Fresh, safe produce spoiled plans to create an event venue in southern Wayne County.
The county’s Board of Zoning Appeals denied Sept. 12 a requested special exception by Keagan Frazier and Tabitha Massie to create their venue on 6 acres at 10965 Chapel Road southeast of Milton. The denial came after Brad Starr of GALM Farms LLC said the venue would negatively impact the farm’s produce business.
The farm, which has more than 200 acres surrounding the proposed venue’s site, is audited by Primus GFS, which is the recognized global food safety initiative certification for North American fresh produce. Starr said the farm, which sells produce nationally, adheres to strict rules and regulations and would lose growing acreage because of the venue, estimating a loss of more than $28,000 per year.
Frazier and Massie, who own Free Your Soul Photography and a venue space in Richmond’s Depot District, hoped to have more than 7,000 square feet of covered concrete for 200 to 225 people. Their other venue is limited to 70.
Massie said that as a wedding photographer she found clients were leaving the area for their weddings. Creating a suitable place in Wayne County would keep those weddings and benefit other local vendors, such as caterers and bakers, as well as lodging. Frazier said they had cleaned 50 yards of trash and cleared overgrowth since purchasing the property during July.
Neighbor Christina Clevenger said Frazier and Massie have done a “phenomenal job” of cleaning the property and making it look better. Other neighbors, however, registered opposition to the venue, worrying about noise, traffic, trash and the possibility of impaired drivers leaving the property.
BZA member Randy Newman said that he admired the venue concept but that the BZA should prioritize agricultural uses for agriculturally zoned land.
House permitted
Charles and Jennifer Powell received a variance to build a residence on 20 acres of land they purchased west of Straightline Pike. The Powells need the variance because their land is accessible through an ingress/egress easement, but they do not have required frontage along the roadway.
Gary Franklin opposed the variance request so that he could sell a 40-foot-wide section of land to the Powells. Charles Powell said Franklin was asking $20,000 for the frontage. The Powells bought the land for recreational use, but are interested in eventually building a residence and sought the variance to determine how they’ll proceed with clearing and maintaining the property.
Franklin said the land behind his 6-acre property was sold in April to a limited liability company that flipped the land in June to the Powells.
Propane business
Glenn Wells, the chief executive officer of Ohio-based SunPro Gas, returned to the BZA for the second time in three months. Wells was approved July 11 to place propane storage tanks on an acre of land at 11824 N. Centerville Road, Williamsburg; however, he and the property owners decided to switch sites.
After the board’s approval, SunPro will now locate its two storage tanks on an acre split from land at 5970 Morgan Creek Road. Wells will purchase the land from the same owners and said the new site enables installation of a circle drive for easier and safer access to the tanks.
SunPro has expanded its client base and wants Wayne County tanks to refill delivery trucks without returning to Ohio.
Hog CAFO delayed
Petitioners Jonas and Mamie Fisher asked that the board hold their zoning requests related to a hog concentrated animal feeding operation at 10961 N. Centerville Road, Williamsburg, until the 6 p.m. Oct. 10 meeting.
A version of this article appeared in the September 18 2024 print edition of the Western Wayne News.