Planning Commission Reviews Changes to Regs
by Edd Merritt,
September 9, 2010, page 6.....

The Planning Commission discussed the changes the Selectboard made to its original proposal and incorporated the changes into the farm café amendment to Charlotte’s Land Use Regulations.
The amendment as it now stands would list “farm café” as a conditional use within the rural district and would require the following provisions:
• an enclosed building, or portion thereof, that is dedicated to café use would occupy no more than 1,000 square feet of “gross floor area,”
• any designated outdoor seating is also limited to 1,000 square feet.
• the parcel of land for the farm café must be at least ten acres or, if fronting on Route 7, at least 20 acres,
• the farm associated with a farm café must show gross sales revenues of at least $10,000 or, if fronting on Route 7, at least $20,000.
• the annual gross farm income must not be less than 33% of the annual gross income derived from the farm café.
The amendment also defines what is meant by “farm café” as a use that is “auxiliary to the agricultural use of the parcel of which the primary function is to serve the public, for consumption, primarily on the premises, of food and/or beverages that include but are not exclusively created from agricultural products grown on the parcel on which it is located. This definition excludes restaurant/fast food and restaurant/drive-through.”
The Selectboard plans to take additional public comment at its September 13 meeting. If there are no further changes, the proposal is expected to be on the November 2 ballot for a vote by the town.