With some concerns about a potential commercial operation in a site zone for agricultural use, the Waunakee Plan Commission held an initial consultation with the owners of Cellanie Farms, Nic and Betsy Stapel, at their May meeting.
Both parties engaged in an open-ended discussion, posing questions and sharing feedback on the specifics of the Stapels' plans for their 142 acres of farmland located south and to the east of Reis Road off of Hwy. Q in the Town of Westport.
The Stapels began by presenting their project plan for Cellanie Farms. The name is a combination of their children's names, as the idea for the venture was inspired by them, and their future, as well.
Nic Stapel laid out the couple's vision for a vertically integrated organic farm where the foods they would produce could also serve as a conduit for community connection.
Vertically integrated farming involves consolidating two or more steps of production on one site. This approach can be more environmentally sustainable and cuts middle men out of the process -- and the costs for everyone involved as well.
The Stapels also stated their desire to practice regenerative farming techniques. They hope to keep their farm's topsoil healthy, promote natural biodiversity and maintain a healthy ecosystem for the surrounding area.
"Our purpose is to bring the community together to honor our partnership with nature, buffer availability of fresh produce, emphasize the relationship between agriculture the environment and human health, and provide processing space and new market opportunities for regional growers," Nic said on May 13.
To achieve this, the Stapels plan for the farm is comprised of several different facets. They hope to incorporate:
A direct-to-consumer market space for Cellanie and other farms to utilizeOccasional farm-to-table community dinnersA small café and patio spaceHarvest celebrations with live music and entertainment.'You Pick' events where residents can pick and take home their own berries and fruitSummer camps and other educational workshopsand volunteer days
The couple also shined a light on their intentions to maintain much of the land as natural prairies and wetlands in the northern and eastern portions of the property. They proposed maintaining connecting trails to surrounding residential areas to promote public engagement with the space.
The Cellanie land is already zoned for agricultural use within the Waunakee-Westport Joint Planning Area. The Stapels stated that they have already begun working on their agricultural operation and plan on planting prairie seeds in certain areas soon.
Waunakee Plan Commission members were most concerned about the possible commercial uses there.
The property that the Stapels purchased in December 2023 sits within Waunakee's community separation zone. Areas within this zone between Westport and Waunakee are intended to be maintained as agricultural or open spaces, according to chapter five of the Waunakee-Westport Comprehensive Plan.
While plan commission members expressed their support and excitement for the project, they also had reservations.
Commission member Chris Zellner expressed apprehension about the debatably commercial nature of some of the land uses proposed.
Zellner mentioned that allowing for-profit initiatives involving ingredients not produced on Cellanie Farms could be interpreted to be outside of agricultural zoning uses.
He continued by asking if allowing this could potentially open a can of worms that would diminish the purpose of the separation zone if future developers come along. The zone is meant to serve as a natural buffer between the communities to ensure their identities are distinguishable from each other.
The Waunakee Village Attorney, Bryan Kleinmaier posited that these events and initiatives could be seen as allowed, accessory uses for the property.
The key in this distinction lies within how large of a role the spirit of agriculture and the products produced at Cellanie will play in its tertiary operations.
"If everything that is done here is based off of what is produced on the land, is it a precedent? Yes. But even if this applicant didn't go forward, somebody else, who's also in the separation zone, would be able to do the same exact thing," Kleinmaier said at the May 13 meeting.
Nic Stapel expressed a similar line of thinking to Kleinmaier's at the meeting. He reasoned that due to the project's emphasis on produce production and agricultural education, the proposed operations would be considered a lawful accessory use.
The Stapels also mentioned their desire to pursue a step-wise approach to developing the farm and appeared open to working through these complexities with the village.
Kleinmaier suggested that a written agreement between all parties that explicitly stated what uses were and were not permitted could resolve the issue.
Because the property does fall within the joint planning area, the Waunakee-Westport Joint Planning Commission will have the final say on its approval.
The Stapels next steps will be to work with municipal staff on project specifics and will then return to the Waunakee and Westport Plan Commissions before coming before the joint commission.
Up until then, the couple will take the feedback they have received and continue to hone their plan for Cellanie. Waunakee Village President Kristin Runge listed preserving rural character of the separation zone and working together key points of interest moving forward.
The Stapels thanked the commission and staff for the feedback and opportunity to work through the specifics together at the end of the May 13 meeting.
Commissioners shared a similar appreciation for the nature of the discussion, and where all parties were at in terms of what was necessary to move forward.
"Overall, I think this is a great plan and I like where you're heading with it. It's really what Bryan (Kleinmaier) said, getting into more specifics of what are those accessory uses. I think if we can come up with that list, that's a great place to be," said Waunakee Village Trustee Joe Zitzelsberger.
This article was updated on Thursday, May 30 at 3 p.m. to correct a spelling error of 'Stapel'.
Most Popular
Comments / 0