Gilfeather’s owner seeks to expand into neighboring church property on U.S. Route 7

Rick Benson told the Ferrisburgh Zoning Board on Feb. 5 that he and his wife, Nancy Benson, want to expand their business Gilfeather’s into the adjacent church property at 3323 U.S. Route 7. Benson described plans for a commercial entrance, a commercial kitchen in a bump-out, parking designed to accommodate supply trucks, and an upgraded access road with a new curb cut to Atkins Road; he said the septic design tied to the purchase negotiation is already scoped and approved for the intended use.

Town staff and board members said the application is incomplete. Zoning Administrator Katie Hill said she had provided the board with the submitted materials and that the structure is nonconforming, which means some proposed improvements could increase the degree of nonconformance. Conservation Commission member Craig Heindel urged attention to erosion-control measures during construction and requested that the permit explicitly match the proposed use. Board members also asked for parking justification, hours of operation, and lighting plans; Mike Delaney asked if inside dining was planned and Benson said expanded retail, not inside dining, was the priority. The transcript records the septic sizing discussed as “approved for 900 gallons a day.”

The board did not vote on the application at the Feb. 5 meeting and directed Benson to submit a completed application with more detailed plans for parking, lighting and road access. Benson said he had spoken with Bill Wager for a preliminary review. No formal motion or vote on the Gilfeather’s item was recorded at the meeting.