Stonington — A group of neighbors opposed an application Tuesday night to change the residential zone of a 78-acre property at 1189 Pequot Trail, known as the Deans Mill Farm, to the Agricultural Reuse District zone, saying the plan would produce noise and traffic in their quiet neighborhood.

They also submitted a petition signed by 22 people who live near the farm, that, if verified, could require a Planning and Zoning Commission vote of 4-1 instead of 3-2 in order to approve the application.

The neighbors' comments came during a public hearing on the application by Robert Valenti for approval of the master plan zone change. The commission, which continued the hearing until Nov. 4, has the ability to place various restrictions on the property regarding noise, size of events, hours of operation, lighting and other aspects, if it approves the application.

The plan calls for raising livestock, mostly horses and chickens, while an already built 17-stall horse barn with an attached indoor arena range will be used for horse boarding, riding lessons and educational seminars.

The circa-1750 main house would be renovated into a five-unit bed and breakfast, while outbuildings would be used as farm stands, and possibly craft microbreweries and for wine tastings.

The application also calls for hosting weddings with 100 to 200 guests, community fundraisers with 200 to 250 guests and other events on the property. Events would be over by 10 p.m. and 145 parking spaces would be provided. A shuttle may be used to bring wedding guest from area hotels.

The property is 1,000 feet from the closest residence on Deer Ridge Road.

Valenti, who owns the family of Valenti car dealerships, told the commission the other uses will help his family support the equestrian center and preserve the 78-acre farm as it has been historically used.

There is a question whether the property is eligible for the Agricultural Heritage Reuse District, which is designed to help farm owners preserve historic farmland by expanding their operation to include agriculture-related uses.

The regulation requires that land seeking to be rezoned must include a farm or portion of a farm that has been in continuous operation for at least 25 year prior to the application. A staff report prepared by Town Planner Keith Brynes states the property has not functioned as a farm for at least 20 years.

The land has been enrolled in the state forestry program, which offers tax cuts for land involved in conservation and forestry, considered an agricultural use. Brynes wrote that it is unclear if forestry activities took pace on the property during that time.

Valenti said the land has always been used as a farm or for forestry and submitted tax records classifying the land to the commission, as well as 2014 forestry report that timber had been harvested. His attorney, Rich Cody, said the land has been in the state forestry program since the 1960s. Commission members still had questions about how long the property was used for forestry and what constitutes active forestry in order to be eligible to be in the Agricultural Heritage Reuse District.

Representatives of organizations such as the Ocean Community and Greater Mystic chambers of commerce, the Ocean Community YMCA and Olde Mistick Village all spoke in favor of the project, pointing out the numerous contributions the Valenti family has made to the community over the years and that they would not do anything to harm the town.

But Michael Urso, who lives on nearby Deer Ridge Road, said he was concerned the project may ruin the quality of life for him and his neighbors, as he said cars already use his road as a shortcut from narrow, winding Pequot Trail to Interstate 95. Other speakers were worried about people drinking alcohol at events at the farm and then driving in the neighborhood, which they said already has a problem with speeding drivers.

Christian Rollins of Deer Ridge Road told the commission he loves the idea of a horse farm on the property, which he can see from his house.

“We’re worried about weddings and noise especially to 10 p.m. I thought they’d say 8 p.m.; 10 seems late to me,” he said. “I love everything else about it but the noise.”

Neighbor Greg Broadbent said he was worried what would happen to the property if the Valenti venture were to fail and a new owner would take over with the approval. He added the property was not a working farm when he and his neighbors bought their homes and said the evidence shows the land has not been continuously farmed.

Two years ago, the commission approved the first Agricultural Reuse District zone for the 65-acre Stone Acres Farm on North Main Street.

j.wojtas@theday.com