Winery Lawsuit Opinion: Wineries Have Kept Land in Agriculture

Editor’s Note: The Peninsula Township Board is holding a particular informational assembly on the vineyard lawsuit on Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2021, 7 p.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church. Click right here for extra particulars and to learn the Amended Complaint filed by the Wineries of Old Mission Peninsula (WOMP)…jb

When we purchased our farm in the late 90s, the earlier proprietor presumed it might be divided and developed. Thanks to a vineyard partnership, we went the agricultural route with the intent to maintain it that approach for many years. 

We additional acquired one other 15 acres that we have now preserved in agriculture. We purchased that land to qualify for the 40-acre minimal for a farm-based vineyard. Thanks to a profitable vineyard to buy the grapes, we have now not needed to construct our personal vineyard, despite the fact that we had the fitting. We can witness first-hand how the ordinance allowances for vineyard chateaus remove the necessity for redundant wineries or farm abandonment.

We additionally put our essential Smokey Hollow farm on the PDR (Purchase of Development Rights) record greater than a decade in the past. In the final ten years or extra, we have now not even had a courtesy letter from the Township in regards to the standing of that utility. This provides a robust message in regards to the PDR system. Wineries stored our land and its premium views in agriculture – not PDR, not the Township.

The backside line on our place is that we’re on the age the place selections should be made about the way forward for this land. As it stands, farming is smart so long as, and solely so long as, a wholesome vineyard grape purchaser exists. But the info are:

1. We are taxed closely on this land.

2. There is not any proof of any proactive strikes by the Township to cooperate with us on land preservation.

3. We have made overtures to the [Grand Traverse Regional Land] Conservancy that stay to play out.

4. Our land connects to a profitable and high quality improvement that could possibly be simply prolonged to our land.

5. The character of the Old Mission Peninsula, particularly the Town Board, has modified from an agriculturally conscious board to the equal of a township-wide HOA. This makes farming a riskier enterprise since we can not depend on assist for the markets we want.

Town Board rejection of this settlement of points with the wineries could be the strongest “call the developer” message we are able to think about.  

The divisive politics on this difficulty are unhappy. A big however shrinking a part of this Peninsula remains to be agricultural as a result of wineries, not political motion teams appearing like subdivision HOAs.

Also, this marketing campaign of misinformation corresponding to referencing farmers wanting issues like hospitality rights misses the mark. Those farmers might have a B & B anytime they need underneath the present ordinance. Anyone who thinks hospitality is a gold mine ought to go for it. 

Also, who’s responsible for the visitors? Mission Point Lighthouse is arguably essentially the most important single draw of visitors to the whole size of this Township. That attraction has been improved and marketed commercially by the Township. Not solely is the Lighthouse a principal explanation for visitors, however the Township is working a industrial vacationer enterprise promoting stuff not sourced from the Peninsula.

When it involves defending the Peninsula, the wineries are very trustworthy to the trigger. Wineries protect land, save PDR {dollars}, make jobs for residents, and pay a ton of taxes.

– Jim and Fran Krupka

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