[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6157403,"mediaKeyId","5465333-bad446ace0661054812de16977107d19","parentId",5465333,"title","Madison Hills event venue draws large public turnout; commissioners hear traffic, safety and land‑use concerns","audioSeconds",1430,"startMs",1511000,"endMs",2941000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5465333-bad446ace0661054812de16977107d19&start=1511&end=2941","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5465333-bad446ace0661054812de16977107d19/thumbnail_1511000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6157403/Madison-County/Virginia/Madison-Hills-event-venue-draws-large-public-turnout-commissioners-hear-traffic-safety-and-landuse-concerns","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6157403-1e127d1cc5944b887f7b34034e1b4950/orig.mp4?Expires=1773648483&Signature=mDMcs782Vl5fXNqcwnsGOfquMxvVWXEpyqe~jGaxxQlI00H7ZWkK9~rqz~xbTr2r4y1fqwbw8uBT7WTGUAJ5YxRp~~-Co-yIqoMLYp4tpCu5qsVupt1bl7PO9pbTOAMsVLdExmmwXd0rrrBizX1NlfzoEST5-4NmQybympLWKC~X7v3PqddeMVoptRQOQj3zXjkby24TC6IJX21Xiiimi5o5GFR4plsIONSd~B5qJhRX3niMjBNKvujePNYiaZ-UOew6v2bc8DlBthH7mm-zQJJIJ04ZqCAgQArt03rMX7AD-o~gmUT1H9fLgHoWFeyKvXBPRlI477rvqpVAQK7cnw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Madison County, VA","date","2025-07-24T13:53:47Z","article","Madison County planning staff and the public spent most of a planning‑commission workshop on a second review of a special‑use application for “Madison Hills Events,” a proposed event venue and festival grounds on three A‑1 parcels totaling about 186.476 acres (tax map 40‑43, 40‑404 and 40‑405).

Planning staff member Alan Nichols told the commission that since the first workshop the applicant had requested the option for a seasonal fall event of up to 14 days, clarified that weddings would be allowed, and provided additional materials including a noise‑contour study, entrance plan and a draft special‑use permit with proposed conditions. Nichols said VDOT had issued preliminary feedback advising further detail at the site‑plan phase and that the current VDOT data estimate places the local roadway capacity at about 2,000 trips per day with an estimated current utilization of about 1,100 trips per day.

Applicant Molly Wilshire told the commission she proposes a membership‑based ticketing model and staging and entrance configurations intended to limit vehicles on public roads. Wilshire said she would sell no more than 835 member parking passes per day — the applicant described that number as the on‑site parking capacity — and that operational controls such as timed entry would be used to stagger arrivals. \"There will be no general public. It'd be membership only,\" Wilshire said; she later told commissioners “48 days is what is proposed in front of you,” referencing the total number of event days requested in the application.

Wilshire and a co‑owner, Michael Bianco, described plans for a commercial‑standard entrance, on‑site parking, private security and on‑site medical coverage for events; Wilshire said she had engaged a traffic‑engineering firm and a sound engineer to produce the materials in the packet. \"We have a gentleman that has worked in Madison County before ... proposed would be a 50 feet commercial entrance,\" Wilshire said when explaining the entrance design.

Public comment was extensive and largely opposed. Neighbors and residents raised repeated concerns about traffic congestion on Fishback Road and Oak Park Road, emergency response times, the adequacy of county sheriff staffing, light and noise impacts, wildlife and environmental impacts, potential loss of property values and incompatibility with the A‑1 agricultural zoning. Speakers cited the potential for heavy vendor vehicles and support trucks in addition to attendee cars and questioned whether VDOT and the county could require and secure necessary road improvements.

Several residents also questioned whether the proposed uses would lead to areas of the property being removed from agricultural land‑use tax treatment; Nichols noted the commissioner of the revenue had provided a letter describing potential tax consequences and rollback/rezoning impacts and said how much acreage would exit land‑use valuation would depend on the site plan and what is actually built.

Commissioners pressed the applicant and staff for further technical information. Commissioner questions focused on the VDOT trip‑generation analysis, what conditions VDOT might require at site‑plan submittal (including turning lanes or pavement), the proposed helipad’s role in emergency response, and whether special‑use conditions should explicitly tie event capacity to VDOT‑approved traffic limits. Staff suggested it would be reasonable to condition any approval on compliance with VDOT traffic‑impact requirements when the applicant submits a site plan.

No final decision was made. Nichols said the packet and the draft conditions provide a starting point for the commission’s next review and that VDOT’s traffic impact analysis and a more detailed site plan would be required if the special use permit proceeds. The commission took no vote and directed staff to continue the record and collect additional technical information ahead of future hearings.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Planning Commission Workshop 07/23/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The commission’s second workshop on the 186‑acre Madison Hills events proposal drew extensive public comment. Applicant Molly Wilshire described traffic mitigation plans and a membership model; neighbors raised concerns about road capacity, emergency response, noise, light, property values and land‑use compatibility.","taxTitle","Madison County, Virginia","taxId",37279,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6157408,"Applicant says primitive campground will preserve agricultural use; health department options remain",140,1216000,1356000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5465333-bad446ace0661054812de16977107d19&start=1216&end=1356","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5465333-bad446ace0661054812de16977107d19/thumbnail_1216000.jpg","/articles/6157408/Madison-County/Virginia/Applicant-says-primitive-campground-will-preserve-agricultural-use-health-department-options-remain","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6157408-15cdacbd28f412ad267de79e813aedec/orig.mp4?Expires=1773648483&Signature=L~BSNk9negNpBPerjD5Nb4~11fBCfdfFnYOrJTw8vqoHD5Sm5eTU7A0k3iEfJv6XyJcsvxUVfIKfaA2W8tF7X4B-UJ2JdQsF8g4Rda5vEw2N~RTfurwR6~PsW8uME-~fwptLcV7hVFhddMZTrPQxL8fIAk3j6Va1oxNZJ0NPlz7QKs2gRCL1PFLH7nd45AGwlUdle4H-sgL4H4FrUvfwwp2xNMi52qHRJxcISQquYvAeC2YBKTFMsdE4uTj4QCyOxbT0tqQf3bqqkih5DRvQ-egtodiy0ydgHnpKpw0LBPAEoq5eQk8aMHc3zN0qHygSWfh-gw9RAsz62s7b7d9V9w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Planning Commission held a second workshop on SUDash06Dash01Dash25, an application by Anne Gore, filed on behalf of Rebecca Gore, for a special‑use permit to operate a primitive campground on a 118.273‑acre A‑1 parcel identified as Madison County tax map 56‑7‑A.

Alan Nichols, planning staff, told commissioners he had followed up with VDOT and the health department. Nichols said John Wynne at VDOT had previously concluded there was not enough trip change on this site to trigger comment during preliminary review; the health department, however, provided a list of acceptable wastewater options that the applicant must choose among to meet public‑health requirements.

Applicant Anne Gore said keeping the property in agricultural use is “most important to me and my family,” and that the proposed camper would be located adjacent to existing buildings and would not intrude on cultivated or timbered areas used for soybeans, corn and forestry. “If this little camper has anything that raises concerns about the change of agricultural use, that would not be something I would wanna move forward with,” Gore said.

Gore told the commission she will rent a portable restroom with weekly pumpouts and use an 11‑gallon holding tank for sink/shower graywater until the health department issues final direction. She also said she is arranging electrician services for a power connection.

No formal action was taken; staff and commissioners said they would continue to monitor the application and the applicant will provide the chosen wastewater solution to the health department and the commission as part of the next submittal.

The case remains at workshop stage and will return to the commission under the normal review schedule.","Applicant Anne Gore told the Planning Commission she wants to retain agricultural land use while adding a primitive camper unit; staff said the health department offered several wastewater options and VDOT saw no trip‑increase warranting review.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6157413,"Planning commission holds first workshop on proposed multiple short‑term rentals on 15‑acre Madison County parcel",331,375000,706000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5465333-bad446ace0661054812de16977107d19&start=375&end=706","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5465333-bad446ace0661054812de16977107d19/thumbnail_375000.jpg","/articles/6157413/Madison-County/Virginia/Planning-commission-holds-first-workshop-on-proposed-multiple-shortterm-rentals-on-15acre-Madison-County-parcel","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6157413-58f84949da7f7e66a2aa483061f687e4/orig.mp4?Expires=1773648483&Signature=JaU5Sn3sc3snHJO31mCpB9XUYYhVSd3wycOgC36RHQotjZhmDGOApehL46Aok7FvkMszb7BMh4lV5QA09Yyj4XPwBUoAhI4a8YMFRGxz0Necrqo31ZfBfCrHg-07PGhBsB~UlNdsTghgL6R9V8B6Sd8cM41WGzmbjGTvNb~pL7cngiqVWm8D3jGFSAkQk8DNIifEwH76rlcXMa2G-7SC~gg2Ih0N1JSnuRein-aRkabte7nmoibOSq9LcdXYc6poCiVeglhBTRd7nIaxrREWuxbQGiZRNCeeB0jeLsMoyhVFStfiM0QDxXh2dBh659YIDb9KZQ15zUy70GvPRsfTKA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Madison County Planning Commission on Wednesday held a first workshop on case SUDash07Dash25Dash01, a special‑use application to authorize multiple short‑term rentals on a 15‑acre parcel identified as Madison County tax map 30‑5‑C.

The application, filed under Madison County zoning ordinance Article 4‑2‑1 and 3‑1‑22, would add two platform “glamping” units — described by the applicant and engineer as dome‑style overnight structures — to an existing short‑term rental property in the Banco area. Staff and the applicant said additional agency approvals remain outstanding.

County staff member Alan Nichols summarized the proposal and outstanding requirements, saying the parcel already contains an occupied house used as a short‑term rental and that the applicant has permits underway for observation decks. Nichols told commissioners that “we've asked VDOT for comments” and that the health department had not yet returned final comments; he noted the decks have building permits but not final inspections.

Applicant representative Justin Schimp, principal engineer with Schimpf Engineering, described the proposed structures as a “very simple small project, couple platforms with some glamping sites” and said the developer expects the two domes to be served by a new septic system sized for the units. “There would just be one septic serving both of these,” Schimp said, adding that that drain field should be a “stand‑alone drain field” smaller than a typical single‑family system.

Commissioners asked about septic siting, the status of the existing partially completed house on the parcel and easement language affecting a neighboring property. Nichols said a deed showing the easement was included in the packet and that he did not see prohibitive language, but he did not know whether the applicant had contacted the neighbor. Schimp said a surveyor was preparing an entrance profile for VDOT’s review and that a soil/septic report had been submitted to the health department.

The applicant identified herself to the commission as Ida (Ida/Ada) (applicant name appearing in the record) and clarified that she currently operates one short‑term rental on the parcel and is seeking permission for two additional units, bringing the total to three short‑term rentals under the proposed permit. She said she plans to keep the unfinished house locked and not open to guests for the time being.

No vote was taken. Commissioners scheduled continued consideration: the case will return for a second workshop on the third Wednesday in August so staff can collect VDOT and health‑department comments and the commission can review a revised packet.

The commission also reviewed routine procedural business before the workshop and approved the meeting agenda and minutes earlier in the session.","Planning staff and the applicant outlined a proposal to add two glamping units on a 15‑acre A‑1 parcel; staff said VDOT and the health department have outstanding items and the commission will revisit the application in August.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Madison Hills event venue draws large public turnout; commissioners hear traffic, safety and land‑use concerns

Applicant says primitive campground will preserve agricultural use; health department options remain

Planning commission holds first workshop on proposed multiple short‑term rentals on 15‑acre Madison County parcel