A Bar at Backer Farm
Won’t Stay on Backer Farm
Noise, light, and traffic will invade the tranquility
of the Mendham community
#NoBarAtBacker
But it’s not too late.
This zoning application is not even close to being approved.
The Planning Board Meeting was canceled
for Wednesday, October 20.
The applicant and their “experts” will be there when rescheduled. Concerned residents will have the opportunity to ask questions—and get real answers.
Major Concerns
Mendham will need to raise property taxes for infrastructure improvements, Police, EMT and other public services—
none of which will be contributed by the Backer Brewery
The tasting room / bar that seats patrons drinking beer may be open from noon until 11pm—six days a week
The bar, brewery and events will generate noise throughout the community and disturb the peace of the residential community—as we have already heard.
Most of Backer Farm is wetlands and the commercial use of the property and manufacturing will pollute and endanger the protected nature around the bar—which is preserved farmland.
The bar may add another 1,000 cars a day and large delivery trucks to our quiet community—including possible drunk driving and more traffic accidents
Outside owners/investors will be Mr. Aaron Buch and Mr. Bob Dillon. This is not a family farm anymore. Please read pages 8 & 48 of the attached Backer consulting report to AG Board
-
Negative Impact
In any form or size—a bar at Backer Farm has the potential to change our township forever. This would be the first commercial business, manufacturing plant and tasting room bar to be built on a property in our 99.99% residentially zoned township. Setting the precedent to allow big commercial businesses to operate locally will have a negative, long-term impact.
-
Quality of Life
The Backer family and their farm have been a long-standing and lovely part our community. This application isn’t about popularity or heritage. This is a land use issue and quality of life issue. There are still too many questions to be answered to determine if this application meets all zoning requirements for operating, on preserved farmland, in our residentially zoned community.
Impact of agritourism can be substantial
Why should all residents in a small town like ours suffer the negative impacts associated with a commercial business operating within a residential zone?
Read pages 8 & 48 of the attached Backer consulting report
It includes lots of information that was not provided by the applicant to Mendham Township but provided to the Ag Board for approval. That information sheds light on the applicants’ real plans and the local impact.
It is likely the brewery will be a much bigger attraction for people from farther away than Buttermilk Falls.
Backer Farm wishes to manufacture beer and hard alcohol and sell it for consumption onsite and to-go from a retail operation
The applicants are seeking many variances and waivers from the Township. These should not be granted unless significant changes to the plan are made to bring it into compliance with the residential zoning of its neighborhood and community.
About 2/3rds of the property (26 acres) is wetlands or woodlands and not usable
Backer Farm, located on Ironia Road (an R10 Residential Zone), is surrounded by residential lots and houses
Applicant wishes to add to its extensive list of current activities with a 78-seat tasting bar area and a manufacturing facility
The bar may be open 365 days a year
Tasting room / bar may be open from noon up to 11 p.m. six days a week
In addition to current agritourism activity, applicants are allowed special events. Special events are not clearly defined.
Engineering report references 68 brewery tasting seats (indoor, outdoor, and greenhouse) or up to 171 persons served by suggested septic plan
Significantly increased parking areas of about 70 spaces
A new septic system to accommodate patrons, employees, and the residence with a design flow of 2000 gallons of water per day (Exhibit T)
No ground water study has been done on potential pollution to wells and streams
Our community should reject the invasiveness of this type of agritourism.
If approved this will attract more agritourism to our Township.
Without the necessary infrastructure to support commercial businesses, Mendham will suffer greatly and be forced to implement higher taxes and
while offering residents a lesser quality of life. Approval for this applicant will be used by other businesses, asking to be afforded the same approvals for other farm locations in our Township.
Creating a precedent by allowing this commercial business may be the biggest land use decision to face our Township since the AT&T proposal for Schiff Reservation. Keep Mendham Township residential!
Backer Brewery Proposal
Consulting Report
86 Page document regarding the Backer consulting report to the Agricultural Board.
Read pgs. 8 + 48 within Document
Planning Board
Backer Farm documents provided to the Planning Board of Mendham Twp.
27 Documents | Shared Drive
Tax increases for all residents
Backer only pays $136 in taxes on 36 acres. All the added costs directly associated with the brewery and bar for increased policing, EMT service, accident responses, road wear, successful tax appeals by home owners—and more—will mean significant tax increased for all residents. How is this fair?
Noise well beyond the
surrounding houses
Mendham Township is a residential community. For decades it has tightly controlled commercial business development to keep it peaceful. Manufacturing/selling beer and hard liquor and hosting special events and outdoor concerts are not compatible with our zoning or the character of our town. It’s also not favorable to surrounding neighborhoods or the community at large. The cumulative negative impact of the bar, outdoor drinking, concerts, and traffic will generate noise well beyond the surrounding houses. It it violates the very soul of Mendham Township’s tranquility and peacefulness.
780 Cars on a good Day
All together on residential streets
The bar will serve alcoholic beverages to 78 seats. A tasting room can have seating turnover in about an hour. The ability to serve for 10 hours a day could mean as many as 780 cars at Backer Farm. Adding food pick and deliver could bring the daily totally number of cars to nearly 1,000. This does not include added cars for concerts and other events.
Open from Noon to 11pm—
Six days a week
The bar, which seats 78 people, could be open from noon to 11 p.m., six days a week. The applicant already has many activities on the property. Adding a brewery and bar could mean the overall hours of operation could be 8 a.m. to 11 p.m, seven days a week. That’s a lot of hours for a commercial business in a residential area that does not have the infrastructure that commercial zones typically have—sidewalks, curbs, street lighting, sewer, water. Significant negative impacts for walkers, joggers, families, and their kids will occur. They won’t continue to enjoy the quality of life they have today. Mendham Township is not built for commercial business purposes including agritourism!
Environmental Impacts
while receiving $1.1m to preserve land
Up to 1,000 cars per day, thousands of gallons of water from the well, trash from patrons endangering well water, wetlands, and wildlife. The Backer’s received $1,124,370 to preserve this land. Does this sound like preservation of the land? 60% of the Backer farm is protected and vulnerable wetlands and woodlands. Only 10-13 acres are tillable on this property. No ground water study has been done. The DEP has not done a more formal letter of interpretation. This property has endangered species on it as well. Beer is made from primarily water and its production has waste associated with it. Where will the waste go? Is it worth the possible pollution of our wells and waterways to make beer and hard liquor?
Outside Investors include
Aaron Buch & Bob Dillon
This is not a family farm anymore. The investors, who don’t live in Mendham Township, will be deriving profit our community and the increased visitors to the farm—without having to live with the negative effects the bar will create for residents. They will make money from us, pay no taxes to support the local community infrastructure, and avoid having their personal quality of life diminished. That’s a no-win situation for Mendham Township residents.
#NoBarAtBackers
Keep Mendham, Mendham.
Disclaimer
The information herein is what we believe is factual and based with comments from residents on the preliminary review of documents available and questions they raise. Also, since the 7/1/21 tape of the original hearing has been lost we must assume a posture that none of that information exists. Application & Comments
This web site is not responsible for any content or opinions. It does try to be accurate as possible based on available information from the applicant and their consultant. Please contact this site to suggest or any corrections or opinions which may be considered for adding, changing or deletion of content.