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.”…