MACHIAS — The Machias Planning Board approved a building permit Wednesday for a golf simulator proposed for the property behind the former Community of Christ Church at 54 North St.
The business, tentatively named Salty Swing, previously drew resistance from North Street residents concerned about increased traffic and its liquor license application.
The Select Board approved that license July 22, and the application now moves to the state for review.
No residents attended Wednesday’s meeting to comment on the building permit.
Planning Board Chair Harry Flower said the application was complete and required little discussion.
“Any queries?” he asked the board.
No one responded.
Seth Kilton and his partner, Katie McDonald, own apartments in the area and operate Lake Smoke Farms and Tantastic Energy & Wellness, both in Machias. They also own the former Community of Christ Church building, which Kilton said they plan to convert into apartments.
He told the board that construction on the sports simulator may begin this summer, and he hopes to open by next summer.
The building is expected to be a 32‑by‑48‑foot structure behind the former Community of Christ Church, Kilton said after the meeting, adding that Salty Swing may not be the final name for the golf and sports simulator.
“I just needed a name for the liquor license application,” he said.
The building permit lists 16 to 20 parking spaces. The sports simulator is expected to include three bays where four to six people can play games, drink and order food.
The Planning Board also approved two additional building permits for new hangars at the town‑owned Machias Valley Airport. One permit is for Maine Air Physician Services LLC, and the other is for MSAC Properties LLC, owned by Michael Radeka, a licensed pilot and chair of Friends of Machias Valley Airport.
The larger MSAC hangar — an 80‑by‑80‑foot structure — received conditional approval pending review by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. The Maine Air Physician Services hangar is expected to be a 50‑by‑40‑foot building.
This is Radeka’s second approved hangar and the third approved in Machias since voters authorized long‑term land leases at a special town meeting last December.
Town Manager Sarah Craighead Dedmon said the companies building the hangars are leasing airport land from Machias for 20 years at 12 cents per square foot, and the town expects increased property tax revenue once the hangars are built.
She said the ability to lease airport land, along with the recently completed taxi lane, has opened the door for more hangar construction. She also noted that the airport needs additional “based aircraft,” as only three are officially based in Machias now.
Plans call for extending the taxi lane in the future to accommodate more hangars.
“There’s huge demand for hangars in Maine,” Craighead Dedmon said.
The Machias Planning Board’s next meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 2, at the Town Office.
