VASSALBORO, Maine — Vassalboro’s planning board has approved an application for a coffee shop with topless waitresses despite opposition of most residents who showed up.

More than 50 residents showed up for Tuesday night’s meeting and most of them voiced disapproval of the idea. Ellsworth businessman Donald Crabtree plan to open the topless cafe within 30 days at the site of the former Grand View Motel on busy Route 3.

Planners said the central Maine town has no ordinance to regulate businesses’ uniforms — or lack of them. They say the proposal met the town’s 10 performance standards, which are mostly related to safety, parking, traffic and signs.

Back story: VASSALBORO, Maine – A one-time motel in a small central Maine town could soon be offering an eye-opening way to start the day — topless coffee shop waitresses. The Vassalboro Planning Board on Tuesday will consider a business permit request for a topless coffee shop on busy Route 3.

The one-story building has also been the home to several other business ventures, most recently Mac Daddy’s Pub at the Fat Cat Grille, which closed three or four years ago.

Neighbors have mixed opinions. Some say Vassalboro is a rural town and that a topless coffee shop would bring the wrong crowd. But others say they’d like to see a business make a go of it there.

Donald Crabtree of Ellsworth, who has applied for the business permit, told the Kennebec Journal that he didn’t want to discuss his plan until after the planning board meets .