At a public hearing during the May 8 Stanford Town Board meeting, farmers, residents, and conservation advocates offered feedback on a proposed Right to Farm law. While speakers expressed support for the law’s intent, many raised questions about its zoning provisions and called for more clarity.
In an email sent to Stanford residents ahead of the hearing, Town Supervisor Wendy Burton said the law, introduced in April, is intended to achieve three goals: to add notice provisions for real estate contracts so that buyers are informed in advance that Stanford is a right-to-farm community; to establish a local, non-binding dispute resolution process; and to bring the town’s outdated code into compliance with New York state law following a Dutchess County audit.
“This is about full-throatedly declaring and honoring the history of Stanford’s farming community and protecting our farmers,” Burton said during the hearing. “We want people who move into our community to know that farming is a vital part of our community — that it comes with some side benefits, like manure, fertilizers, and dust — and that these benefits are accepted practice here in Stanford.”
Burton also said the board is considering changing how laws are introduced, so that public feedback could be collected before a law is formally introduced, rather than solely after the legislation has been formalized.
Several speakers raised questions about a provision in the proposed Right to Farm law that exempts farm structures under 10,000 square feet from site plan or special use review. Burton clarified that the board plans to revisit whether 10,000 square feet is the right threshold.
Sten Wilson, a Stanford sheep farmer who runs Point of View Farm, said the proposal should preserve some level of permitting for larger or more intensive operations. “All farming needs to be supported equally,” he said. “But there are some operations — pig farms, poultry farms, feedlot farms — that I always thought should be under some kind of permit.”
The draft law removes distinctions between different types of farm operations, classifying them all under a single permitted use.
Wilson also described the 10,000-square-foot threshold as potentially too high.
Curtis DeVito, chair of the Conservation Advisory Commission, said the commission supports the law’s purpose but would like to see an expedited site plan review process added. “Site plan approval for structures in excess of 10,000 square feet — we felt that that was just too large a building, that a site plan review would be needed,” he said. “We don’t know what the right number is, but we just need guidance on that.”
Mark Burdick, a Stanford farmer and co-owner of Big Rock Community Farms Market, said the proposed law was overly complex and urged the board to eliminate language about land preservation and conservation. “Right to Farm should be a very simple document,” he said. “Dutchess County’s is four pages. Ours is 17.”
Dennis Wedlick, a Stanford resident and architect, said any revisions to zoning regulations should be introduced separately from the Right to Farm policy.
It is so helpful to have farmers come and talk to us,” Burton said. “This is so incredibly useful to get the feedback first, to workshop it.”
The public hearing remains open. A revised draft of the law is expected to be presented at a future board meeting.
Earlier in the meeting, the board recognized three longtime members of the Stanford Fire Department. Dennis E. Smith was honored for 55 years of active service; Bill Bray, a military veteran and associate member, was recognized for his participation in the Hudson Valley Honor Flight; and Dennis Mohall, named 2024 Firefighter of the Year, was acknowledged for responding to 57 of 131 fires and 21 of 28 motor vehicle accidents in the past year.
“I hope they will inspire members of the community to get involved in our town and its organizations,” said Fire Chief Ed Cerul.
The board also:
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Appointed Cynthia Hawks as dog control officer
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Approved the Lions Club’s use of Town Hall Hill for a June 7 flea market
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Approved Garden Club use of the Town Hall parking lot for a May 17 plant sale
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Approved an $8,541 bid from Adam Fence to replace the transfer station gate
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Approved a $5,845 heating and cooling unit for the senior room
The next Stanford Town Board meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on June 12.