Town of Marlborough Demands Farms, Wineries Stop Events Ahead of Busy Fall Season

This summer, the Town of Marlborough Building Department issued cease-and-desist letters to five local farms and wineries, citing alleged zoning and permitting violations related to events and short-term rentals. The businesses named in the violations include Bad Seed Cider Company on Baileys Gap Road, Nostrano Vineyards on Gala Lane, Quartz Rock Winery and Nightingale Farm on Mountain Road, Raspberry Field Farm on Lattintown Road, and Fjord Vineyards on Ridge Road.

While it was initially reported that six businesses were cited, the town released records for only five. The town did not provide records of any “notice of violation” against a sixth business, Someplace Upstate, which the Town also alleges has violated Town Code; in a Town Board special meeting on June 3, the Town issued an injunction against Someplace Upstate for the same alleged violation. These records are available in the Town Board minutes.

The letter sent to Quartz Rock Winery stated that a complaint alleged the property was advertising its space for events without approvals. Owners were directed to “cease and desist all rental activity until proper site plan approval can be obtained.” Raspberry Field Farm was cited after an investigation allegedly revealed “an illegal bed and breakfast / short-term rental operating without proper permits.”

Bad Seed Cider Company, Nostrano Vineyards, and Fjord Vineyards each received letters stating that the Building Department had “observed events” being held without a required site plan on file. All five notices instructed the businesses to halt events until approvals were granted. The cease and desists do not specify what permits or approvals are needed, or what action is needed. A review of the Marlborough Town Code does not reveal a definition or identify what approvals these farms have to apply for. The Town Code can be referenced here.

In response to a request for the underlying complaints, the town released a June 13, 2025, letter from the law firm Stenger, Glass, Hagstrom, Lindars & Iuele LLP, marked “FILED COMPLAINT” in marker. The letter outlined a dispute between the Town of Marlborough and the sixth business, Someplace Upstate, over whether agricultural properties may host events such as weddings and other outdoor private events. The letter, included at the end of this article, is a formal request for Code Enforcement Officer Thomas Corcoran to identify the legal reasoning behind the prohibition of events on agricultural properties. It specifically cited Quartz Rock, Raspberry Fields, and Locust Grove as examples of farms operating such events without objection from the town. The letter does not allege any complaints.

Notably, the letter made no reference to Nostrano Vineyards or Fjord Vineyards. When asked for additional complaints or investigative reports related to those businesses, the Building Department issued a certification that no such records exist despite the Town Code’s requirement for records for both the investigation and complaints:

It remains unclear why enforcement actions were taken against these particular businesses or what prompted the timing. In a similar landmark case in Michigan, a town attempted to shut down events held at local farms and wineries and lost, resulting in a $49,000,000 judgment and forcing the town to resort to selling public land to compensate the business owners.

This is not the first time that local agriculture and event hosting have become a flashpoint in town politics. In 2021, Thomas Corcoran raised concerns about the Meet Me in Marlborough farmers market, alleging he received complaints that it functioned as a flea market with out-of-town vendors. Then-Supervisor Al Lanzetta characterized those remarks as a “blindsiding” of the board, and the police chief clarified that no traffic complaints had been tied to the market. The dispute drew criticism and prompted clarifications that the market was, in fact, a farmers’ market. Resident Jake Marro wrote to the paper commending the event as an “ugly and misinformed little chapter in Marlborough’s politics.”

Both Ulster County and the Town of Marlborough confirm no complaints were filed with either of his offices regarding Meet Me in Marlborough or the farmers market, these records are available at the end of this article.

The cease-and-desist orders, issued without clear supporting documentation, raise serious questions for residents. At minimum, they suggest disorganization within the Building Department and inconsistent application of regulations. More broadly, during the peak season when local farms and wineries sustain much of Marlborough’s tourism economy—the “Heart of Hudson Valley Agritourism”—the town’s actions appear to reflect a troubling use of authority to pressure businesses with which it has previously conflicted.

In March, Quartz Rock Vineyards hosted a “Sip and Sign” event for Mr. Corcoran’s opponent in the upcoming election for his seat as Ulster Legislator and on May 18^th—two weeks before the Thomas Corcoran referred them for litigation—the owners of Someplace Upstate reportedly canvassed for Mr. Corcoran’s political opponent. On July 15, three days prior to the date of the violation, Fjord Vineyards hosted an event for the Marlborough Democratic Committee.

Locust Grove was cited in the letter from Steiner Glass Hagstrom Lindars & Iuele as a comparable property, yet no violation was issued. Planning Board records as well as the Kent Family Farm Application show that Locust Grove at Kent Family Farm, which operates a brewery and farm in the same R-1 zoning district, has a site plan approval that specifically prohibits private events such as weddings, live bands, and private parties. Despite this restriction, no record of enforcement action against Locust Grove has been provided to date. Locust Grove has hosted the annual Marlborough Republican Fundraiser in both August 2024 and 2025, an event promoted by Building Inspector Thomas Corcoran on his Facebook page earlier this summer.

Locust Grove and the six other cited businesses all contribute significantly to the community and are pillars to the economic success of the Town. Each contributes to the town’s agricultural identity and tourism appeal. The Building Department’s decision to restrict their operations would be expected to have a measurable negative impact on local economic activity.

These recent enforcement actions by Building Department have drawn increased scrutiny following revelations that Building Inspector Thomas Corcoran was named in referrals to the New York State Police and the Attorney General’s Office for investigation of corruption. Against that backdrop, the Town Board’s pending decision on whether to hire three additional law firms at tonight’s Town Board meeting in anticipation of legal challenges has raised further concern among residents.

Town Records

Letters certifying no records regarding any violations or complaints:

The five violations:

The letter from Steiner Glass Hagstrom Lindars & Iuele: