Family proposes phased event venue in Madison County; panel sends case to planning commission

Owners Leonard and Lori Peters, represented by agent Steven Found, presented an exploratory application for a special-permit event venue on a 152.624-acre A-1 property at 868 Novum Church Road. After questions from staff, VDOT and emergency responders, the panel voted to forward the case to the planning commission for formal review.

Found described a low-density, nature-focused venue intended for single-day events such as weddings and said the applicants planned a phased rollout: phase 1 would rely on tents and temporary amenities (porta-potties) with utilities and parking put in place, while a permanent barn or assembly building could be added in a later phase if demand supports it. "We're trying to create a place that preserves the beauty of the farm by sharing it, in a respectful way," Found said.

County staff and stakeholders identified several technical and neighborhood issues applicants must address before a public hearing. Health staff advised early engagement with a soil scientist and a professional engineer for wastewater characterization and said temporary porta-johns are acceptable for single-day events provided the health department signs off. VDOT staff noted a 200-trips-per-day threshold (counting an inbound and outbound movement as two trips), which covers roughly 100 cars; they recommended designing a commercial entrance if attendance or frequency will increase beyond early-stage volumes.

Fire/first-response staff discussed emergency access and a concrete bridge that serves as the proposed entrance; applicants said heavy equipment had crossed the bridge recently and the bridge had been designed by VDOT, while the fire representative advised planning for alternate access in case of flood damage.

The panel raised likely public concerns — noise, traffic and late-night activity — and noted the applicants had volunteered cutoff times (weekday 9 p.m., weekend 10 p.m.) to limit impacts. Staff also advised the owners to consult the commissioner of revenue about potential land-use rollback taxes if event operations alter acreage enrolled in a land-use program.

After discussion, the panel moved and seconded to forward the event venue exploratory case to the planning commission for further review; the motion passed by voice vote. Staff said they will continue technical coordination with the applicants and noted that the planning commission may request a site visit prior to a hearing.