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Council approves Marietta Farms pumpkin patch permit, allows early setup amid compliance notes
Summary
The city approved a temporary use permit for Marietta Farms’ 2025 pumpkin patch and fall carnival with a widened setup and teardown window after staff and council discussed on‑site compliance and weather-related staging challenges.
The Andover City Council approved a temporary use permit for Marietta Farms’ 2025 pumpkin patch and fall carnival, allowing the event to operate from Sept. 26 to Oct. 31 with setup starting Sept. 10 and teardown completed by Nov. 7.
Staff identified the permit as ZDashTU25-0002 and told the council the layout will be similar to prior years and will include tents and membrane structures that require fire department approval. Council members voted unanimously, 6–0, to grant the permit with the adjusted setup/teardown dates after discussing on‑site compliance, staging challenges and the effect of wet weather on moving heavy components.
Why this matters: the event draws families and seasonal visitors, supports local employees and part‑time work opportunities, and uses large temporary structures that require city oversight and fire department review.
Discussion and compliance issues
Staff said the applicant asked for an extended setup window because of weather and logistics: hay deliveries and large structures sometimes arrive late, and crews need extra days to stage and move material onto wet ground. One council member noted parts of the site were not fully cleared at the time of discussion and emphasized that remaining items — hay bales, a semi trailer and other temporary structures — needed to be removed in a timely manner.
An applicant representative explained bad weather had delayed hay delivery and some large items had been staged early; the applicant said he expected to finish setup once crews and semis arrived and asked the council for the longer staging window to avoid having to cancel the event. Staff and council members said they were generally comfortable granting the permit but asked the applicant to complete clean‑up promptly after the event and to coordinate with city staff on outstanding compliance items.
Conditions and vote
The council motion approved operation Sept. 26–Oct. 31, setup beginning Sept. 10, and teardown to be finished by Nov. 7. The motion passed 6–0. Fire Department approval will be required for the two membrane structures noted in the application, and the applicant must comply with any outstanding site clearance and safety requirements.
Ending
The applicant thanked the council and noted the event provides seasonal employment and community engagement. Council members said they appreciated the applicant attending the meeting and asked staff to monitor compliance and communicate timelines for setup and teardown.
