Why would this small business not meed criteria?


On the map it says the business is there too. I thought small non-chain businesses were eligible? Theres an employee and refridgerators in there and everything, its not just a shed

To me, this doesn’t seem like a place worth exploring or possibly being social at. What exactly is sold here or what services are offered would be my first question, as farm shop could mean a few different things. You didn’t post your description, and so I don’t know if you list what it exactly is in there. It just seems very non-descript, without enough info.

I did look up this store, and found they have a website. I like to use those in the supporting info to justify the nomination as being a non-generic business, as well as helping to craft descriptions. There does seem to be improvements that can be made just with the supporting info, but the description may need some improvement as well.

Lastly, the main photo appears similar to this one on Google Maps. 3rd party photos aren’t allowed.

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Sorry, but “it exists” and “it sells stuff” and “people go by here” doesn’t mean it meets acceptance criteria.

Do they host events, so would meet the criteria of being social?
Did an historic event happen here that brings people to explore?
Maybe they’ll paint a cute mural on a wall.

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We build on existing interactions in real life to show how it meets at least one of the eligibility criteria.

This is part of clarifications for some common topics that you may be interested to check.

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Small unique businesses can definitely make good wayspots, but that doesn’t guarantee that all will be approved. I see several possible issues here.

First, I have often said that submitters should expect that reviewers will not spend more time reviewing than the submitter did in making the nomination. We don’t have your full nomination, but the supporting information gives us little to go on. Use the supporting information to show us how this meets the three basic criteria of being a great place to be social, exercise or explore. Other have given tips on this.

Next, your main photo you gave here appears like it may have been taken from Google Street View. The use of third party photos is a reason to immediately reject the nomination.

Your nomination may run afoul of the prohibition of wayspots on single family private residential property or farms.

As long as it doesn’t run afoul of rejection criteria, with improvement this might be an acceptable nomination.

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Hello and welcome @GlibbyTib

I love farm shops :sunglasses: A good farm shop is a great place to explore and if it is more than a shop eg a cafe it’s also a great place for socialisation.

This case looks like it could be a good place to explore.
It is now up to you as the submitter to make that case. Your previous submission looks as though it was probably rejected by the computer programme (nickname Emily) that does an initial check on what has been submitted and can then reject it.
Photo.
You need to take your own photo. In stead of the shop I would use the sign


I took that from the website, so go out and take one a nice snowy background would be good. Make sure it fills the picture with some background. Crop it so it’s square is also a good tip.
The supplementary (also your own photo) can then show a bit of the sign but the store in the background.

Text
Use the info on the website to write your description (don’t cut and paste). A few words about it being a family business, focus on quality do the offer an personalised service or products, anything distinctive that they provide. These are the sort of points that make it worth a visit.
For the supplementary explain why this meets exploration criteria. A link to the website and the recipes etc that are there. You are not writing an advert but do make it an appealing place to go to.
Explain what the supplementary photo shows the small store, and a car park area. Just off the main road shows it’s been placed away from any residential area ( I’m not in the USA so not sure how these are best expressed).
If you would like to post your ideas here before submission we will be happy to feed back.

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@elijustrying I agree with you that this could be a fun place to explore. I like farm stores.

However, doesn’t this run afoul of the rejection reason for single family private residential property and farms?

image

No, it doesn’t, as it’s not farmland exactly. It’s specifically placed in an area that is open to the public, and there is signage on Street View noting that it’s a store. Some farms have stores that are open to the public, but the farmland itself isn’t.

Keep farmland in mind, not just farm, as there are many farms that are open to the public, such as those that allow people to pick their own fruit/veggies, have pumpkin patches/corn mazes, cut your own Christmas tree, etc. I even know of many old farms in my area that are not event venues. A plain field that is just used to grow crops or raise animals is what is meant by farmland, as the public isn’t supposed to be in those, and may even be trespassing.

I know that the criteria clarification section says farms in the text of the thread, but it really should be updated to farmland (title does use farmland), as that is what is listed in the rejection criteria section in help.

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It’s something I struggle with. I like cool stores like this, but I’m never certain if we’re supposed to reject them.

Not that far from me we have a creamery – sells fresh ice cream – similarly located. It’s a cool place and they make great ice cream. I’ve never nominated it for this reason.

If the creamery is open to the public, it’s not on the farmland. The farmland is where the animals are grazing, where they may be milked, which may be off-limits to the public.

Farms can have spaces open to the public, and these spaces may be eligible. There are also farms that are not open to the public, aa the owner may live there. I’ve seen many private ranches get nominated, but you can tell from the photos, satellite/Street View and other info that it’s private property and the ranch is off-limits to the public.

In the end, you just have to use your best judgment.

This case is clearly distinct.
It has its own building, a place to park, its own website and business name. The public are welcome here.
If it was a farm where you knock on the door and they bring you fresh eggs, then that is a regular farm.

For years I worked in IT for a large company that (among other things) sets property insurance rates. In the U.S., all property records have a property type, which we used as input to compute rates and replacement costs. (A 5,000 square foot building is insured differently if it’s a store, house, or apartment.)

Legally, Single Family Residences and farmhouses have the same privacy rights. They are designated (and insured) the same. The cross-industry wording for this is “Single Family Residence or Farm” because some long-passed program only allowed 30 characters, so chopped of the rest of the word “farmhouse”.

The “or farm” entered Niantic’s wording after they settled the class action lawsuit in 2019, by agreeing not to put Pokestops on this property type. Single Family Residences, which includes farmhouses.

I don’t ever think they meant farm stores, corn mazes, etc. to be excluded. They mean the house where the farmer lives.

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That makes so much sense. Thank you for breaking it down like that.

The farmland may be privately owned as well, as much where I live is. Many of the farmers don’t live on the land they farm on, but it is typically land the public isn’t allowed on. I personally know of people that own farmland for growing crops, but live in town instead of in the country by their land.

A house out in the country is still usually PRP, unless otherwise noted as being part of a publically accessible farm that’s a business.

Farmland doesn’t meet any criteria of being a great place to explore, socialize, or exercise - however we get there logically.

The SFR classification was made back when farmers lived on their farms. Mega farms are fairly new, as property laws go.

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Farmers haven’t been living on their farms for decades where I live, so that makes no sense. Some farmers do still live on their farms, but not all.

In this case, this business doesn’t fall under PRP, farmland or farms, just that it’s a small store that a local farm runs to sell what they grow/raise, and it is open to the public. I find it highly unlikely that PRP/farmland was why ML rejected this, as the main photo appears to have been taken from Google Maps or another 3rd party source. The OP didn’t provide the description, so we can’t give our thoughts on that, but the supporting info could have been a little better, maybe even include the store’s website.

Maybe when whether is better / warmer / more appropriate for ice cream I’ll make a trip to the country to visit and nominate that creamery.

I can accept I may be overthinking the “farm issue”.

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