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The Legislative Road to U-Pick Flowers in Barrington Hills, IL
Our journey began with a simple idea: that a small farm could grow more than just flowers. It could nurture connections, foster learning, and bring a bit of joy to all who visit. Though our path has encountered unexpected twists, we remain rooted in the belief that the flowers & joy we cultivate here is meant to be shared far and wide, touching lives beyond any borders.
Below, we have summarized our progress of trying to reopen the farm to the public.
Roadmap
Click sections to learn more...
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Agricultural Experience in Barrington Hills
At Little Ducky Flower Farm, we’re focused on keeping discussions about farms in Barrington Hills rooted in facts. Our write-ups highlight the benefits of local agriculture and address concerns about our proposal, helping you understand the impact of supporting sustainable farming in our community.
The Latest Development
5) Public Hearing (November 12th, 6:30pm)
We have been assigned a hearing date of November 12th, 2024, at 6:30 PM at the Barrington Hills Village Hall, located at: 112 Algonquin Rd, Barrington Hills, IL 60010.
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How You Can Show Your Support:
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Provide In-Person Comment: Speak before the Zoning Board of Appeals at the Barrington Hills Village Hall on August 20th 2024.
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Submit a Written Comment: Share your thoughts with the board before 3pm, August 20th 2024.
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Spread the Word: Share this information with your friends and family
4) Second Text Amendment Application
Application Submitted on 9/30/2024
We’ve submitted a new text amendment to introduce 'Agricultural Experiences' as a special use in the R1 district. This proposal preserves the village’s character while promoting sustainable farming and addresses the concerns brought up during the last round.
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You can view our submitted application below:
3) Trustee Vote - Text Amendment
(Updated August 26th, 2024)
The Barrington Hills Board of Trustees voted unanimously against our text amendment allowing public interaction with agriculture, a permitted use in the village, citing it wasn’t in the community’s best interest.
We designed the proposal to be broad, so anyone in Barrington Hills could benefit. The special use permit would have given the village control, approving applications on a case-by-case basis to align with community values.
We encourage everyone to listen to the meeting audio to understand the discussions.
2) Public Hearing - Text Amendment
(Updated July 30th, 2024)
We have been assigned a hearing date of August 20th, 2024, at 6:30 PM at the Barrington Hills Village Hall, located at: 112 Algonquin Rd, Barrington Hills, IL 60010.
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How You Can Show Your Support:
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Provide In-Person Comment: Speak before the Zoning Board of Appeals at the Barrington Hills Village Hall on August 20th 2024.
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Submit a Written Comment: Share your thoughts with the board before 3pm, August 20th 2024.
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Spread the Word: Share this information with your friends and family
(Updated August 20th, 2024)
Results: The Zoning Board of Appeals voted (2 aye, 4 no in favor of the text amendment) and concluded that the proposal was "Not in the interest of the public and solely in the interest of the applicant."
97% of written comments submitted were in support.
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133 public comments were submitted.
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129 were in support.
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4 were in opposition.
84% of all comments were in support.
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11 Barrington Hills residents testified in support.
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5 community members testified in support.
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3 Barrington Hills residents testified in opposition.
We encourage everyone to listen to the meeting audio below to hear the discussions firsthand. The ZBA findings of fact can be found in the August 26th 2024 Trustee meeting agenda packet (see pg. 82 to 87).
The proposal now moves to the Barrington Hills Board of Trustees for a vote on Monday, August 26th, at 6:30 PM at the Barrington Hills Village Hall, 112 Algonquin Rd, Barrington, IL.
1) Text Amendment Application
Application Submitted! (Updated July 15th, 2024)
We’ve submitted a text amendment application to the Barrington Hills village code, proposing 'Agritourism' as a special use in the R1 district. This allows us to preserve the village’s character while opening doors for sustainable farming. The special use permit ensures the village can control the scale and scope of agritourism to align with community values.
View our submitted application below:
0) The History of Our Opening and Closure
Little Ducky Flower Farm began as a personal project, inspired by the garden we had cultivated in Connecticut. As we settled into our new property, we explored the zoning ordinance and proactively reached out to Village Hall for clarity. We shared our plans, made several visits to discuss in person, and submitted a formal written request to confirm that a U-pick flower farm would comply with agricultural use. The email chain is attached below:
On May 19th, 2024, we received a cease and desist letter from the Village of Barrington Hills, citing our U-pick flower operation as outdoor retail. This came as a surprise, as we had no prior indication that our use was not permitted. The village’s letter is attached here:
After receiving the letter, we met with the village administrator and code enforcement officer to discuss next steps. Two key actions were identified: applying for a text amendment to allow this use and clarifying which aspects of our operation could continue. In the following months, we worked with village officials, and sought guidance from the Cook County and Illinois Farm Bureaus to draft a compliant text amendment, while continuing to build and maintain a sustainable, community-focused farm.