Whately Zoning Board Approves Covestro Special Permit for Sandy Lane R&D Facility

WHATELY — June 4, 2026 — Whately zoning board unanimously approves special permit for Covestro LLC's second Whately location. The Zoning Board of Appeals voted 3-0 Thursday to grant Covestro LLC a special permit to operate a research and development facility at 10 Sandy Lane, a building formerly tenanted by thermoplastics converter Nupro. Chair Debra Carney, Vice Chair Roger Lipton, and alternate Fred Orlowski found the proposal met all criteria under Article 171.37 of the Whately Zoning Bylaws, imposing no conditions beyond standard bylaw compliance. Patricia Ann, representing Covestro, described the facility as the future home of the company's innovation department — roughly 10 employees working on laminate and polymeric film products used in U.S. passports, real-ID cards, medical wound care, and Department of Defense applications. Building owner Bob Klinger told the board that prior tenant Nupro "had run a 24-hour operation with at least as many employees, if not more," without generating any complaints. The permit carries a 20-day appeal window from filing with the Town Clerk before it becomes final.