Village opposes farm store rezone

Matter was withdrawn from county planning agenda

By Gail Peckler-Dziki
Correspondent

The Salem Town Board on Feb. 8 unanimously rejected a recommendation from Salem Planning and Zoning Commission to approve rezoning that would accommodate a retail farm operation on 98th Street.

This means the Town Board is recommending that Kenosha County deny the rezoning of this parcel.

The commission had unanimously recommended the rezoning of more than half of a 15-acre parcel from A-2 and a residential zoning to B-3 to accommodate an apple orchard, retail sales area and event barn.

The triangular parcel is bounded on the north by 98th Street, south by Highway C. There is farmland on the east and west sides.

Surrounding parcels with homes are zoned A-2 and that zoning is designated to remain that in both the town and Kenosha County comprehensive plans.

Grover and Felisa Donlon from Lake Bluff, Ill., purchased the parcel, with the intention of turning it into a business named Kelch Orchards, with Robert and Jennifer Kelch from Grayslake, Ill., as the Donlon’s representative and orchard manager.

The plan presented is to turn the land into a “you pick” orchard and also grow seasonal crops like berries, pumpkins and gourds.

Plans for the existing barn include a commercial kitchen to make doughnuts, a cider-making room and retail space to sell produce and other orchard-related goods.

Future plans include a space to rent for events such as weddings.

Nearly 40 residents from 98th Street area appeared at the meeting to express their concerns.

“We didn’t come to the planning and zoning meeting because we didn’t know about it,” explained resident Nancy Bostanche.

She said people living next to the parcel were notified and attended, but since other neighbors were located further away than 250 feet from the parcel, they weren’t notified.

“People depend on the land use plan when they purchase,” Bostanche said.

Two concerns for residents along 98th Street were the amount of traffic such a business could bring to that street and spot zoning.

“It’s just a small-town rural road,” Bostanche said, “and the rest of the area is zoned mainly agricultural. Our homes are situated on parcels of 35 to 40 acres zoned A-2. Larger parcels are zoned A-1. The zoning change would be out of character for what is here.”

Salem Administrator Pat Casey did say in a later telephone interview, that 98th Street is a narrow street and that the county would not allow business access for the parcel on Highway C.

“The intersection of 98th Street and Highway C is a very dangerous intersection,” he said.

The owners pulled the item from the Kenosha County Planning, Development agenda for Feb. 10.


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