Union Grove Farm in rural Orange County will appeal a ruling from the county’s Planning & Inspection Director preventing the construction of a “Farm Stage,” and shared its first public rendering of the project.
The county’s ruling came as part of a Final & Binding Determination letter issued in early June, which said the stage did not qualify under the definition of agritourism and could not be built without zoning changes. The planning director did permit the farm to move forward with plans to develop a three-acre culinary farm, a distillery and a “Center for Regenerative Agriculture” while also denying a farm stay component.
Union Grove said it would not appeal the ruling for the overnight accommodations —but did file to challenge the farm stage’s validity, describing the live-music concept as “a critical component of the long-term vision to supplement and sustain agricultural operations through educational, entertainment and recreational activities.”
“Union Grove Farm is excited to move forward with three key projects that will help us educate the public on the important role regenerative agriculture plays in restoring ecological balance, improving food security and building more resilient agricultural systems,” Greg Bohlen, Founder & Owner of Union Grove Farm, said in a statement shared with Chapelboro. “We filed the legal appeal because the Farm Stage is vital to achieving our long-term vision and our plans are consistent with North Carolina’s definition of agritourism, which has allowed more than 1,000 farms across the state to flourish.”
With the statement, the farm shared its first official rendering of Union Grove’s vision for the Farm Stage Thursday morning. The artwork shows a covered performance area that would play to dozens of tables and chairs on the lawn near the distillery, as well as a two-story pavilion for visitors.
This rendering, released July 3, shows Union Grove Farm’s proposed Farm Stage. Though Orange County has denied the farm permission to build the stage, the farm is appealing the ruling. (Image via Union Grove Farm)
Union Grove’s proposed additions to the farmland – formerly occupied by Maple View Farm, though its nearby ice cream shop is still operational – have been heavily criticized by Orange County residents. A May 28 meeting in Hillsborough saw more than 200 people speak out against the farm’s ideas. Bohlen has already transformed much of the area, moving in grapevines and sheep to former the cow pastures. The product is a new variety of table grape while showcasing a style of farming meant to be more environmentally-friendly and free of pesticides, herbicides and insecticides.
A group of community organizers, known as Defend Maple View, has been the main opposition to Bohlen’s vision for the property and cited concerns of the changes violating zoning laws and the farm’s conservation easement — as well as the potential traffic and noise. The group raised more than $13,000 on GoFundMe to pay for legal representation, and received support from groups like the Friends of Bolin Creek and the Southern Environmental Law Center.
While the process for the legal appeal has an unclear timeline, Union Grove Farm said its next steps for the approved portions of the county’s Final & Binding Determination letter will include updated architectural plans for the site, ordering equipment and beginning to source vendors for regeneratively grown crops to be used in the distillery.
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Union Grove Farm to Appeal Ruling Preventing Construction of Music Stage Chapelboro.com.
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