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Plan Commission approves rezone and conditional use to allow horse boarding at Casimas Ranch on Adams Road
Summary
The Fitchburg Plan Commission approved a rezone, conditional use and certified survey map to separate a horse‑boarding operation and apartment onto a small‑lot agricultural parcel at Casimas Ranch, while leaving the remainder of the 117‑acre farm in exclusive agricultural zoning.
At its July 21 meeting, the Fitchburg Plan Commission approved a rezoning, a conditional‑use permit and a certified survey map to allow a horse‑boarding facility and apartment on a newly formed small‑lot agricultural parcel at Casimas Ranch on Adams Road.
Diana, a planning staff member, told the commission the property totals about 117 acres and is owned by Bill and Anne Casimas. The proposal would reconfigure parcel lines so the boarding facility and an apartment would sit on a new AS (small‑lot agricultural) lot while the remainder of the farm would remain AX (exclusive agricultural). "Staff does recommend approval of the rezone and conditional use and then, of the certified survey map," Diana said.
Staff summarized the site's history, including a 2008 CSM, rezone and conditional‑use permit that separated the horse‑boarding business from the farmhouse and tied the lots together through an easement and restrictive covenant. The current application requires an affidavit assigning rural residential development "claims" to specific lots; staff recommended assigning one claim to the lot that remains in AX to preserve future development accounting.
Commission members asked technical questions about whether the rear lot could be considered a flag lot and about the process for replacing a farmhouse if it were damaged. Diana said replacement would have to meet RRDC (rural residential development criteria) requirements and could require waivers or variances depending on setbacks, driveway length and impacts to cropland.
A motion to approve the certified survey map was made and seconded and the commission approved it by voice vote. The commission then voted to approve the rezoning and conditional use; Chair announced, "Ayes have it." No roll‑call tally was recorded in the public record.
The commission also thanked the applicants and staff for navigating a long, technical review; one commissioner said, "At this point, I'd like to thank Bill and team for being patient with us over the years." The record shows the project advances with conditions including the required affidavit assigning claims and corrected CSM documents to match the approved configuration.
Next steps: staff will record the required affidavit of claim and the finalized certified survey map, and the city will update property records to reflect the new lot lines and conditions.
