Voters support agritourism in Plaistow

PLAISTOW — Voters supported the possibility of agritourism in town when they showed up at the polls on Tuesday at town election.

They approved a citizen’s petition to add an agritourism overlay district to town zoning. Sweet Hill Farm owner Daniel Kane submitted the petition which passed 818-405.

The new district applies in any of the four zones in town where agriculture is already a permitted use.

The article’s passage allows for structures such as breweries and small-scale wineries to be built on the towns’ farms. Buildings still need to meet site plan review regulations and Planning Board approval.

Kane said the district will give Plaistow farm owners an opportunity to imagine how agritourism could help them and bring business to their farms.

“It’s a win for the town of Plaistow,” Kane said. “It solidified what people want to see.”

For Sweet Hill Farm, it means pursuing things like a brew pub, farm-to-table restaurant and larger farmstand with site plans Kane already has while continuing to build infrastructure to support the working farm.

“I get to go do what I’ve already put out,” he said. “It’s now a question of working their way through approval processes with the Planning Board.”

Plaistow voters additionally approved the town’s $12.6 million operating budget. It passed, 620-458.

A three-year collective bargaining agreement with the police union also passed, 791-475.

In the contested Board of Selectmen, race, voters narrowed down the five-candidate field up for the two seats. Chair Bill Coye was reelected, receiving 787 votes. Elizabeth Kosta will also sit on the board, getting 522 votes. Both were elected to a three-year term.

Richard Anthony beat Peter Bealo for a Planning Board position in a 695-517 vote.