Date: Fri 11-Aug-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

McLaughlin-vineyard-zoning-

Full Text:

Town Cracks Down On Vineyard Operation

B Y A NDREW G OROSKO

The town has issued a cease-and-desist order to an Alberts Hill Road vineyard

requiring that it follow the zoning regulations in connection with a series of

jazz concerts it has been holding.

In the order issued July 26 by Zoning Enforcement Officer William Nicholson,

the town tells Morgen McLaughlin of McLaughlin Vineyards, Inc, to stop hosting

jazz concerts where an entrance fee is charged and to stop wine tastings.

The activities violate sections 4.05 and 4.05.900 of the zoning regulations,

according to Mr Nicholson. Mr Nicholson was unavailable for comment on the

exact requirements of the terse cease-and-desist order.

Ms McLaughlin said August 8 that in light of the order, a jazz concert planned

for the evening of August 11 will be free of charge with a limit placed on the

number of people who can attend. Ms McLaughlin said she will not offer free

tastings at the concert, but wine will be on sale at the concert for

consumption on the premises.

Ms McLaughlin said she plans to charge a "cooler fee" of $6 for each ice

cooler brought to the vineyard by concertgoers. The cooler fee will help cover

insurance costs for the jazz concert, she said.

"I've complied with the cease-and-desist order," Ms McLaughlin said.

Ms McLaughlin suggested that the town allow her to open a remote wine tasting

room in Sandy Hook Center where she would provide tastings of McLaughlin wines

to the public. Such a facility could provide items such as gourmet cheeses and

French breads, she said. Ms McLaughlin has suggested that Sandy Hook Center

pattern itself on places such as New Preston Village and Washington Depot to

economically revitalize itself.

The only way that a Connecticut vineyard can survive economically is to have a

strong tourism base, she said.

Of the P&Z's efforts to get the vineyard to comply with the town's zoning

regulations, Ms McLaughlin said "They're trying to single me out...Let me be.

Let me work. Let me try and survive."

In 1993, the P&Z rewrote a section of its zoning regulations to allow

vineyards as a land use in residential zones so that McLaughlin Vineyards

could operate legitimately under the zoning regulations.

The vineyard, however, never applied for a permit to operate under the revised

rules. Ms McLaughlin has said she doesn't have the money necessary to develop

the technical information required by the P&Z requires before it will consider

granting the vineyard a zoning permit.

Conflicts between the vineyard and the P&Z date back several years.

The vineyard works to promote itself as a viable wine producer and tourism

site while the P&Z maintains that the facility must meet the zoning rules.

On May 24, Mr Nicholson wrote a letter to Ms McLaughlin stating that a jazz

concert held at the vineyard on May 19 was in apparent violation of the zoning

regulations. Mr Nicholson urged Ms McLaughlin to work with the P&Z to resolve

the regulatory problems posed by the situation.

It is unclear whether the town's cease-and-desist order will affect a planned

fundraiser for the Republican Town Committee, known as Oktoberfest, slated for

October at the vineyard at which beer will be sold.

Established in 1979, the 160-acre McLaughlin wine property was planted with

foch, chancellor, aurore, seyval, cayuga and vidal blanc grape varieties.