Media Response to U-Pick Flowers Zoning Application

Village of Barrington Hills Response to Media Request

U-Pick Flower Farm Zoning Applications for Agritourism,
Agricultural Experiences and Agricultural Sales

Recently, the Village was contacted by a local news outlet asking for the Village’s position pertaining to submitted text amendment applications providing for agritourism, agricultural experiences and agricultural sales.

The Village of Barrington Hills is unique in that it is almost entirely a residential community. For decades, the Village’s zoning regulations have been designed to promote and protect the overall residential character of the Village.   

To achieve that purpose, the Village’s zoning regulations do not allow outdoor commercial/business retail use of a residential property or other primary or secondary uses that are incompatible with single-family residential use in the Village’s residential areas.  Again, this is to protect the residential nature of these areas and the peace and tranquility that Village residents have come to expect and enjoy on their properties. 

In May 2024, the Village became aware that an outdoor, commercial retail u-pick flowers establishment was operating on a single-family residential property.  This commercial business was open to the general public, open and visible to other Village residents, and advertised as a retail business on littleduckyflowerfarm.com and other media outlets.  At that time, the Village notified the Property Owners that their outdoor, commercial u-pick flowers operation on their single-family residential property was not permitted under the Village’s zoning regulations.  

Since that time, the Property Owners have sought a number of Zoning Code changes requesting significant and fundamental changes in the Village’s residential zoning regulations that would allow for their outdoor, commercial retail u-pick flowers operation and could also allow other similar outdoor commercial business operations to occur on every residential single-family property in the Village.  

These proposals were thoughtfully considered by the Village’s Zoning Board of Appeals and the Village Board of Trustees in formal public zoning proceedings.  The Village’s Zoning Board of Appeals has recommended against the Property Owners’ various proposals finding that the proposed outdoor commercial use of properties is not compatible with the intended residential use of property in the Village’s residential area. The Village’s Zoning Board of Appeals was particularly concerned that under these various proposals, similar outdoor commercial operations could be allowed to occur on every residential single-family property in the Village.

The Village Board has accepted the recommendations of the Village Zoning Board of Appeals and has not approved the Property Owner’s various proposals that would allow for an outdoor, commercial retail u-pick flowers operation on residential property but would also potentially allow for other similar outdoor commercial business operations on every residential single-family property in the Village.  

The Village Board’s decisions have been based on the far-reaching implications of the proposals and not based solely in regard to any single property. In all of their decisions, the Board must carefully consider the long-term effects for the entire Village.