Amherst County supervisors approve special-exception for 83-acre event venue at Buffalo Springs Turnpike

The Amherst County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to approve a special-exception application (2024608) to allow a special events and photography venue at 154 Buffalo Springs Turnpike, the county’s planning staff said during the public hearing.

The special-exception petitioners, Mark and Andrea Hamm, own the roughly 83-acre parcel. Planning staff described the site as A-1 agricultural/residential zoning and said the parcel is largely vacant land with nearby village-district parcels and a volunteer fire department nearby. Staff said VDOT requires a low-volume commercial entrance and the county fire marshal raised no concerns. The applicants agreed to a condition limiting attendance to 100 people for any single event; staff also recommended standard conditions for special events venues found in the item summary.

Why it matters: Special exceptions permit uses not ordinarily allowed in A-1 zoning when the board finds the use consistent with county code and surrounding land uses. The board’s approval authorizes the Hamm property to operate as an events and photography venue subject to the conditions attached to the approval.

During the public comment period, two residents spoke. Jim Vasquez, who identified himself as living in Chris Adams’ district, praised local rescue volunteers and said the proposed venue “is appropriate” for the site because it is a large parcel away from houses. Stuart Gregory, of District 3, said his neighborhood had opposed a different venue earlier this year and criticized the board’s prior handling of a special-exception approval in May; Gregory said he and others intend to pursue a court appeal of that earlier decision. Gregory said he believed the board had treated the May application differently and asked why his neighbors’ objections had not carried the same weight.

The applicants, Mark and Andrea Hamm, said they plan to host smaller events with a maximum of 100 people and to use existing buildings and fields for parking; Mark Hamm told the board he had not observed standing water in the planned parking areas and believed the site would not disturb neighbors. Jenna Lloyd Fisher, who said she owns Pleasant Vista on Dancing Creek and lives in District 3, spoke in support of the Hams and said additional venue options help attract business to the western part of the county.

Board action and conditions: Supervisor Chris Adams moved to approve the special exception 2024608. The motion passed with all board members voting in the affirmative and no recorded opposition. The approval incorporates the applicant’s 100-person limit and a VDOT-required low-volume commercial entrance; the staff report lists four standard conditions for special events uses (the staff report did not enumerate them verbatim at the hearing). The county fire marshal review was noted as having no concerns.

The board’s approval applies only to the special-exception request as described in the application and the item summary; the county’s zoning code and the conditions recorded with the approval govern how the venue may operate going forward.

Votes at this hearing: Motion to approve special exception 2024608 (mover: Supervisor Chris Adams). Outcome: approved unanimously. No second was recorded on the public hearing transcript.

The board moved on to the next public hearing item after the vote.