JAMES CITY COUNTY — The James City County (JCC) Board of Supervisors has the Niceland Farm Event Venue and Tourist Home scheduled for public comment at its Wednesday, Nov. 13 regular meeting.
JCC citizens are always encouraged to attend public meetings or send comments to the board, said JCC board chair Ruth Larson.
Sharon Seltzer, who lives across the street from the proposed event space and spoke out during the October Planning Commission meeting, is asking the board to consider limitations on the number of events allowed at the space, look at safety and traffic concerns raised by those living nearby as well as understanding the significance of noise levels that those living in proximity will face.
“In August of 2017 when the Board of Supervisors voted into law Zoning Ordinance 24-48, Place of public assembly used primarily as an event facility, the intent was that the SUP process would be used to put conditions and parameters in place to protect the neighboring property owners, while allowing rural property owners an additional option to generate income. This special use permit (SUP) process will be an opportunity to establish this balance through the use of conditions that will allow the proposed business venture to operate, without disturbing the character of the area it is in and allowing the neighboring properties to continue to enjoy their homes peacefully,” stated Seltzer.
Seltzer wants to encourage other community members to understand the proposed plan for event space in rural JCC and the impact it could have on future endeavors.
Selter continued, “There will undoubtedly be SUPs of this nature in the future, so we welcome and encourage all JCC residents, particularly those in rural communities within the county, to attend and participate in this public meeting. This SUP could very well establish a precedent for future rural development.”
A request for a Special Use Permit for an event venue in Toano that can accommodate up to 360 attendees was presented during the Oct. 2 James City County Planning Commission meeting.
Stephen Romeo applied for the permit on behalf of David Nice to operate an event venue and tourist home at the meeting.
The applicant’s Community Impact Statement states, “the proposed event venue would include hosting weddings and corporate functions with an anticipated frequency of one event per day and no more than three events per week. The venue would utilize an existing renovated barn as well as outdoor areas which are planned to include a performance stage, flexible open space, an orchard, a farm pond with a pedestrian bridge, a repurposed grain silo, a dedicated location for food trucks, and attendee parking.”
The venue would have a maximum capacity of 360 attendees including event staff, caterers, photographers, and vendors.
An existing single-family residence is located adjacent to the proposed event venue and is intended to be used as a tourist home that could be used in conjunction with or independently from the event venue, as well as for by-right agritourism activities.
Agritourism space is “a form of commercial enterprise that links agricultural production and/or processing with tourism to attract visitors onto a farm, ranch, or other agricultural business for the purposes of entertaining or educating the visitors while generating income for the farm, ranch, or business owner,” according to the USDA.
Purchasing the property — called Niceland Farms — four years ago, Nice said during the meeting “This has been one of those projects that is a labor of love. Once we got started with (renovations), the vision came into place and we really turned it into something beautiful.”
Some concern regarding traffic, noise and light pollution was addressed by a resident who lives in the area.
“We believe it is safer to access the event venue from Fire Tower Road rather than off of Old Stage Road simply because of the speed limit on Old Stage Road,” Romeo said, noting traffic concerns led the group to look at alternative access. “Fire Tower Road is already signed and it is a 25-mph road and it will be a much safer means of egress-ingress to this venue.”
The Planning Commission unanimously passed the proposal.
Watch the full Planning Commission meeting here.
