MIDDLETOWN — A controversial truck facility, previously called a “truck spa” by town officials, intends to begin construction in Middletown across from Shaffer’s BBQ on Main Street in spring 2025 pending Town Council’s approval, according to a Thursday media release from the business.
Once built, the Steel Dog Truck Dealership will offer tractor-trailer sales, service and parts, said Director of Public Relations Michael Guevremont when reached by phone on Thursday. It will not be a truck stop, spa or fueling point, he stressed.
Many of the concerns that Middletown residents have expressed about the business wanting to locate in the town — primarily related to safety, cleanliness and environmental impact — are rooted in misconception, according to Guevremont.
“Since the introduction of Steel Dog to Middletown there has been great misconceptions about what the facility will be,” Guevremont wrote. “It is not a truck stop, truck spa or truck gas station. This is a dealership that will compare to a Lexus or Mercedes dealership but for large rigs that retail in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.”
The three steps by the town government that are necessary to begin construction — rezoning the prospective location, approving a text amendment and approving a special-use permit — have not yet occurred, confirmed Amanda Kerns, Middletown’s planning contractor from the Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission, when reached by phone Thursday.
Kerns said the three steps will be considered in conjunction. The public hearings for all three will be held at the same Planning Commission meeting, which is likely to be in the fall, though no date has been set.
After the hearings at the Planning Commission level, there will be public hearings during a Town Council meeting. Then, the council will decide how to proceed.
Pending timeliness with the preceding steps, Kerns said it is fair to say that breaking ground on the property could begin in spring 2025. But, again, it is ultimately up to the council’s yes or no vote on the matter, she noted.
Guevremont indicated that he finds it likely that the Town Council will approve the matter.
“We don’t see why they wouldn’t, especially given the actual use versus the rumored use of the property,” Guevremont said.
When asked about the prospect of legal action pending a possible denial by Town Council, which has previously been iterated as a concern by the mayor, vice mayor and Frederick County’s planning director, Guevremont responded that, “Going to a lawsuit would not be ideal for anybody.”
The business would rather “find amicable solutions to figure out how to accomplish the goal,” he said. Throughout the call, Guevremont emphasized that Steel Dog wishes to be a collaborative community partner with Middletown.
He noted that the business was a donor to the town’s Independence Day celebration this year, for which Steel Dog gave $2,500, according to a post on Middletown’s Facebook page.
Plus, the proposed business would create 50 to 100 jobs, Guevremont said. It’ll also strengthen the town’s tax base, he said.
The employees, as well as customers of the dealership, will bring business to other Middletown establishments, he added. For instance, when he and the Steel Dog team were in town recently, they all dined at Schaffer’s BBQ.
The Middletown site will be Steel Dog’s first dealership, and it will hopefully be used as a model for other locations elsewhere in the Shenandoah Valley, according to Guevremont.
Guevremont noted by phone that there are many vehicle dealerships along U.S. 11, which is the road that becomes Middletown’s Main Street.
“The goal is to be mindful of the visual impact,” Guevremont said.
The land is adjacent to a historic property, he said. With that being another element to keep in mind, Steel Dog will be planting many trees, he said.
The site itself will be “beautifully designed” and “very expensive,” according to Guevremont, who went on to mention a potential reflection pool out front. The total cost is in the $10 million range, which includes construction, fees and environmentally-friendly practices.
“The bulk of all consumable liquid products will be recycled into additional uses,” he wrote in the release. Those green policies are costly for companies, but something worth investing in for Steel Dog, he said.
To Steel Dog, it’s most important that locals know their intentions.
“We will not be gassing up vehicles. No one will be staying overnight. There will not be people running up and down the street,” Guevremont said.
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