Kent hears application on long unpermitted pottery studio

KENT — A last minute addition to the Dec. 12 meeting agenda of Kent’s Planning and Zoning Commission focalized a neighborly dispute on Stone Fences Lane between newly arrived residents and a long established — but unpermitted — home pottery studio.

The contentious application was submitted for a special events permit by Alison Palmer Studio, represented by 48 Stone Fences Lane residents Alison Palmer and Steve Katz. The couple had planned an “open house” style event which invited guests to stop in at Palmer’s in-residence studio to enjoy light refreshments and peruse the ceramics while she worked. The event was scheduled to span the dates of Dec. 14 to 22, during which the studio also had a single-day workshop planned.

Palmer and Katz apologized for the 11th-hour submission of the application, stating that they hadn’t known that a special permit was needed for such events, or for running a home studio. P&Z Chair Wes Wyrick told the couple bluntly that the studio’s unpermitted events and commercial activity “is not according to our zoning regulations.”

“We are remiss, as far as that’s concerned,” Katz replied, vowing that they will diligently adhere to the regulatory process for future activities. “We didn’t know,” claimed Palmer, adding later that “It was a surprise to us … we’ve always wanted to comply.”

As the application discussion was not a public hearing, public comment on the topic was restricted to the beginning of the meeting, while the applicant presented their case later on.

Dave and Denyse Stoneback, residents at 11 Stone Fences Lane, sent a letter to the Kent’s Land Use Administration to report a zoning breach, who then alerted the Alison Palmer Studio of the situation. The couple presented their complaints during the public comment section, primarily regarding increased traffic and speeding on the private road, which they claimed is directly correlated to events held at 48 Stone Fences Lane.

“It is our opinion that the applicant has demonstrated blatant disregard for the Kent zoning ordinance and permit process, and total disrespect for the other residents on Stone Fences Lane,” Stoneback said to the commission.

Stoneback mentioned that he and his wife had recently moved from the Chicago area for a quiet life in the countryside, but had been troubled to find a busier environment than they were expecting on Stone Fences Lane. “The speed of the cars coming down the road is not only disruptive on our daily walks, but also is a concern for safety,” Denyse Stoneback argued.

Katz, during the applicant’s presentation later in the meeting, countered that the workshops held at his wife’s studio were generally low attendance, and primarily populated by “women from 40 to 60 years old” who he would be surprised to see speeding, he said. He pointed out that there are 24 homes on Stone Fences Ln., which puts a lot of cars on a relatively short roadway, and as such doubted that the traffic the Stonebacks had reported was the cause of the pottery studio.

He also expressed surprise that such new transplants to the area — he stated that they had moved into their home in June of 2024 — would be so eager to campaign against the pottery studio. The couple had lived on Stone Fences Lane for 26 years, he assured, and have been running workshops in the pottery studio for 16. “In 16 years, nobody has said anything,” he added.

“I think maybe these people should live here for a little while and figure out where they actually moved before they start complaining,” Katz said.

While the commission agreed that the events and workshops the household had been running were in violation of the town’s zoning ordinances, several members expressed appreciation for the pottery studio’s place within Kent’s cultural landscape.

“It’s a cottage industry,” said P&Z Vice Chair Karen Casey. “I like the idea that artists live here and have their studios here, and I think most people do,” she continued ­— “This is a pretty big part of our charm.”

The commission informed the applicant that beyond this one-off event, they will need to come back for special permitting for future programming at the studio.

“I’m glad we have a path to eventually make this a permitted and sanctioned and controlled activity,” commission member Darryl Cherniske contributed.

After some discussion, the commission ultimately voted to approve the special events permit application, which applies only to the Dec. 14-22 open house event.

Palmer and Katz assured P&Z that they would return in January to formally apply for a special permit to run a commercial operation from their home with the proper paperwork.