Stonington — The owners of Stone Acres Farm on North Main Street have submitted a master plan application for development of the property into a campus that includes renovated and new buildings designed to host a variety of food, education and other activities, such as weddings.

The application, which outlines the planned uses of the 381 North Main St. site, comes after the local ownership group successfully obtained approval from the Planning and Zoning Commission to create a new Agricultural Heritage District. The district is designed to preserve historical farms in town by allowing expanded uses.

The Planning and Zoning Commission has slated a March 21 public hearing on the application. If that is approved, Stone Acres then would have to also obtain site plan approval, which would require another public hearing.

The application states the master plan would revitalize and preserve the 65-acre property and stimulate its economic activity by creating a campus for food, education and events. The farm has been in operation since the Revolutionary War.

The application states the proposal seeks to take advantage of tourism growth in the state, which it calls one of the few bright spots in the region’s economy. It also states the project would preserve historical and natural resources while offering opportunity for food entrepreneurs.

The project would create an estimated 20 full-time and 68 part-time jobs and generate net tax revenue of $75,000 a year for the town, according to the project’s economic impact analysis.

The project calls for using the main house for small events, with bedrooms being used for wedding preparations by bridal parties and overnight accommodations. The farmhouse would be available for seasonal rentals and wedding parties.

The carriage house would become work space for food artisans, house a farmers’ market, bakery and charcuterie, or deli, as well as an apartment for the grounds manager and staff.

The greenhouse would be turned into a restaurant and cafe that would feature farm-to-table offerings using produce grown on the farm and other locally sourced food. The ice house, small greenhouse and other existing outbuildings would be used for storage and vegetable sorting.

Two new buildings would be constructed on existing farm foundations. These include a 6,100-square-foot barn that would have cold storage facilities, a large open area for food cleaning and packaging, and a commercial kitchen to support event catering and food preparations for the creamery, charcuterie and farm stand. There also would be restrooms and a deck with access to a garden with picnic tables.

The 8,100-square-foot marketplace would house a seasonal vegetable market, brewery, classroom, demonstration kitchen, restrooms and an education center where students would gather when touring the farm. There are also plans for temporary tents for gatherings of 100 to 250 people.

Plans also calls for “reinvigorating” the property’s historical formal gardens and ponds area, planting new orchards, developing walking trails and building a new entrance at the northwest corner of the site off North Main Street. Parking plans call for 41 spots and 120 more in the lower field by Route 1. There also would be a walking trail to connect with the 27 spots in the little-used commuter lot on Route 1.

The application states a traffic study shows that the project would not have a significant traffic impact on local roads. It estimates a peak midday Saturday traffic count of 126 cars entering the site and 40 leaving.

j.wojtas@theday.com