Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Entertainment Licenses topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Richmond council approves outdoor entertainment licenses after public hearing on noise
Summary
The Richmond Town Council approved outdoor entertainment licenses for Preserve Property Management Company LLC and Richmond Smoke after public hearings and public comment about noise. Councilors voted to approve licenses with standard conditions; residents raised concerns about past loud events and asked for noise monitoring.
The Richmond Town Council on June 17 approved outdoor entertainment licenses for Preserve Property Management Company LLC and Richmond Smoke following separate public hearings and public comment about noise from past events.
Council members opened hearings for Preserve's application for the Hilltop Lodge clubhouse and for Richmond Smoke at 1219 Main Street. During the Preserve hearing, councilors discussed whether to grant waivers historically reserved for religious, charitable or civic organizations; the council moved forward with approval without waivers after staff noted prior practice of approving similar requests. Councilor Madnick moved to approve Preserve's outdoor entertainment license for events at 87 Kingstowne Road between June 2025 and June 2026 with dates varying by event; the motion passed in roll-call votes with a unanimous recorded vote.
At the Richmond Smoke hearing, resident David Benson of Kenhub Park said he lives about 1,000 feet from the venue and described live concerts as “annoying” when combined with highway noise and other nearby sources; he asked whether the town could require on-site noise monitoring. Orianna Kenyon, general manager of Richmond Smoke, told the council she took over the operation in February and said the venue had changed its programming to quieter genres (country, bluegrass) and was trying to be respectful of neighbors. Councilors encouraged the applicant to exchange direct contact information with nearby residents so they could raise issues promptly. The council approved Richmond Smoke’s outdoor entertainment license for listed months and weekend times (as requested in the application) by roll-call vote.
Councilors also discussed that existing town noise ordinances remain enforceable even when an outdoor entertainment license is issued; members urged residents with complaints to use the formal complaint process so enforcement can occur if necessary.
The approvals were recorded as formal motions and passed by roll call. The council also approved related indoor-entertainment licenses for Preserve venues during the same meeting.
