By Jim Pruitt
The owners of Robin Hills Farm can breathe easier now that the Sylvan Township Board of Trustees approved the text amendments to the Agritourism Ordinance.
The board, in separate 4-1 votes (Supervisor Scott Cooper dissenting), approved the ordinance and the resolution supporting the ordinance.
The ordinance, based on standard language from the state, governs farms that want to host agritourism events. The regulations will help the township limit the size and scope of events to reduce negative impacts on neighbors.
The amended ordinance ostensibly helps Robin Hills Farm in becoming an agritourism operation. The business will now be able to proceed with its site plan that includes an event facility and natural amphitheater.
“There was a lot of work and there were a lot of people in the township who worked really hard to get this moving forward,” Robin Hills Farm Development Manager Nick Bacon said. “I was very appreciative.
“We are going to do everything we can to make sure (events) are held in the most respectful way to all the neighbors. I think that is what everybody is concerned for,” he said.
Cooper’s opposition was over what he termed “party barns” and his hope the board would agree with him to send the amendment back to the Planning Commission, and have the language concerning the barns or event facilities separated from the amendment.
Cooper launched into a monologue that morphed into an ad hoc public hearing that spanned nearly an hour, in which he talked about his dissatisfaction with the amendment.
His comments were greeted with mixed responses.
“No one is a bigger champion than I am (about Robin Hills Farm),” Cooper said opening his remarks. “I still think it’s a wonderful project.”
But, having said that, Cooper said he is concerned about the people who moved to the area before Robin Hills planned to be an agritourism destination and now have to deal with a so-called party barn.
“They bought property looking for a different lifestyle,” Cooper said.
Agritourism is not about party barns, which will force people to live next to something they hadn’t planned on, he said.
“The barns should be a separate issue,” Cooper said.
Cooper said the barn was not on the original site plan, but Zoning Administrator Carol Konieczki said former zoning administrator Scott Pacheco said it was. Cooper doubled down on his contention the issue of party barns should be separated from the amendment by citing a 10-point letter from attorney Peter Flintoff that stated as much.
Trustee Rod Branham said that was in reference to existing barns being turned into commercial enterprises.
Cooper was also concerned about the issue of noise and the lack of definition of what an event is.
The ordinance requires property owners to secure a special use permit for each event they want to hold. Event facilities or “barns” are limited to properties of at least 50 acres with a 200-foot setback. A screen of trees and shrubbery will be required to help deaden any noise coming from the facility.
Special use permits will be required for sites of 30 acres or more that plan to host events for 350-500 people. The limit for sites of 25-29 acres is 250 people and 200 people for sites less than 25 acres.
Acting Planning Commission Chair David Seitz said at the Oct. 22 meeting that the commission will review each application for a special use permit and violations such as noise or size could mean revocation. The process will not be to grant carte blanche permission for special events.
Property owners hosting an approved special permit event will be required to install sound monitors that are pointed in all four directions and record readings. This means the property owner can be sited retroactively for noise violations and could face denials of future permit applications.
Alcohol is regulated by the state and federal governments, but it is allowed as long as the applicant can show they have all the state and local licenses to sell or distribute alcohol.
Wetlands are also a concern to Seitz and he wants more studies done on the Robin Hills site plan.
Noise levels will be governed by township statutes.
After 55 minutes of discussion, Trustee Roy Schmidt called the question and the votes were taken.
The barns won’t be an issue, Bacon said. The farm has the security and other procedures in place to stay within the rules, he said.
(If you’d like to contact Jim Pruitt, his email is [email protected].)
