The owner of Fresh Farms on Aurora’s far West Side has agreed to comply with city ordinances while he contemplates possible zoning changes.
Matt Marquez, owner of Company 251, an all-encompassing wedding venue in downtown Aurora, appeared recently before a local ordinance judge to answer ordinance violations for a new venue he has on the West Side.
The city cited Marquez’s Fresh Farms, at Edgelawn Drive and Prairie Street, a small wedding venue and community garden, for violating the R-1 residential district by establishing an assembly and food service and you-pick garden uses, in addition to parking and signage violations.
Marquez said he believed he followed the rules of the R-1 zoning. After the hearing, he agreed to enter into an order for continued compliance and will return in two months before the judge for a status update, according to John Curley, Aurora’s chief development officer.
Curley said Marquez will contemplate “pursuit of the required zoning changes that would be required to use the property” as he wants.
Those zoning changes would require public hearings and approval by the City Council.
Marquez did not return a phone call from The Beacon-News for comment.
Marquez bought the somewhat well-known property that includes a Spanish-style mansion with a second house on a total of 13 acres.
He intended to use it as it is for small gatherings, such as small receptions and rehearsal dinners, somewhat as an extension of his Company 251 business.
He also put a community garden in the large front lawn of the property, both for community use and to grow food for Company 251.
Marquez brought his idea to a city of Aurora meeting of the Development Services Team, which is made up of city development officials and sometimes includes elected officials.
City officials said he did not need a zoning change or any kind of conditional use, particularly for a community garden.
Marquez held a wedding reception for the daughter of his baker, who had a last-minute cancellation of her venue. Marquez said he offered the new location.
Ald. Carl Franco, 5th Ward, whose ward includes Fresh Farms, suggested Marquez send a letter to neighbors explaining the use, which he did.
But when the event happened, neighbors were unhappy, largely with the number of cars parked on the property. City officials said the cars were parked on the grass, which is not allowed in a residential area.
City officials also said Marquez was selling things from the site, which is not allowed in a residential zone. Marquez has said he did not sell anything there and would not in the future.
Marquez has said the Aurora site can only accommodate 100 people, at the most, and events there would likely be smaller than that. He said all music would be inside, and he has tested that and said it would not bother the neighborhood.
