Vernon Family Farm complaints

Jun 23 · MinutesDecided

The Board met with the farm's attorney and Town counsel about noise from agritourism events (farm events open to visitors). The chair said the Board had unanimously found a noise issue exists and that it must enforce the ordinance as written. The Board holds that the 60/50 decibel limit for a residential agricultural zone applies, citing the Town Planner's 6/22/26 email, ordinance section 4.7.1, RSA 31:39 and earlier Planning Board remarks. The farm's attorney said the farm disagrees that violations occurred and argued the higher commercial-use limit applies. She proposed setting the legal dispute aside and adding sound controls: downward-facing speakers and upgraded microphones, with existing speakers turned downward until the new system is installed. The farm said a sound engineer checks levels at events and adjusts if readings pass 65 decibels. Town counsel said State law limits noise rules for core farming but allows them for agritourism events. A commissioner suggested reviewing sound data from future events and checking it independently. The farm's attorney agreed to talk with the family about sharing data and the installation schedule. The meeting was not a public hearing, so there was no public comment. A resident later emailed asking that comments be entered in the record and that a noticed public hearing be held before any finding or enforcement.

No vote taken. The Board and the farm's attorney agreed to keep working to check whether the mitigation steps work.