02-10-25 - Council Meeting Agenda

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Our tree farm needs to maintain a black dirt stockpile along with compost and proprietary organic soil amendments to plant the trees in buckets that will be buried directly in the ground and to fill in each hole as the trees are harvested. We will produce compost from pruning trees, gathering leaves, and clearing dead stock. This compost will be stored in a stockpile. Using the nutrients from compost to grow the trees is a vital part of an efficient organic tree farm. Labor and Equipment The barns will be used to house all the equipment required to operate a tree farm including, but not limited to trucks, tractors, combines, skid steers, forklifts, spraying equipment, planting pots, fertilizer, soil, hoses, rakes, shovels, miscellaneous tools, and trees and other nursery products. Harvesting discs, harvesting spades, and harrows will be inside as much as possible but may also be stored outside when the barns are filled with tree liners. Palletized pots and peatmoss will be housed indoors as much as possible but may also be stored outside during planting and harvesting. The equipment and its location may change over time but the barns will be used to facilitate the operation of the nursery and to store equipment necessary for its operation. The Shuda family will provide much of the weekly maintenance. From time to time we anticipate that employees of our landscaping business will also provide additional labor to plant and harvest the trees. Two to four farm hands will also help with pruning and general maintenance of the farm on a daily basis. We understand that under the zoning code, a contractor shop and/or construction -related business may not be operated and have its equipment stored on this site. However, neither Alex's Lawn and Turf nor DreamScapes Landscaping & Design are contractor shops or construction -related businesses. Section 1007.001 of the Municipal Codes defines "construction" as "[t]he erection, alteration or extension of a structure." The zoning code does not define "contractor's shops." Alex's Lawn and Turf and DreamScapes provide a variety of landscaping services, including sale and/or installation of trees, shrubs, and other plants, that do not involve the erection, alteration, or extension of a structure. We also understand that "Operation, parking, or storage of motor vehicles, equipment and machinery which are incidental and customary to permitted or conditional uses allowed in this district" is permitted as an accessory use under § 1007.100(6)(h). Vehicles, equipment, and machinery incidental and customary to the operation of a commercial nursey may be stored on the property from time to time. We hope this information is sufficient for your purposes, but please do not hesitate to contact us with any additional questions.