Pepperell Planning Board Continues Maker Farm Camp Permit Hearing to April 21

PEPPERELL — April 6, 2020 — Pepperell Planning Board continues Maker Farm special permit hearing amid traffic and zoning disputes. The board voted unanimously to postpone a decision on Maker Farm LLC's application for a recreational day camp and riding academy at 12 Bancroft Street, continuing the public hearing to April 21 at 7:30 p.m. Attorney Robert Ansell presented on behalf of applicants Emily and Eric Piper, arguing the Dover Amendment exempts the operation from zoning and that all special permit criteria are met, while Town Counsel David Donetsky's April 2 letter concluded the farm — a for-profit LLC projecting roughly $492,615 in gross revenue with riding lessons accounting for only about $24,000 — qualifies for neither educational nor agricultural zoning protection. A traffic assessment by TEPP LLC projected 47 vehicle trips in the morning peak hour; town engineer Ken Kalinowski called the numbers "relatively benign" but went on record opposing Route 119 routing. The Agricultural Advisory Board submitted a letter urging approval, calling the farm an economic asset that would plow back as much as 50 percent of revenue into the local economy. Public comment from Bancroft Street abutters focused on road geometry, limited sightlines, and prior unpermitted operations, while supporters argued denial would hasten residential development of the property.