Judge Blocks Farm Amphitheater: court backs conservation easement; landowner may appeal

A long-running dispute over development on protected farmland in North Carolina has taken a significant turn after a Superior Court judge ruled in favour of a conservation group seeking to stop a proposed outdoor amphitheater. The October 15 decision effectively ends the prospect of a jury trial in the case, although the farm owner still has the option to appeal. According to reporting by The News & Observer, alongside earlier coverage by WRAL and Chapelboro, the dispute centres on Union Grove Farm in Orange County, where plans for a 2,500-seat entertainment venue have raised questions about land-use restrictions and the legal protection of agricultural landscapes. Superior Court Judge John Morris granted summary judgment in favour of Triangle Land Conservancy (TLC), the nonprofit that has been fighting the proposed development. The ruling was issued on October 15, ahead of a jury trial scheduled for November. Morris did not provide a detailed explanation of his decision in the reported proceedings. Union Grove Farm owner Greg Bohlen has 30 days to challenge the ruling before the North Carolina Court of Appeals.How the conservation dispute beganThe legal battle dates back to 19...