on this conservation land? As the trustees of the land and holder of development rights, AILT’s 2/24/26 Letter of Support gives the green light to the Town and new owners to move forward with the project.
- Why would the AILT OK the removal of more than 1,300 trees and bushes for this construction? Regardless of promised replantings elsewhere in the coming years, many of the existing trees and fruit bushes are young, established, and viable.
- Why would the AILT be OK with replacing water-thirsty trees with nearly 2 acres of impervious materials?
• New owner’s choice of site location on the 88-acre property:
- Why choose to place their new/relocated market and cafe building and a massive, 200+ seat wedding and events facility directly behind your 3 closest neighbors?
- Why not choose the renovate the current market location?
- Why not choose to build on or expand current location?
- Why not choose the overflow lot, an open grassy field with no plantings?
- Why not any of the other 88 acres?
- In the interest of being ‘good neighbors’, why did the new owners/Cote Architecture not consider more generous setbacks further into Plat 1?
• Disregard for the impact on area neighbors’ quality of life
All Middletown residents are owed “quiet enjoyment” of their property. Many of us, or generations before, chose this area for its rural character and quiet environ. This commercial expansion will impact our quality of life and the current public proposal does little to assuage those concerns:
- Where is the unbiased traffic & road safety study?
- What are you doing to mitigate noise from events, weekend weddings, and increased market capacity? Especially outdoor events?
- Where is the unbiased light pollution study to measure light thrown in this typical dark part of town?
- What will be done about increased roadside litter?
• An outsized set of commercial buildings not in keeping with the quiet, rural character of this neighborhood This is a low-density, non-commercial, residential area. Again, generations of families have lived and resided here well before Hagerty or even the Eckharts owned their property. A true farmer is a good steward of their land—and their neighbors. They create community and build bridges—not Instagrammable wedding venues with sunset cocktail patios.
• Increased traffic, safety issues and road conditions: The roads leading to Sweet Berry – Mitchell’s, Wapping and Third Beach – have no or limited sidewalks for pedestrian safety and are popular roads for cyclists and runners.
With the advent of Waze and Google Maps, Mitchell’s Lane has become a cut-over path/speedway to the beach, joining Turner Road and Berkeley Ave as high-traffic beach roads. Howland Park is a busy, children’s park visible from and just 600 feet from the 913 Mitchell’s Lane Sweet Berry entrance.
Adding 200+ person weddings and events daily or weekly, along with a more popular market destination, will unequivocally impact road safety.
- Why did Sweet Berry not include a traffic study in its proposal? Is it because they know all the grave impacts that would come to light? For those of us who drive Mitchell’s Lane daily, the traffic impacts of this project are acute and detrimental.
- Additionally, we ask of the Town: Given current crumbling condition of Mitchell’s Lane and Wapping Road and the proximity of Howland Park children’s playground, why did the Town not demand a traffic and road safety study be required of the proposer?
- What are the compounded impacts of other recent expansions in the area including:
- Newport National Golf Course expansion (324 Mitchells Ln) recently expanded from 18 to to 27 holes of golf on both sides of Mitchell’s, connected by a golf cart crossway—along with building a massive, new clubhouse facility.
- Fraternal Order of Police Lodge (464 Mitchell’s Ln) recent renovations and event planning expansion – 3,500 sq. foot facility/300 person capacity.
• Lack of abutter communications, transparency & community outreach
- Why were all abutters not notified as required? Why did Sweet Berry Farm not hold a mini town hall or schedule group Zoom meetings? Why were some abutters contacted directly and not others?
- Why is this events facility labeled a barn/agricultural use on the public plans, yet new owners shared directly and openly with abutters that they would be hosting 200+ weddings and corporate events regularly?
- Why did the Neighbors Outreach PowerPoint presentation for abutters lead with regenerative farming practices, expanded crop plantings, community programming and the like, with just 2 slides about the buildings and locations sandwiched in?
- If this proposal is such a win for the community, why is this proposal not posted anyhere on Sweet Berry’s website or their Facebook and other social media pages?
• Intended event facility usage/event details, frequency and limits: There has been a complete lack of transparency from Hagerty & co with abutters and neighbors on their new events plan.
- What is the event frequency?
- What are the event capacities of the proposed wedding and corporate events space?
- What ag-related events does SBF already have planning for the coming 2026 season, and why won’t they share that plan with abutters and area neighbors who will be directly affected?
- What “non ag” events are the new owners planning? Why wouldn’t Sweet Berry COO/abutter contact Kate Fay share her event plan with neighbors, if it is so “ag” focused, what is there to hide?
• Impact on property values and long-term rental availability: While this idyllic, rural area is no doubt a pro for prospective homebuyers, living next to a wedding and events venue is not.
- Who wants a 200+ person wedding in their back yard every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday?
- Who wants corporate retreats and fundraiser galas on as many Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays as ROI-generating possible?
- Will this commercial events facility increase demand for AirBNBs/STRs and continue to decrease year-round rental availability for hard-working families on the Island?
• Land razing/removal of 1,300+ trees and fruit bushes: All apple trees, blueberry bushes, cherry blossoms, peach trees, and peonies – every planting in the near right lot, off the current driveway – will be removed and destroyed.
- Why did AILT sign off on this? Again, regardless of promised replantings elsewhere in the coming years, many existing trees are young, established, and viable.
- Why would the AILT be OK with replacing water-thirsty trees with an acreage of impervious materials?
- Tree removal aside, why would AILT sign off on installation of acreage of ashpalt/like materials? Does that sound like conserving open space?
- Why is the Middletown Tree Commission not convening on and responding to this abuse?
- Why would the Middletown Conservation Committee sign off on such an egregious razing? Read the 4/14/26 Memo from Melissa Welch, Conservation chair here.
• Well water recharge/water conservation: While Sweet Berry Farm will enjoy the comforts of town water and sewage, most homes in the Green End/Mitchells/Third Beach Road/Wapping rural area have private wells and septic systems.
- Abutters asked specifically to meet with proposers engineering and design team to better understand the “stormwater features” and “screen plantings” noted on the plan. No such meeting has taken place yet.
- Will the removal of 1,300 water-soaking trees, replaced with an acreage of impervious materials, building foundations, parking lot, 24′ wide, 600′ long truck road, sidewalks, etc impact our wells? We say yes.
- What is SBF’s irrigation plan? [Answer provided: Largely a dry farm. New well dug 2025 near Green End Ave properties. Retention ponds planned.]
- Will SBF be building retention ponds that also starve our wells?
- Is SBF aware of dry well and nitrate contamination issues already taking place in Middletown? (see Prospect Ave and Baldwin Road actions).
- The Town is aware of these issues. Why are they not demanding a well water survey for its tax-paying residents?
• Impervious pavement materials and groundwater/flooding issues for direct abutters and the Mitchells Lane roadway.
• Water and sewer tie-in by Wyndham Hill Road homeowners association and the proximity to Maidford River and wildlife habitat.
• Environmental concerns and wildlife habitat disruption, construction runoff, and more: This commercial expansion will bear siginificant impact on the local ecosystem, including Maidford River and Paradise Brook watersheds.
• AirBNB/STR rules: Many area property owners own second or long-standing family homes in the area, but are unable, due to mandatory residency requirements, unable to offer their home as vacation rental for added income. Some are not full-time Middletown residents but live here part-time or were born and raised here.
- Why are they unable to rent their properties for STR availability?
- And many more concerns to come we are sure. What are yours? Email us at greenendneighbors@gmail.com
HOW YOU CAN HELP
There are many ways we can take action together to ask thoughtful questions, voice concern, and express objection.
- Write a Letter of Concern or Objection: Express your concerns or outright objection in writing directly to the Town, AILT and new owners. See below.
- Attend the Public Hearing: Make a plan to attend Wed 7/15 6 to 9 pm Special Meeting @ Gaudet School Cafetorium, enter on Turner Road. Watch this space for updates.
- Join the Mailing List: Join our email list for occasional updates and ask your friends and family to as well: https://bit.ly/pbgena-signup
- Spread the Word: Follow us and share our posts on social media. Text our URL greenendneighbors.org/sweet-berry-farm-proposal/ to a colleauge or family member and ask if they’ve heard the news. Tell a neighbor to tell another neighbor!
- Host a Lawn Sign: Click this link >> REQUEST: Sweet Berry Lawn Sign to email us at greenendneighbors@gmail.com. Let us know your name, address and phone # and how many signs you want.
Pick up location on Valley Road supplied on confirmation; delivery possible but not guaranteed. Signs are complimentary (donations welcome; Venmo coming soon!)
TOWN, AILT & SBF CONTACTS
Please put your concerns *in writing* to Ron Wolanski, Director of Planning for Middletown, his email is: rwolanski@middletownri.gov, cc: prodrigues@middletownri.gov, TownCouncil@middletownri.com, sbrown@middletownri.gov
It’s important to write letters in advance of the hearing so they get attached to the packet review, required reading by the PB before the hearing takes place.
Ask Ron to attach your email or letter to the planning proposal and to forward your concerns to the Planning Board committee so they become part of the public record.
cc/bcc greenendneighbors@gmail.com or forward to us if you are of the mind
- Read existing letters from the Middletown residents re the Sweet Berry proposal for ideas on how to frame and format your letter
- Follow suggested letter writing tips [online resource]
- Contact us at greenendneighbors@gmail.com for best practices
• Email or call the Land Trust and voice your concerns about their green light on this project, and or cc them on your letter to the Town:
Terry Sullivan, Executive Director
tsullivan@ailt.org
401-849-2799, ext. 112
Alex Chuman, Conservation Director
achuman@ailt.org
401-849-2799, ext. 114
cc/bcc greenendneighbors@gmail.com or forward to us if you are of the mind
• Email or call your Town Council members and Sweet Berry ownership to voice your concerns.
Paul Rodriques
Middletown Town Council President
401-842-6500
prodrigues@middletownri.gov
TownCouncil@middletownri.com
Shawn Brown
Town Administrator
401-847-0009
sbrown@middletownri.gov
Chris Costa
Middletown Building / Zoning Official
ccosta@middletownri.gov
401-847-5769
Tom Hagerty
Co-owner, Sweet Berry Farm
via Girard Galvin, Attorney for Sweet Berry Farm
girard@galvinlawri.com
401-239-8603
Kate Fay
COO, Sweet Berry Farm
kfay@sweetberryri.com
401-487-6810
cc/bcc greenendneighbors@gmail.com or forward to us if you are of the mind
• Attend Public Hearing #1: Wed 7/15 6 to 9 pm Middletown Planning Board Special Meeting @ Gaudet School Cafetorium to voice your concerns. Critical mass is important so the Town, AILT and Hagerty & co see, hear and feel the opposition to this detrimental project.
Attend in person
Town Hall / Council Chambers 350 East Main Rd
Online via ZOOM
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88265537000
Or by ZOOM conference call:
Call (888) 475-4499 // enter Meeting ID: 882 6553 7000
• Follow us for updates: on Facebook and Instagram
• Join our email list for updates on Sweet Berry Farm (and more) and share this page with a friend
• Submit ideas, suggestions and tips to us. Who should we talk to? What experts do you know? How can we further this mission and spread the word?
KEEP SWEET BERRY SWEET!
STOP THE COMMERCIAL EVENTS EXPANSION
We love the magical place the Eckharts created in our special part of the world, but the proposal by the new owners to add a new set of buildings including a 7,500 sq ft commercial events space pushes the bounds of the farming mission, the Land Trust easement, and Town’s residential zoning ordinances.
Whether you are a direct abutter, Green End area neighbor, Middletown resident or an Islander, we all have a keen interest in the broader impact of this project as it stands to set a detrimental and possibly irreversible precedent.
Together, we can ask thoughtful questions, demand important answers from our Town Council, and create safeguards that protect our community from unchecked commercial development.