Adams ZBA Gives Thumbs Up to Camping Venture
ZBA members Raymond Gargan, left, Thomas Whalen, Chair Glendon Diehl, Aaron Girgenti and alternate Corinne Case at Tuesday's meeting.
The Zoning Board of Appeals on Tuesday granted Kathryn Foley and Christian Rowe a special permit to operate the campsites with conditions. The couple's next stop is site plan approval by the Planning Board, which will take up their application on Monday.
Conditions include limiting the number of campers to 50, prohibiting trailers over 15 feet in length, and ensuring campsites are at least 60 feet from property lines.
Foley, a licensed mental health consultant, runs therapeutic and regular riding lessons at Aisling Mountain Farm at 185 West Road and Rowe has been managing the farm and four camping sites on the 22-acre property through Hipcamp, an online reservation platform similar to Airbnb.
"Our farm, including Hipcamping, we feel meshes well with immediate and surrounding areas of our community," said Foley, who pointed to the town's right to farm designation. "We believe our little farm, and Hipcamping, is more of a quiet and fairly hidden gem which provides beneficial services to our community."
In their presentation to the board, they said the property had been inspected several years ago by the code enforcement officer, who did not have a problem with campers' access to potable water and the managed portable toilet on the site.
Rowe said campers were responsible for taking out whatever they brought in and that it was largely tent camping, with one large or main site where a small camper or trailer could fit. The site plan offered the ZBA showed four sites including the main one that were located above the farm and past the high tension line right of way.
He pointed out that the campsites have a 99 percent rating from 131 reviews and added that every reservation application is reviewed.
"We don't want people that aren't a good fit, that people are going to be like, doing crazy stuff," said Foley. "We don't want to be worrying about who's on our property. ...
"He declines all requests that may not be appropriate. And errs on the side of caution."
The couple said the venture is low impact as the campsites are within a secluded wooded area, outside the 60-foot buffer to property lines, and not visible for most of the year. The sites are in existing clearings and no efforts had been made to expand them and motorized vehicles such as ATVs are not allowed. Rowe also said campfires are only allowed depending on the environmental conditions.
The farm backs onto Mount Greylock State Reservation and campers can access trails leading to the mountain without crossing neighboring properties.
Two West Road neighbors spoke in favor of the camping, with abutter David Krutiak saying, "I hope they double it."
Nick Noyes, who lives down the road from the farm, said he didn't have any problems with the camping but did have one concern.
"The one thing I'd like to ask is that if this is transferred or sold or something like that, that anyone wanting a campground would have to come before the board again, would have to reapply or whatever," he said.
The board confirmed the special permit was with the applicant, not the land, and a new owner would have to reapply.
However, abutter Sarah Lesure said she could see the campsites from her bedroom window and hear slamming doors and that camping has changed the neighborhood and "quality of living."
"I've experienced the campers for a few years now. It's significantly altered peaceful enjoyment living in a very negative way," she said. "Smoke in my house. Wanderers. Domestics. Noise. I've lived at 161 with my family for almost almost 24 years now. I have photographs. I have proof if you so choose, but might I suggest that you try to find the time to go up and do a site visit."
She also questioned how National Grid felt about campsites near its easement.
Rowe said any smoke was coming from his house's chimney and that the couple had been in contact with National Grid. Foley showed a letter from the utility stating "National Grid investigated and found no issue with the location of camp sites in relation to their easements."
The ZBA was concerned about density at the camp, asking how many people Rowe would entertain and where those cars would park. He responded that they opened up more sites for special events, like for the Solid Sound music festival.
"I opened up, I think 12 campsites, four people per car, no campfires at the sites, only a centrally located fire that I'm in control of," said Rowe. "So we probably got about nine different groups."
Members debated whether to limit the campsites, the cars or the people, finally determining that people would be the easiest. There was also concern about overstepping their authority since the site plans would be reviewed by the Planning Board. Interim Community Development Director Donna Cesan suggested they determine if it was an appropriate use, put in general parameters and let the site plan fill in the details.
The board also approved signage for Window World, which purchased the former TD Bank building at Center and Myrtle Streets.
Owner Tim Drost said he was surprised to learn he needed a variance as the company is replacing the same size, lighted signs that have been on the building for the past 50 years. The town's bylaws, however, state the illumination has to be on the sign and they cannot total more than 48 square feet. Window Worlds three 9-by-3-foot signs would total 81 square feet.
"We want to invest in the town," said Drost. "We're only asking for what's been there for 50 years."
He pointed out that the surroundings buildings — McDonald's, Adams Community Bank and Adam's Hometown Market — all have large, illuminated signs. Board members felt constrained by the bylaws not precedent.
Cesan said the key was whether the board can find the property is unique from others downtown. They determined that hardships existed in the shape of the building as a "peninsula" with three sides, the need for signage for a business, and the lack of other outside lighting other than streetlights.
Drost said the Go Graphix signs would be LED and "softer" than the prior florescent lights and that the property's exterior landscaping would be cleaned up "so its an asset to the town."
Building Commissioner Gerald Garner said its as time to update the bylaws "because we keep comng back to the same thing."
Tags: ZBA, camping,
