Weed Street Homeowners Seek To Use Part of 30-Acre Property for Organic Fruits and Vegetables Farm

The owners of a large property on Weed Street are seeking permission for part of the property to be used as a farm. 

An application filed with the Planning & Zoning Commission on behalf of Todd and Karen Holson seeks a Special Permit to establish a farm on their 30-acre property at 386 Weed St. 

According to the application, the Holsons propose to create “a farm that will provide organic fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, honey, and specimen trees to its owners and perhaps local restaurants.” The farm will be a horticultural operation only, with the application stating that “[n]o farm animals are planned.”

Under the New Canaan Zoning regulations, farming is an accessory use which requires a Special Permit, the granting of which depends on whether the planned use meets a number of criteria. The Holsons applied for a Special Permit through attorney David Rucci of New Canaan’s Lampert, Toohey & Rucci LLC. 

After acquiring contiguous parcels of land, including about 8 acres from the Aquarion Water Company of Connecticut, the application says, “[t]he property now stretches from Weed Street to Frogtown Road with lands bordering Indian Waters [Drive], Welles Drive and Thurton Drive.” Because of its large size, the application argues that the property “lends itself to an accessory farming use,” according to the application.

The farm will not occupy the entirety of the property, but will be located in different areas across the site, each chosen to have a low impact on the existing residence and neighboring properties. An exhibit attached to the application states that 7.9 of a total 29.84 acres is planned for use as “growing areas.”

About four to six seasonal staff members are expected to work at the farm, and it will not be open to the public, as any sales are intended to be conducted online, the application said.

Overall, the application states, “[t]he proposed farm use is consistent with the plan of conservation and development as it supports open space, protects natural resources and provides local products for consumption by the New Canaan community.”

P & Z’s next regular meeting is scheduled for July 30.