Wethersfield’s Planning and Zoning Commission has approved a special permit for a Southern Italian restaurant inside the historic Chester Bulkley House in Old Wethersfield, but capped the number of dining seats and attached conditions meant to limit its effect on the surrounding residential neighborhood.
The commission voted 8-1 on Tuesday to approve the application, filed by 3E Property Management LLC, which is controlled by Erigels Kroi. The permit allows Kroi to convert the former bed-and-breakfast at 184 Main St. into Ortigia Ristorante, an upscale, business-casual restaurant with a menu built around seafood and seasonal imported ingredients.
The central condition is a limit of 65 seats for the entire premises. The cap covers indoor dining on both the first and second floors, along with outdoor patio seating.
A revised application the commission considered in May proposed 99 seats, including as many as 30 on a north-facing patio along Main Street. That figure was a one-third reduction from an earlier version of the project the commission rejected 9-0 in January.
Other conditions of the approval include: staff must park off-site, at either 383 Silas Deane Highway or 1 Wells Road; no outside music in the dining area; and no third-party delivery services, such as Uber Eats, may pick up orders in front of the building. A 6-foot privacy fence along the south side of the property also must be moved so that it begins at the rear of the abutting house at 180 Main St.
Further, 24 months after a certificate of occupancy is issued, the applicant must return to the commission to review operations and address any problems that have surfaced, and the commission reserves the right to adjust the permit at that point.
Commissioners described the compromise as allowing a new business to open while protecting the character of the neighborhood around it.
There was strong opposition from neighbors during a public hearing on the application, which closed June 16.
Residents on Broad Street submitted a letter arguing the restaurant is incompatible with Old Wethersfield’s residential character and objecting to converting any part of the Keeney Memorial grounds, including a basketball court, into parking for a private business.
The property was purchased by 3E Main LLC in May 2024 for $665,000. The application said the restaurant would operate from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Sunday, employ about 20 people and seek a liquor permit.
