SOUTH HERO DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD MINUTES June 26, 2024
Members Present: Doug Patterson (Vice-Chair); Nate Hayward, Gareth Hunt, Jim Brightwell, Mike Welch (via Zoom), and Tim Mullen (Alternate, via Zoom).
Members Absent: Tim Maxham (Chair); Ellie Reid (Alternate), and Liza Kilcoyne.
Others Present: Ray Allen; Andy Allen; Kathy Robinson; Susan Robinson; Debra Tirrito; Victor Tirrito; and Beverly Blakely.
7:00PM – D. Patterson opened the meeting.
Changes to the Agenda
There were none.
Public Input
There was none.
Conditional Use and Site Plan Review for Mobile Vendors at 110/111 South St. – Ray Allen/Allenholm Farm (24-85-SS110)
The warning was read and interested persons were sworn in.
Site Plan Review
Ray Allen, representing Allenholm Farm, told the Board that he is continuing to diversify the farm by adding small vendor retail and events to the existing agricultural/farm store use. He is proposing adding opportunities to host mobile vendors and food truck events from July through October. No more than 5 food trucks will operate at the farm at a time. Andy Allen told the Board that he envisions hosting food trucks during the week on a day/evening when there are no other regular events happening (i.e. Snow Farm Thursday night concerts, etc.) to give local families and visitors an assortment of food choices in one place. The farm will provide a location for up to 12 mobile vendors with the intent of supporting local craftspeople. They generally use 10×10 tents. Locations for all vendors will be on both sides of the road, depending on the weather and need for additional power. Food trucks and vendors will provide their own power with small generators. If more is needed, there is an additional power supply from the barns on the west side of the road. Wet weather conditions, muddy ground, or wind could make it necessary to move vendors to the west side of the road where the barns act as a windbreak and there is more gravel base. Everything is adapted to the weather conditions. No vendors will remain on the property at the end of the day. He stressed that this will be a much smaller scale compared to Apple Fest.
Parking is in the field on the east side of the road (south of the farm store) and, on the west side, areas south and north of the barns. These are the same parking areas used during u-pick season in September and October. There will be no parking along South St.
Questions from the Board
- Brightwell expressed concern about people crossing South St. Ray Allen said he would use traffic cones. There has never been a problem during crowded u-pick seasons. Will there be lighting after dark? Andy Allen said that they would shut down before dark. Those times will vary depending on whether it is summer or fall. The retail store’s hours are 10am to 6pm in the summer and 9am to 5pm in the fall.
- Hayward – Are the vendors generally non-food? Yes, this is intended not to be a farmers’ market. There will be no circus apparatus except for possibly an occasional dunking tank.
- Brightwell – How many people are expected? On a weekend, 100 to 130 vehicles, plus bicycles. There is plenty of overflow parking. There will be port-a-lets (including HC), with additional ones as the season gets busier, if needed.
- Patterson — Will there be food trucks and small vendors on the site at the same time? No. Food trucks will be mainly in the summer months, and vendors during apple season. There will be trash cans and picnic tables available.
- Brightwell – Will the Applicants agree to meet with the Board after the first season? Yes.
Questions from the public
Victor Tirrito expressed concern about trash and asked that the lids to the dumpsters remain closed. Otherwise, he liked the proposal.
Debra Tirrito also said she liked the idea.
Beverly Blakely asked if the food trucks would be staying after business hours. No, they will leave at the end of the day.
- Hunt moved to waive the requirement to show contours on the site plan; J. Brightwell second. All in favor.
- Hunt moved to accept the site plan as complete; J. Brightwell second. All in favor.
Conditional Use Review
- Patterson asked about operating hours. The Applicant said it will depend on the season; they will want to shut down before darkness. 9:00am to 8:00pm in the summer months. ‘Last light’ (30 minutes after sunset) later in the season. The number of food trucks will be limited to 5 at any one time. Vendors will be limited to no more than 12 at a time. Will you be adding vendors during u-pick season? There may be an additional attraction – chain saw carver or dunk tank – but it will not attract too many more people. Allenholm can handle it.
- Welch also expressed concern about pedestrians crossing South St. Would it be possible to require cones as a visual warning? Ray Allen asked if the Town could install signs along South St. The zoning administrator will ask the Selectboard. Deb Tirrito – Could a blinking light be installed? Ray Allen stated that blinking lights can be distracting.
Beverly Blakely asked if there was enough parking in the east field? Vendors will be closer to the store, not in the parking field.
7:46PM – As there were no other questions, D. Patterson closed the hearing.
Review of Minutes of May 22, 2024
- Hunt moved to accept the minutes; J. Brightwell second. All in favor.
Administrator’s Report
- Upcoming hearing schedule –
July 10 – 2 hearings: setback waiver on Sunrise Dr. and added use (movie nights) at Seb’s.
July 24 – 2 hearings: 3-lot subdivision on Gifford Lane and amended site plan for mini golf on Lavin Lane.
- Updates to Open Meeting Law will include the requirement to add a video or recording of DRB meetings to the minutes posted on the Town’s website. This requirement starts on July 1st.
Adjournment
7:59PM – G. Hunt moved to adjourn; J. Brightwell second. All in favor.
Respectfully submitted,
Martha Taylor-Varney, ZA
Signed: __________________________________________ Date: _______________________
For the Development Review Board
These minutes are unofficial until approved at the next regularly scheduled meeting. All motions were unanimous unless otherwise indicated.