Why the Special Use Route for Little Ducky Flower Farm

After careful consideration and thorough review, pursuing a special use permit for Little Ducky Flower Farm is the most suitable path to align with Barrington Hills' zoning laws while offering a unique, sustainable, and community-focused agricultural experience. This thoughtful approach benefits the town by fostering local engagement, supporting environmental goals, and ensuring controlled development that respects the character and needs of our community. By integrating agritourism activities, we aim to provide educational and recreational opportunities that connect residents to the land, promote sustainable practices, and enhance the visual and environmental quality of Barrington Hills.

Commitment to Responsibility and Respect:

Our choice of the special use permit route shows our dedication to working within Barrington Hills' regulatory framework, respecting the town's governance, and our willingness to engage cooperatively with local authorities and residents.

Comprehensive and Well-Planned Approach:

This path allows us to address all potential concerns meticulously, ensuring our operations align with the town's comprehensive plan, values, and goals.

Ensuring Legal and Regulatory Compliance:

We strive to meet all legal and regulatory requirements, providing peace of mind to officials and residents, reinforcing transparency and compliance, and building trust and support for our farm.

Operational Limitations Under Barrington Hills Home Occupation Code (5.3.4)

Farm Activities Require Outdoor Space:

The essence of a U-pick flower farm involves outdoor activities such as planting, growing, and picking flowers. These activities cannot be confined to indoor spaces as required by home occupation regulations, which mandate that operations be conducted solely within a principal or accessory building.

Visitor Participation: 

The operation of our farm relies on regular attendance by community members and visitors who come to pick flowers, take photos, and attend workshops. Although seasonal, this consistent and interactive participation exceeds the home occupation regulation, which limits such engagements to four persons at a time for private instruction.

Current Zoning Limitations

Agritourism Not Recognized as Agriculture:

In Barrington Hills, U-pick activities do not fall under traditional agricultural uses as defined by current zoning regulations. This discrepancy means our activities do not fit neatly into existing categories, necessitating a special use permit to operate legally and transparently within the established zoning framework.

Beyond Conventional Agriculture:

The experiences and activities we offer extend beyond the scope of conventional agricultural production, offering unique value to the community by fostering a deeper understanding of sustainable farming practices and the importance of local agriculture.

Challenges with Amending the Home Occupation Code

Complexity and Overreach:

Amending the home occupation code for agritourism would involve broad legislative changes that might not fully address our specific needs and could introduce unintended consequences for other home-based businesses. These changes could complicate enforcement and create loopholes that detract from community goals.

Changing Purpose:

Modifying the home occupation code to include outdoor activities would fundamentally change its purpose, which is to regulate businesses that operate primarily within a home to minimize their impact on the residential character of neighborhoods. Allowing outdoor operations could set a precedent for other types of businesses to request similar accommodations, leading to an unmanageable increase in commercial activity in residential areas.

Loss of Control:

Such amendments could reduce the town's nuanced control over various home-based businesses, making it harder to manage specific concerns. The special use permit route, by contrast, allows for tailored regulations that address our farm's unique needs without broadly impacting other operations, ensuring that modifications are contextually appropriate and maintain regulatory integrity.

Public Hearing and Community Input:

Unlike amendments to the home occupation code, the special use permit process includes public hearings and opportunities for community input. This ensures that residents have a voice in the development process, fostering community ownership and allowing for tailored conditions that reflect the community's values and needs.

Challenges with Amending the Agricultural Definition to Include Agritourism Activities

Current Definition

AGRICULTURAL:

The use of land for agricultural purposes, including farming, dairying, pasturage, apiculture, horticulture, floriculture, viticulture and animal and poultry husbandry (including the breeding and raising of horses as an occupation) and the necessary accessory uses for handling or storing the produce.

Potential Modification

AGRICULTURE:

The science, art, and business of cultivating soil, producing crops, and raising livestock; farming. 

While it might seem straightforward to update the agricultural definition to include agritourism activities, we chose not to pursue this route for several reasons:

Avoiding Broad Legislative Changes:

Amending the agricultural code to include agritourism activities like U-pick flower farms would require extensive legislative processes and could lead to less control for the town. Broad amendments also reduce the town’s ability to manage specific concerns related to our farm. The special use permit route allows for targeted adjustments that directly address our activities while maintaining the town's regulatory integrity. 

Community Input and Control:

Pursuing a special use permit involves public hearings and opportunities for community input. This process ensures that residents of Barrington Hills have a say in the development, fostering a sense of community ownership and allowing the town to maintain control over specific conditions and regulations. This approach keeps the power in the hands of the community, maintaining control over the project's scope and impact.

Tailored and Specific Solution:

A special use permit provides a focused and specific framework tailored to the unique activities of Little Ducky Flower Farm. This allows us to address our operational needs precisely, ensuring that our U-pick flower activities are accommodated without broad, sweeping changes to the agricultural code that might affect other areas unexpectedly.

Special Use Benefits to Barrington Hills (5.5.3)

Supporting Community and Agricultural Heritage

Agritourism Enhances Community Engagement:

Our U-pick flower farm promotes community engagement by offering educational and recreational activities that connect people to the land. This fosters a sense of belonging and appreciation for the local environment.

Sustainable Practices:

Emphasizing sustainable and regenerative farming methods, our farm aligns with Barrington Hills' environmental goals.

Community Benefits:

Our farm supports local organizations, gardening clubs, and community service projects, creating a positive impact on community well-being and education.

Environmental Stewardship:

Sustainable practices on the farm contribute to the health of local ecosystems and promote biodiversity.

Unique Local Experience:

The farm offers a unique experience not available through traditional retail, enhancing the cultural and recreational offerings of Barrington Hills.

Controlled and Specific Development

Maintaining Village Character:

A special use permit allows for the controlled and specific development of unique agritourism activities, ensuring that the character and aesthetics of Barrington Hills are maintained. Unlike broad zoning changes, this approach allows for detailed conditions tailored to the farm's operations.

Controlled Scale and Scope:

The special use permit process allows for the careful control of the scale and scope of our agritourism activities. This ensures that the farm remains a small-scale, community-oriented operation that does not overwhelm the area with excessive traffic, noise, or commercial activity. The village can set limits on the types of activities to ensure minimal disruption to neighboring properties.

Community Input:

The special use permit process involves public hearings and opportunities for community input, ensuring that residents of Barrington Hills have a say in the development of agritourism activities. This democratic approach helps to address any concerns and build consensus, fostering a sense of community ownership and acceptance of the farm.

Adaptive Management:

The conditions of a special use permit can be reviewed and adjusted over time to respond to changing circumstances or address any unforeseen issues. This adaptive management approach ensures that the farm's operations continue to meet the community's expectations and regulatory standards.

Environmental Stewardship:

Special use permits can include specific environmental protections that align with Barrington Hills' commitment to sustainability. Conditions can be set to ensure that farming practices are environmentally friendly, promoting soil health, water conservation, and the protection of local wildlife habitats.

By pursuing a special use permit, we can address these issues with targeted, context-specific solutions that respect the town’s zoning framework while accommodating the unique nature of our agritourism activities. Our farm stands to bring numerous benefits to the community, such as educational programs, sustainable farming practices, and enhancing the local environment. This carefully controlled development aligns with the town’s character and environmental goals, ensuring that our farm becomes a valued asset to Barrington Hills. We look forward to continuing our engagement with the community and contributing to its well-being and sustainability through our unique agritourism activities.