Outdoor concert plan coming to P&Z
Some residents object to idea due to noise, traffic
“If this has any hopes of passing, it’s going to create a nightmare.”
MORRIS — A proposal that would allow outdoor concerts held on a farm in town to continue will come before the Planning and Zoning Board next month.
Meanwhile, a group of residents is pushing to put an end to the outdoor concerts, while the property owner says he is working to create a venue “complimentary” to the area.
The residents’ concerns pertain to South Farms, an 11-yearold wedding and event business on Higbie Road that, from August to November 2020, held about 45 outdoor concerts.
While there have been no concerts since November, the property owner, Ben Paletsky, plans to resume them. A public hearing is set for 7 p.m. April
12, when Paletsky will be making a Planned Development District application.
The outdoor concerts began as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The property would normally do weddings and other small events but because of the rules set by the state , Paletsky was no longer able to hold them and instead, began hosting outdoor, socially distanced concerts called the Twilight Series. Safety measures at the concerts included a required temperature check and questionnaire in the parking area for all residents before entering the venue.
The biggest complaints from residents about the concerts were noise, extra traffic on the roads, and health concerns with 500 people attending the venue at times, according to Morris Zoning Enforcement Officer Tony Adili.
The complaints led to the recent formation of a Facebook page called Morris United for a Peaceful Community, which has more than 75 followers. At a prior Planning and Zoning Baord meeting, Chairman David Wiig said if there were not a COVID pandemic, the concerts wouldn’t have been allowed. He said the application giving Paletsky permission to hold the outdoor concerts “should not have been approved” and that it was based on COVID-19.
“Ben gave the impression to the zoning enforcement officer that the (Governor’s) Executive Order (7MM) for outdoor dining would apply to any commercial use, including his. Therefore, he had a right to relocate his business outdoors and put the concerts anywhere on his property that would allow him to lay out seating in a socially distanced format that meets the state regulations — which he has done,” Wiig said.
When this was later reviewed by the Zoning Board, Wiig said Paletsky would normally have had to present a traffic study and provide the town with additional information prior to getting approval to hold the concerts.
At the October meeting, a cease and desist order was issued to South Farms for the Twilight Concert Series, effective Feb. 1, due to the permit being issued in alleged error and not permitted under the Governor’s Executive Order, and that it is not a permitted use in the zone, according to the minutes of the meeting.
But Paletsky, who lives on the fourth generation farm, said he’s looking to create a venue “that’s very complimentary” to the neighborhood and community.
He acknowledged the previous concerts were not perfect.
“This past year, we tried something new, and parts of it worked and parts of it didn’t work,” he said.
To move it forward, he said “there’s a process, and part of that process is designing an audio system that can better manage noise — and it’s technically really straightforward to do. Last season, we didn’t have the time or opportunity to put those changes in.”
He also asked for patience. “Give us a chance to make something cool here and dial it in. This is an experiment to test out, this is an innovative thing,” he said, adding he’s been working with engineering companies to design a new system.
“I think we can dial it in completely and make something super harmonious,” he said.
About the complaints, he said. “I hope they can take the time to speak with me directly, which is a big problem — where people make assumptions and are unwilling to reach out and have a sit down conversation — that’s what neighbors do,” he said. “I’m pretty proud of what myself and the people I’ve worked with, what we’ve created here.”
But Chuck Aleksinas, one of the residents who complained about the concerts, said he began to be bothered by the noise last August, and called them a “public nuisance.”
“A week after they started, I could hear a comedian over a microphone in my house,” said Aleksinas, adding, “If this has any hopes of passing, it’s going to create a nightmare.”
Aleksinas, who owns eight properties within a quarter of a mile of South Farms, said the noise is affecting his wife’s business.
“My wife has a wellness center. People that come for massages, treatments and yoga have complained of the noise while receiving treatments,” he said. “She can no longer keep the windows open and the complaints are there even with the windows shut.”
Resident Scott Simmons, who helped organize the Facebook page, said over 60 residents do not approve of the concerts.
He said at this point, he’s not interested in compromise, and is aiming to put an end to the concerts altogether.
“The town and Ben don’t understand the true impact of the concerts. It’s not just about the decibels, it’s also about the boom boom boom of the base that permeates the house up to 10 p.m., six days a week,” Simmons said.
Chuck Aleksinas