ZBA to consider proposal for “family farm” at former Capasso site

The former Capasso Farms on Framingham Road has been sitting vacant for more than two years now, but that may soon change. Tonight the Zoning Board of Appeals will consider a proposal to restore the farm to its former glory.

Capasso Realty Corporation, which owns the property, is asking the board to approve a use variance that would allow a new tenant to reestablish a family farm on the property.

The building and surrounding farm is zoned residential, so the ZBA would have to grant the variance before the project could move forward. The grandfathered zoning that allowed Capasso Farms and the former Country Gourmet to operate on the property expired in October.

In a filing with the board, potential tenants Agnaldo Santos of Hudson and Paul Mckunes of Holliston said they want to open a “family oriented farm stand with the old nostalgia of Capasso Farms.” The business would feature farm animals, a bakery, coffee, penny candy, and produce.

Several neighbors have sent letters in support of the project.

The ZBA meets tonight at 7:30 pm in the Town House Hearing Room (second floor), and is scheduled to take up the discussion of the Capasso property starting at 8:15 pm. The meeting is open to the public.

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Nancy
12 years ago

That would be fantastic!!!!!!!!!! I can’t think of one place in Southborough where you can buy a cucumber!

Minimom
12 years ago

Yea!! I hope it works out! Hopefully the ZBA won’t give them too much of a hastle (like they did with Pizza 19 and Gulbankians)

jill
12 years ago

we have missed capasso farms since it closed. it was THE go to place in southboro and there has never been a decent replacement since it closed.

tom
12 years ago

one replacement was pretty good at selling old produce and meats!
but yes I’d place a big YES vote for this re-use!

Al Hamilton
12 years ago

Is anyone else concerned that you must apply to the ZBA for the right to farm your own land and sell the proceeds of your labor to your neighbors?

I'm just sayin'....
12 years ago
Reply to  Al Hamilton

Yep, sure am…..

Frank Crowell
12 years ago
Reply to  Al Hamilton

Yes, I am, but…………

if my neighbor started to plow up his whole front lawn, spread manure and plant corn, I might be talking to the Zoning Board.

Al Hamilton
12 years ago
Reply to  Frank Crowell

I have a garden, it is about 30×60 and I grow vegetables. If I used manure are you suggesting that I need to apply to the ZBA to feed my family??

I think this is an overreaching of govt authority, tyranny by another name.

Mark Ford
12 years ago
Reply to  Al Hamilton

Al,
Count me in for some Hamilton tomatoes, so long as you don’t insist they be used to toss at wayward presidential candidates…

Frank Crowell
12 years ago
Reply to  Al Hamilton

I have no problem with your garden.

Resident
12 years ago
Reply to  Frank Crowell

If, in turn, your neighbor decided to turn his land into a pig farm, making it impossible for you to enjoy your property or ever resell it for a fair market price, I bet you would appeal to the ZBA. Zoning bylaws are there for a reason. They protect EVERYONE’S property rights simultaneously. Individual property owners do not often consider the rights of their neighbors and we live too close to one another to delude ourselves that what one person does with their property will not affect others.

And to answer your question, no, it does not concern me. It makes me sleep well at night knowing that the value of my hard-earned property is not at risk by the actions of my neighbors.

Al Hamilton
12 years ago
Reply to  Frank Crowell

Ok, Can I expand it into my front yard? (Beware the slippery slope)

Dick Chase
12 years ago
Reply to  Frank Crowell

Al, slippery slope? That’s a lot of manure you seem to want to use :)

Dick Chase
12 years ago
Reply to  Al Hamilton

I’m confused Al, are you arguing that we should not have zoning rules in Southborough, that this property is zoned incorrectly or that people should just ignore rules that they disagree with?

Personally, I’m not concerned that you need to apply for a variance to the ZBA for a non-conforming use of a property. I live in a residential zone, and don’t want someone to be able to put up an office park across the street. Zoning, overall, is a good thing for Southborough and any community. In the specific instance of the Capasso property, I am concerned that the property is zoned residential when that never seems to have been its use and no one, including abutters seem to want that to be its use. But I’m not an abutter and wasn’t around when the zoning was established. The residents in that area, including the property owners, accepted the zoning a long time ago. Who are we to question their decision? I don’t know why the property owners accepted that zoning when it was established. A cynical guess would be that they knew the existing farming and retail use would be grandfathered in, but they could later subdivide and sell off the land at a much higher price than they could get if it were farmland. A win-win for the property owners unless something like a real-estate crash were to happen.

Note – farminggardening. It is a dangerous, messy, noisy, labor and heavy equipment intensive industrial activity. To make such a comparison is facile at best. I know that the current intention of all parties is not to make the property a full scale farm. But, I doubt it’s feasible to plow, plant, fertilize and harvest a couple acres of crops by hand either. This is not a garden we’re talking about here.

Given the facts at hand (existing historic use and general agreement of the abutters) why do you think there would be any problems with this being quickly approved by the ZBA?

Al Hamilton
12 years ago
Reply to  Dick Chase

Dick

Actually what surprised me was that Agricultural activities were regulated under our zoning. I did some work and published a few articles on Ag and Land Use Planning back in the 70’s. At the time in most of the country Ag was not subject to zoning control. It the town I grew up small farmers regularly had road side stands (vegetables, eggs and fruit) and I am certain they did not apply to anyone for what they would have perceived as a fundamental right to farm and engage in farm enterprises which included retail.

So, yes, I think the right to grow food for your own property is pretty fundamental.

I also don’t make the distinction between my garden and agriculture. My garden is agriculture. (If you doubt this ask the local extension agent) I have a noisy/dangerous rototiller (I wish I had a tractor), I use chemical fertilizers and occasional pesticides, and fungicides, I practice crop rotation. I product perhaps 20% of the calories my family consumes. I even produce a surplus (I can’t seem to get the Federal Subsidy but I am trying). That is agriculture in my book.

Donna McDaniel
12 years ago

If anyone has a problem with the fact that a proposal for a business in a residential zone has to go to the ZBA, the place to direct attention is our zoning bylaw adopted by voters at Town Meeting. Residential zoning is meant to be just that–residential, so to make sure that someone cannot come along and open a store or other business in a lot between your house and the next, a prospective business owner must seek ZBA approval so that neighbors have an opportunity to see the plan, ask questions, and have a say on what goes into their neighborhood–something most of us would find desireable. If the neighbors find the idea acceptable, fine.
However, if they are worried about traffic or noise or the sightliness or unsightliness of the proposed operation, then they have an opportunity to make those concerns known to the ZBA. That board might accept the plan but impose some conditions on the proponent to meet those concerns or if the plan simply is plainly inappropriate for the neighborhood, then it can be rejected.

I'm just sayin'....
12 years ago
Reply to  Donna McDaniel

Since Capasso Farms was there for a very long time and the neighbors had no complaints, I don’t see the problem…perhaps it should not have been zoned residential, but farming and vegetable stand to begin with. I understand the need for zoning and am all for it, but if there has been an acceptable use for some land in the past, I don’t understand why they have to go through this process, costing time and money, and if past history repeats itself, atttude and roadblocks from the ZBA….

Donna McDaniel
12 years ago

Would “just sayin” and others feel differently if the application was for an auto repair shop or used car sales? Or –we can imagine all sorts of less desireable uses. It also can be different whether one lives right next to the site. There could be some neigh bors who would ask for conditions re hours of operation or that lighting not affect their property or that the entrance be improve. This is an opportunity for these kinds of things.
Zoning just one location in the midst of a district is considered “spot zoning,” a practice much discouraged, if not even llegal.

I'm just sayin'....
12 years ago
Reply to  Donna McDaniel

Please re-read my comments…I did NOT say that I am against zoning! I am absolutely for it…no, I would not want a truck repair shop next door to me…but then, I wouldn’t have purchased a house where that might happen. I think we need to be prudent, but also realistic. Capasso Farms had been at that location since we moved here 20 years ago. If the new people are going to be doing the same thing as they did, I do not understand why anyone would be against that. The other thought I had was I remember all the hoopla about the Wendy’s going in on Rt. 9. (That turned out remarkedly well, is low profile and serves a need-although, for me, I don’t eat at fast food places…but it is NOT about me! It is about providing for all, right?) I believe that Rt. 9 is an entity unto itself…and if any land on that road is zoned residential, I think the ZBA and Southborough townspeople should re-examine all the zoing districts that are in place. Main roads, even in the 1800’s, had businesses on them. Rt. 9, Rt. 20, Rt. 30, Framingham Road, Marlborough Road, etc. are all main roads in and out of town. If someone wants to live on a road like that, that is their choice. If you start eliminating businesses on those roads, just where are those businesses supposed to go? Yes, we need zoning! But perhaps the there should be a master plan that is re-examined and appropriate…and used.

Annette Flaherty
12 years ago

ZBA- go for it! Seeing that site unused and deteriorating into an eyesore is disappointing, so this is a promising development. It would be very natural and appropriate to have such a productive use for the Capasso Farm property. Another successfully operating business and perhaps locally grown food is good for Southborough. I hope that the applicants know what they are doing and I wish them success in their endeavor.

JD
12 years ago

We moved to Southborough a year before Capasso closed, and man – do we miss it! I loved being able to drive up the street for a mid-week produce run. We’d be thrilled to see a similar business in that spot and hope it works out!

PS – bring back the PYO strawberries!

Joe Mercadante
12 years ago

I love the idea. It’s a shame that it has been vacant so long, and assuming proper vision and execution, this model could be excellent!

Given that they are looking to open a commercial venture (albeit with a family feel), I have no idea how this turned into a debate about the zoning of personal gardens.

Frank Crowell
12 years ago
Reply to  Joe Mercadante

Let me see if I can clear this up.



I am overjoyed that the Capasso farm will be operating again, and I would say that even if I lived near the farm or boarded it. Last summer I was disappointed the Zoning board seemed to dismiss another buyer who wanted to do the same thing.



The confusion comes with the exchange Mr Hamilton and I had…..I think. I live in a residential neighborhood. The property never boarded on or was used as farm land. Therefore, if my neighbor plowed up his entire front lawn, spread manure and planted corn, I would be talking to the Zoning Baord. If a pigsty were put in place, I am sure multiple town departments would be contacted by me. A garden on the property, how could I complain. The grey area enters with the size and how it is being fertilized.

Helen
12 years ago

Since that land was always used as farmland why it is zoned residential to begin with is questionable… probably to keep the value of the land for whoever the owner is.

Does anyone remember Willowbrook Farm – “the 1680 farm” that Mr. St. Maurice owned? It was a great place for a kid to bike to on Sundays, especially back in the blue law days. You could fill a bag of “penny” candy for less than a $1, get one of those old-time cokes in a real glass bottle. Not to mention the Appaloosa horses, the longhorn steers, and the buffalo across the street. Ah… “Southborough… where the West begins…” on the postcards. And the hayrides on Heritage day…. YES, let’s bring back SOMETHING good to that spot, it’s so sad to see it sitting empty and useless.

Ruth
12 years ago
Reply to  Helen

Believe or not, but I miss a pig farm down the road to me. I couldn’t believe how big the sows got and how cute the piglets were, There was a farmer there who also had a vegetable garden. We never smelled anything and the pens were always clean. I love penny candy, fresh fruit, plants, quality meats and cheese. I would love another Davidians there. Have they been approached? We know their record and Tougas, too.
I don’t think the profit is very high for places like that. Farming is really going downhill is these areas. Please save Capasso’s as a legitimate farm, there is a perfect owner out there, somewhere.. I am not crazy about petting zoos, a bite here or there, may mean a lawsuit. Please think this through, we don’t need a SA Farm in Southborough,

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