The quiet rural charm of Kent seems an unlikely backdrop for a legal battle that could reshape how towns across the state handle nonconforming land use.
At the heart of this dispute lies a 2,100-square-foot greenhouse, a therapeutic program being proposed by High Watch Recovery Center, and a question of what it means to "grow" within the bounds of the law.
The residential treatment facility integrates farming into its therapeutic practices and in 2017, the center expanded its program by purchasing a 70-acre parcel of farmland across from its main campus on Carter Road. The land was initially granted a special permit to host therapeutic activities, including equine therapy, a ropes course, and agricultural programs.
However, in 2020, Kent amended its zoning regulations, banning clinical uses in the rural residential zone. This change rendered the property's use nonconforming but allowed its activities to continue as they existed.
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