Elperd Letter To Amend Reg

filE COpy CITY

OF DANBURY 155 DEER HILL AVENUE

DANBURY, CONNECTICUT DENNIS I. ELPERN DIRECTOR OF PLANNING

06810 (203) 797-4525

July 21, 1999 )

To:

City of Danbury Zoning Commission City of Danbury Planning Commission

From: DennisI. Elpem Director of Planning

Re:

Petition to Amend Section 4.A5.f.(8) Retail Sales on Existing Farms

The attached petition amends regulations that allow for the sale of farm products. Under the existing provisions, sales of such products are restricted to those farms that engaged in sales prior to the enactment of the amendment last year. That has been interpreted by Corporation Counsel to mean that if such a fann were expanded after the effective date of the amendment, such sales could not take place on the expanded portion of the farm. This was not the intent of the initial amendment, for it discourages the expansion of farming in the City and freezes the area for which sales are allowed, regardless of the subsequent size of the farm. This amendment endeavors to clarify the original intent of the amendment Bear in mind that subsequent expansion of a farm and the area devoted to fann sales must still meet all restrictions pertaining to fann sales, including limitations on building coverage.

c:

Mike Halas Daniel Casagrande

Section 4.A.5.f. Fanning. 1. Amend subsection (4): (4) No [Any] structure used for the purpose of keeping livestock[,] or poultry, [or any] and no greenhouse in excess of one thousand five hundred (1,500) square feet~shall be located within the front vard or within [at a minimum of] one hundred (100) from any side or rear property line. 2. Add new subsection (8): (8) The retail sale of products related to dairy, truck and nursery gardeninS?:.and similar farming related materials or products is allowed as an accessory use to a funn.. as herein defined. provided that (a) the sale of such products occurred on the fann prior to the enactment of this Subsection 4.A.5.f.(8) of the ReS?:Ulations. and (b) the products sold are limited vrimarilv to (i) fann products grown or raised on the premises. (ii) vegetables. fruit. trees, shrubs, flowers. and seeds. and (iii) fertilizer. potting soiL mulch. wood chips. lime, and hay: and. (iv) incidentallv to other customary fann market and nursery gardening products, including planting pots."bird houses and feeders. iellies and iams. syrup and honev. baked goods. funn produce not necessarily grown or raised on the premises. landscaping materials and S?:ardening suP?lies, and garden hand tools and edging materials used in landscaping or gardening. Pennitted fann and nursery gardening products and related materials allowed to be sold under this Subsection specifically exclude the sale or rental of mechanical and electrical equipment. power tools and hardware. and the sale of' building supplies, fencing, bricks. gravel. and alLother construction materials.