RICHMOND â The long-running effort to limit sound from musical performances outdoors and in a barn at Balderdash Cellars winery and farm appears to be nearing a written agreement between the town and owners Christian and Donna Hanson.
The proposed new conditions, which come as the couple seeks a special permit that would combine the existing farm function bylaw with events at a renovated barn, are intended to allay noise concerns raised by some nearby residents.
Under the terms of the compromise, the town would allow a wider window of time for events than the town initially sought, but the owners would agree to a number of steps designed to limit the impact of noise on neighbors.
RICHMOND â Balderdash Cellars, the winery relocated from a Pittsfield commercial building basement to a 25-acre farm just south of the city line, near Richmond Pond, has won conditional approval from the Select Board to renovate a deteriorated barn on the property to host events, primarily indoors, including music.
As one of a mere handful of businesses in the rural town, Balderdash and its owners, Christian and Donna Hanson, have been welcomed warmly by many residents. But, some others, particularly residents of the nearby lake, have objected to noise from outdoor entertainment events.
In addition to the barn, the property purchased in spring 2018 for $475,000 includes a new 5,000-square-foot, two-level tasting room/wine-making facility that can hold 100 visitors, and a farmhouse with a basement brewery. Hanson has explained his move to the bucolic setting by pointing out that âpeople who come to this area often come from the city, and they donât want to go back to