The Peru Gazette

By John T. Ryan

If everything goes as planned, in a few months the Rulfs Orchard farm stand will be moving into a new building located about 200 feet west of the existing farm stand. The planned 9,900 sq. ft. farm stand will have enhanced business space, an expanded menu, more parking and a drive through. Apple Blossom Florist, also owned by Jon Rulfs, will move from its longtime location at 25 Pleasant Street to the new building. The present farm stand that so many people have frequented for 64 years will be used as a storage building.

On February 17th the Peru Zoning Board approved Rulfs’ building permit application and Code Enforcement Officer Frank Slycord will review recently submitted design changes prior to issuing the building permit. The board approved the plan under Section 505 of the Peru Zoning Law, which permits a special exception for expansion of a pre-existing non-conforming use. Jon Rulfs’ father, Bob Rulfs, opened the farm stand long before enactment of a town zoning law.

Zoning Board members James Falvo and Lawrence Bosley were concerned that the drive through could lead to the building being classified as a restaurant or convenience store rather than a farm stand. The zoning law’s strict use variance provisions would have to be satisfied if it were so classified. Both Falvo and Bosley said they would support the plan without the drive through. When the vote was taken, Board members Dwane Bast, Steve LaBounty, Tim St. Pierre and Robin Bashaw voted to approve the plan as submitted. Falvo and Bosley voted against approval.

The Peru Planning Board approved the farm stand site plan last October. Footing installation began, but the town ordered a halt to further construction because a building permit had not been issued. Jon Rulfs maintains that verbal approval for laying the footings had been given, but paid a fine for beginning construction without a building permit. At one point it was believed that a sprinkler system would be required; however, when bids for a sprinkler system without access to a municipal water supply came in at over $200,000, an alternative fire suppression system was approved. Questions involving fire department access to the building were also resolved.

Editor’s Note: A more precise description of the new farm stand’s location was added at 10:05 a.m. on Saturday, February 20, 2016.