Somers Fairground Neighbors Appealing Zoning Officer's Decision

SOMERS, CT — A procedural matter involving affirmation of a longstanding usage agreement for the Four Town Fairgrounds has escalated into a battle between members of the society in charge of the property and residents who own homes neighboring or abutting the grounds.

The dispute began last summer, when Zoning Enforcement Officer Jennifer Roy received a request for a special use permit to enable the Union Agricultural Society of Somers, Enfield, Ellington & East Windsor, Inc. to continue renting the grounds at 56 Egypt Road to outside organizations. That practice has been in operation since the society acquired the property in 1960, according to documents obtained by Patch.

In a letter to society member Stu Grant dated July 1, 2020, Roy wrote, "After careful review of the documentation, and discussion with the Town Attorney, Carl Landolina, I have determined that such use of the property is a legal non-conforming use. Therefore, no Special Use Permit is required."

Roy indicated in her letter the decision may be appealed, and a legal notice announcing the decision was published in a local newspaper on July 3. Subsequently, a dozen residents of three neighboring streets have retained an attorney to appeal the decision.

Attorney John H. Parks has filed a hearing application with the Somers Zoning Board of Appeals, on behalf of 12 named individuals, plus "several other residents who own property in the vicintity [sic] of 56 Egypt Road." The named persons are all residents of Sunshine Farms Drive, Little Sorrel Lane and Country Fair Drive.

Despite a proliferation of misinformation on social media outlets that the complainants are new residents moving into the area, a check of Somers property records indicates the persons named in Parks' appeal application have lived in the neighborhood for time periods ranging from seven to 30 years, with the most recent home purchase among those listed coming in 2013.

Plans for an appeal hearing have been delayed several times. In October, Parks requested a delay until the November Zoning Board of Appeals meeting, then it was moved to the Jan. 12, 2021 meeting. However, Roy told Patch in an email Thursday morning, "We do not have a set date yet. Regularly scheduled ZBA meeting was for 1/12/2021; however, we want to publish legal notice as this has been some time since we had, and I need to do so 10 days prior. Waiting to hear back from the attorney filing the appeal as to his availability."

The official bone of contention appears to be not the annual Four Town Fair, which has operated for 182 years over a 4-day period each September, nor the Hartford County 4-H Fair, which runs for three days in mid-August each year. Instead, the neighbors are concerned about the off-season rentals of the grounds to outside groups.

Over the past 60 years, scores of events have taken place at the fairgrounds, ranging from annual gatherings to one-off affairs. Functions such as a circus, music festivals, wedding receptions , hike/bike fundraisers, car shows and family reunions have all been hosted there, and groups which have rented the facilities include the Hazardville Fire Department, the New England Doodlebug Association, the Pioneer Valley Appaloosa Association, Northeast Utilities, the Tri-City Vanners Club, Somers Girl Scouts, the New England Quarter Horse Association, the CT River Powwow Society, Enfield Rotary and the Somers Lions Club.

At a June 1, 2020 public hearing on the society's special use permit application, Parks and two neighbors spoke in opposition to the request. One said she "doesn't want to hear events every weekend," while another spoke about the ending time of events and the noise factor.

Society spokesman George Van Tasel said the Four Town Fair is not always profitable, and funds generated by off-season rentals of the property are essential to maintaining the existence of the fair.

"The Union Agricultural Society is very upset that a small few would try to shut down an 182-year tradition, enjoyed by thousands, the oldest fair in Connecticut and possibly the oldest fair in the country," Van Tasel told Patch. "They knew or should have known they were purchasing property next to a fairgrounds and the property was used for off-season rentals. There were signs posted, on the fence facing the subdivision and another on Egypt Rd."

Longtime Four Town Fair officer Janice Steinmetz wrote, "The Town Attorney hosted a meeting between the fair association and the attorney representing the five/six neighbors, in the vicinity of the fairgrounds. One of our volunteers, who has been involved with the fair since the '70s, was asked to join the meeting. The main complaint was the noise when events were being held on the fairgrounds, why now after 30 years?"

The 150 pages of documents concerning the matter may be found by clicking here.

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