By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

NAPLES — The owner of a proposed flight school business, which is scheduled to go before the Naples Planning Board, asked the Naples Select Board for a business permit.

Two board members thought the request was premature.

“We are putting the cart before horse. If we do it for this one business, we will have to do it for everyone out there,” Selectman Stephen LaPointe said.

Selectman Colin Brackett made a similar comment.

“I don’t want to set precedent. I don’t want to be in habit of approving business licenses that don’t get approved by the planning board,” Brackett said.

However, in the end, the selectmen voted, 4-1, to approve the business license for Brandy Pond Flite School, provided the planning board’s outcome is favorable.

LaPointe voted in opposition of the motion.

Selectman Kevin Rogers, who attended the meeting via Zoom, made the motion to approve pending the planning board’s okay.

Shortly afterward, Naples Town Manager Jason Rogers clarified for other board members conditional approval. 

“If the Select Board does a conditional approval, it will prevent us from hearing it again. It’s pending approval,” he said.

Chair Ted Shane said, “Irregardless, it still has to go to planning board.”

Martina Witts, who sits on the planning board, stepped to the microphone.

“Whether or not you issue a [business] permit has no bearing on the planning board decision,” she said.

Town Manager Rogers explained that businessowner lives near the water, which is what triggered the planning board application.

“It’s a home-based business. Like someone having an accounting service out of their home, he would not be having customers using the land for parking,” he said.

Because code enforcement does not have the authority to permit that use on waterfront land, the case has to go to planning board, he said.

As an advisory point, Rogers assured the board that its vote wouldn’t impact planning board outcome.

“We don’t want to create an air of influence over the planning board,” he said.

Chairman Shane and Witts discussed the timeline, saying it would go before the planning board on the first and third week in February.

“It wouldn’t come before us until Feb. 24,” he said.

Selectman Rogers made a plea for the vote to takes place then instead of being tabled.

“I understand you don’t want to set a precedent. Every situation is different. I don’t see any harm in giving conditional approval. It is no pressure on the planning board,” he said. “If we table this, it will cause another visit to us for these guys.”