HomeMy WebLinkAboutAAC 2023-11-08AAC 2023-11-08
Approved
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AGRICULTURE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
November 8, 2023
In-Person
Approved March 13, 2024
Present: Kim LaMotte (acting chair), Austin Beck, Steve Foote, Brian Magee
Absent: Evan Carpenter (chair)
Liaisons: Jason Leifer (Town Board), Craig Schutt (Conservation Board)
Staff: Loren Sparling (Deputy Town Clerk)
The meeting was called to order at 7.31 p.m.
Review and Approval of Minutes from August 9, 2023, and September 13, 2023
K LaMotte corrected a name in the draft minutes of August 9, 2023, and provided
clarification on a pronoun in the draft minutes of September 13, 2023. On motion made by S
Foote, seconded by A Beck, the minutes of August 9, 2023, and September 13, 2023, were
unanimously approved by those present.
Zoning Law Definitions
K LaMotte asked Board members if they were satisfied with the definitions worked out
at September’s meeting.
She acknowledged that the Board had had a roundabout discussion over the definition
of Farm Markets but was worried that if there was not enough in the definition to quantify a
farm market, then anyone could call themselves a farm market. Could anyone call themselves
a Farm Store when they aren’t really a farm store?
The Board had gone back and forth about having a percentage of a Farm Market’s gross
product being from its own crop. A Beck felt that a quantitative number was needed to define a
Farm Market, notably the percentage of a product grown there. It was clarified that the Farm
Market may be located separate from where the product is actually grown, due to accessibility.
C Schutt wondered how Dedrick’s would be classified if the definition of a Farm Market
was viewed in this light but was reminded that Dedrick’s may not be in an ag-zoned area. The
purpose of the Board’s review is to define a Farm Market that would be allowed in an ag-zoned
area, not in areas zoned commercial, etc.
Board members then reviewed the definitions of FARM MARKET, AGRICULTURAL
TOURISM / AGRITOURISM, FARMWORKER HOUSING, and COMMERCIAL HORSE-
BOARDING OPERATION from September.
A Beck returned to the definition of Farm Market and inquired if they should let the
definition stand as written. K LaMotte guessed so, as she did not know how they could put any
more qualifiers into the definition. A Beck went back to differentiating between a retail market
and a farm market.
To be considered a farm brewery, a brewery has to have a certain percentage of New
York hops grown and used in their beer production. J Leifer said that most of the brewers
could not meet this percentage. Hops are hard to grow. You’ve got to get them off the vine when
they’re ready; if you miss by a day, they’ve gone bad. Although Hopshire began as a farm
brewery, they gave up growing hops and now have just a regular brewery license.
AAC 2023-11-08
Approved
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J Leifer stated that you can always sell stuff off your farm. K LaMotte informed him that
their discussions centered on people who weren’t part of a farm coming into an ag-zoned area
and wanting to call themselves a farm market. J Leifer responded that they could only do that
in areas zoned retail.
After the Board expressed their satisfaction with the definitions, next steps were
identified. These definitions will be sent to the Planning Board, as one of their subcommittees
will lead the zoning update; then it will get handed up to the Town Board. J Leifer
recommended that an Agriculture Advisory Committee member be a part of this zoning rewrite
subcommittee.
C Schutt inquired about the status of the consultant for the zoning update and was
informed that the RFP had been let out again, due to there being only one applicant. A
selection will be made in January 2024.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7.52 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Loren Sparling
Deputy Town Clerk