SEYMOUR – The Seymour Planning and Zoning Commission could adopt new “agritourism” rules to the town’s zoning regulations this fall.

“We’ve received a lot of additional information tonight, and we hope to act on (a new agritourism regulation) as soon as September or by October,” commission member Richard Peck said at a meeting Aug. 13.

The idea is that modern farms can’t rely on traditional farming alone to stay afloat. Adding “agritourism” to the rules could give a farm owner the option to try different things to bring in new revenue, such as entertainment, craft fairs and educational classes.

The commission held a series of public hearings on the issue starting in July. Hundreds of comments have been submitted to the commission from farmers, residents, and attorneys.

The agritourism discussion was born from controversy.

The town’s zoning enforcement officer issued a cease and desist order in April against Red Clover Farms, a 110-year-old farm at 174 South Benham Road.

The cease and desist accused the farm of hosting commercial activities on the property, which is residentially zoned. The farm is older than the current zoning, which dates back to 1956.

The cease and desist came after complaints against the farm were lodged by neighbors Al and Kristen Bruno, who are elected officials on the Board of Selectpersons and the Board of Education, respectively.

Red Clover Farms owner Kim Dulka Warner appealed the cease and desist to the Seymour Zoning Board of Appeals, saying the farm will go out of business if the order stands.

The issue stirred a hornet’s nest, with Seymour residents and area farmers attending public meetings in large numbers to stand up for Red Clover Farms.

The ZBA on Aug. 6 unanimously voted to uphold the cease and desist, while at the same time allowing Dulka Warner to use the land how she sees fit for 90 days.

The 90-day stay, according to ZBA members, gives the planning and commission time to work on adding “agritourism” into the land use regulations.

Public Continues To Voice Support For Agritourism

About 50 people showed up Aug. 13 at Seymour Town Hall for the last hearing seeking public input. About a dozen people spoke in favor of the town adding agritourism to its books, including First Selectwoman Annmarie Drugonis.

“Months ago, I asked this commission to make Seymour’s farming and agritourism regulations a priority,” Drugonis said. “These issues are not new. This commission and the zoning enforcement officer have known about them for years. Our regulations are outdated, and farms, residents and businesses deserve rules they can actually understand and follow. It is time to get this done.” 

Drugonis also addressed a rumor from social media – specifically that there’s an effort to put Red Clover Farms out of business so the land can be developed into something else.

“As for the Dulka-Warner farm (Red Clover Farm), the Town of Seymour does not want that property, and the town is not trying to turn farms into houses or apartments.”

Drugonis said a neighboring farm, 121-acre Ryan’s Farm on Buckingham Road, was sold in 2025 for $1.5 million to Vineyard Sky Farms Corp., a solar farm company that has solar farms in Madison, Plainfield and Sherman. Drugonis said the company has not applied for a solar farm in Seymour.

Reaction

Heather Dulka, cousin of farm owner Kim Dulka Warner, lives on Red Clover Farms.  

“It is a farm, but it is also a home,” Dulka said. “I think that’s kind of lost a little bit sometimes. I live on the farm, and my concern is where does the line get drawn between what needs a permit and what doesn’t. I live there and no one wants Villa Bianca-sized events there. My kids are graduating soon, so do I need a permit to get a food truck for my kids’ graduation party?” 

Dulka Warner encouraged the commission to make acquiring permits for certain events simple for her and her fellow farmers in Seymour.

“We are proposing a one-time permit at the beginning of the season for low impact agritourism, like pick-your-own, educational workshops, farm tours and animal meet and greets,” Dulka Warner said. “As for higher impact agritourism, a special permit could be issued for large events, like a harvest festival or a winter market that might have more than 100 people at a time and it doesn’t put limitations on farmers where they’re being micromanaged.”  

Resident Beth Carson urged the commission to not act hastily in coming up with new rules.  

“I want this committee to take its time and develop a well-thought out agritourism policy and not some vague, incomplete action that is far too often the norm of some policies of this town, and its residents suffer the consequences,” Carson said. “No one wants to see any of our town’s wonderful farms go under. But the task of this committee is to create a policy that is fair and equitable.”

Former Seymour First Selectman Robert Koskelowski said the nasty jabs people are posting on Facebook about the issue need to stop.

“I’m sorry I ever got involved in Facebook, and the nastiness of some people talking about people they don’t even know, just know what they might have done, is awful,” Koskelowski said. “We’re not trying to close any farms down, Seymour never has, and we just want to work with them. Farms are very important to the Town of Seymour.”

The Draft Proposal

The new zoning language, in part, enables farms to supplement primary farming operations with accessory activities and events, including:

Craft fairs

Birthday parties

Cooking lessons

Educational workshops

Farm to table dinners

Food trucks

Hayrides

Farm tours

Farmers’ markets

Ice cream/concessions

Indoor and outdoor music

It would permit agritourism activities between the hours of 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

There is also a land requirement of at least two acres for agritourism activities.

At the July 9 hearing, attorney Stephen Bellis, representing the Brunos, suggested some changes to the proposed regulations to strike a balance between farms and neighbors.

He said the commission should change the two-acre minimum to five acres. He suggested not allowing amplified outdoor music and allowing no more than 10 events per year for “non-agricultural uses.”

Bellis also suggested a rule saying that a minimum of 51 percent of farm sales must be generated from primary farming operations such as selling crops, livestock or dairy. He asked that annual sales should be provided to the ZEO before issuing any permits.

Neither Bellis nor the Brunos were present at the Aug. 13 hearing.

A copy of the draft regulations are not available on the web but are available in person at the land use office at 20 Pine St. The phone number is 203-888-2024.