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Photo: Matthew Benson
Jane Meiser has vivid memories of childhood summers spent at her family’s 65-acre farm in Stonington, Connecticut—running through cornfields, jumping over cattle guards, picking raspberries from the bushes for her grandmother’s jellies while sneaking samples—just like the many generations that came before her.
She never imagined that a few decades later, she would own the place with her husband, restaurateur Dan Meiser, and have turned the farm into its own self-sustaining compound, complete with an event space, farmstand and non-profit education center.
Jane Meiser and her husband Dan.Matthew Benson
But the most exciting way that the Meisers have transformedStone Acres Farm, which dates back to 1765, might just be the farm’s new zoning designation. Yes, you read that right: a zoning designation. This bit of city planning has been a game-changer because it permits the farm to have a range of uses and therefore revenue streams—allowing the Meisers to keep Jane’s family legacy alive. And it sets a precedent for others to do the same with their land.
A decade ago, after Jane’s grandmother passed away, her family decided to sell the farm. There were offers, but no one wanted the property to go to a big developer. And it sat on the market for six years—until the Meisers, who run four restaurants in the area, realized that their dream business venture had been right in front of them the whole time. They would create a space for people to come and eat, drink, stay, shop and learn on the farm.
The Meisers assembled investments from family members, neighbors and regulars at their restaurants, all of whom “recognized that this is a preservation project first,” says Dan.
But it wasn’t until after the property was theirs that they realized their grand plan had hit a major snag: because the farm was in a residential zone, only very limited commercial activity was allowed.
“This is why so many farms get sold,” Dan explains. People can’t bring in enough revenue from crops alone to cover the tremendous operating costs. So, in 2016, the Meisers collaborated with the town of Stonington and devised a new floating zone called the Agricultural Heritage District, which grants low-impact commercial activity on historic farms. The “floating” designation means an eligible property can be in an otherwise-zoned district as long as its master plan fits the AHD criteria. To qualify, farms must be 35 acres or larger, have been in continual operation for at least 25 years, and all of their various businesses must tie directly back to local agricultural activity—a clever way of supporting the community.
Matthew Benson
Growing up so connected to the land, she adds, has helped her to understand the positive impact that farms like her family’s can have on the community. “We are all connected in this one big living system,” says Jane. “Stone Acres might be a small farm, but it’s all the little footprints sewn together that make the larger impact. If we can figure out how to be successful and solvent enough, hopefully others, the little footprints, can join.”
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