CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Historic Greenbrier Farms in Chesapeake says they'll now be closed to the public with the exceptions of Christmas, Strawberry and Pumpkin seasons, citing pressure from the city and increasing operational restrictions.
The announcement, posted to Facebook on Thursday, says the decision is effective immediately.
Watch related: Trump holds campaign rally at Historic Greenbrier Farms
Under the change, the public will no longer be able to visit the property's playground, barnyard animals and walking grounds.
"It's sad because because some of the things they do is pretty awesome," Diana Llacuna, who lives in Chesapeake, said.
Llacuna said the last time she visited the farm was to eat at its restaurant and enjoy live music.
Greenbrier Farms says they remain committed to keeping some of its annual traditions, including the Christmas Tree Lot with free pictures with Santa, Strawberry U-Pick season in the spring and the Pumpkin Patch in the fall. However, some of its typical seasonal activities will not return, including The Haunting at Greenbrier Farms and some Christmas activities, aside from the tree lot and Santa pictures.
"We are no longer permitted to open under our business model for additional public activities, events, or general visits outside of these designated times," Greenbrier Farms says.
Watch more from Chesapeake: City plans for the future of Greenbrier
Greenbrier Farms' post says, in part, "This difficult decision comes as a result of increasing operational restrictions and pressure from the City of Chesapeake Permitting and Zoning as well as the Chesapeake Health Department."
However, Chesapeake city officials say the issue stems from Greenbrier Farms not getting approval from the Virginia Department of Health, rather than the city's health department. The City of Chesapeake's full statement is as follows:
"Earlier today, Historic Greenbrier Farms announced via social media that they intend to close portions of their operations. In the announcement, the owners expressed that the City’s zoning and permitting requirements, along with certain Virginia Department of Health requirements, are the cause for this closure. Several years ago, the City changed the zoning ordinance to permit operations such as Greenbrier Farms. Prior to that zoning ordinance change, the use was not permitted and the City received numerous complaints from the community. The City’s goal was to find a way to permit the operation while addressing community concerns. Since that time, the City has reached out on multiple occasions to the owner to offer assistance and support in obtaining a permit. All of these efforts have been rebuffed. Additionally, the City has attempted to broker a resolution between the owner and the Virginia Department of Health, but the owner has not been open to those efforts. The City has not shut down Greenbrier Farms, has taken no action to shut down Greenbrier Farms, and remains committed to assisting the owner with getting approval from the Virginia Department of Health."
"Not happy about it," Christian Clark, who lives nearby, said. "We hope the whole process doesn't go through we would like to see and continue to be able to walk on the farm like we do at least a few times a week."
Clark and his wife Logan both said they often visit the farm for family activities and this feels like a big blow.
"I hope that something could be worked out because it's not just the people that like Greenbrier Farms, this is like a staple for Chesapeake," Logan, said.
The sprawling 500-acre Greenbrier Farms property has been a staple in the community since it opened in Chesapeake in 1916.
In addition to its annual seasonal events, Greenbrier Farms is known for being a popular wedding destination. In June 2024, the farm hosted a rally from then-candidate Donald Trump. It's unclear if the changes will impact weddings and other private events.
WTKR News 3 has a crew working on this developing story.
