Council briefed on permanent permit request for flea market and banquet at East Little Creek Road site
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Summary
City planning staff briefed the Norfolk City Council on a conditional use permit request by Soulful Vegan Events to operate a permanent indoor/outdoor flea market and a banquet facility at 1200 East Little Creek Road.
City planning staff told council that Soulful Vegan Events seeks a conditional use permit to operate a permanent flea market (indoor and outdoor) and a banquet facility at 1200 East Little Creek Road. Bobby Tahan said the site is currently retail and has used temporary weekend flea-market permits under the Zoning Ordinance during summer months; the applicant now seeks permanent approval for weekday and weekend hours.
The applicant proposes flea-market hours of 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday–Saturday and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, and a banquet facility operating 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week. Tahan said the banquet facility application states there will be no alcohol and no entertainment; the applicant intends to rent the banquet space for small events related to flea-market vendors and private celebrations.
Neighbors and council members raised operational concerns. Staff said the applicant had relied on temporary permits during the summer and that those temporary permits are exhausted. Council member Smigiel and others said police were called for an out-of-control graduation party held without a temporary permit; staff confirmed complaints about traffic and crowding at peak events. Tahan said the applicant’s current floor plans show vendor layouts in the front parking area but that to meet parking requirements the front row of parking spaces must remain available in the permanent configuration.
Because the Civic League has not yet had a full opportunity to review the banquet portion of the application, staff said the Civic League scheduled a special meeting for Sept. 11 to hear from the applicant and for staff to answer questions. Council members asked staff to prepare to separate the flea-market and banquet requests into distinct applications if needed so the council and civic organizations can weigh each permission independently.
No council action was taken at the work session; staff said the Planning Commission will consider the request in its process and will return material to council once the civic engagement and any site or operational clarifications are complete.