Buckingham planning commission tables Indigo Acres event-and-retreat proposal after neighbors raise traffic, septic and safety concerns

The Buckingham County Planning Commission on Nov. 24 declined to forward a special-use permit application for Indigo Acres — a proposed retreat and event center at 1048 Rock Island Road — after residents and commissioners pressed the applicants for more information about traffic, wastewater and public-safety plans.

Neighbors described narrow roads, sharp curves and limited shoulders on Rock Island and White Rock roads and urged the panel to require traffic and environmental studies before approving large events. James A. Wood Jr., a lifelong county resident, said the property contains old grave markers and steep, creek-cut terrain that make the proposed development “not suited for a rural setting.” James Wood III, who presented technical concerns, asked the commission to require a professional traffic study and an in-depth wastewater assessment, warning that porta‑potties and unmanaged composting toilets risked groundwater contamination.

Applicants William and Cara (Kira/Kiera) Smariga told commissioners they had already reduced earlier proposals: they said they would cap large commercial events, reduce the size of the lodge to no more than 3,000 square feet, limit the retreat component to 12 guest cottages (a stated maximum of 40 retreat guests at a time) and rework camping capacity. The applicants also said they had discussed moving driveways with the Virginia Department of Transportation and would place any primary entrance “hundreds of feet from the curve.” William said the couple had consulted an on‑site certified soil engineer and were prepared to alter septic or sanitation plans if the health department required different systems.

But commissioners repeatedly said the application lacked the concrete, verifiable documentation they needed to recommend approval. Commissioners asked for VDOT confirmation that a proposed entrance meets agritourism or commercial entrance guidelines, per-residence stormwater/runoff analysis, percolation/perk testing or certified septic design, a crowd‑management and security plan, a schedule showing how events would be spread through the year, and a clear year‑one occupancy proposal. One commissioner summarized the commission’s approach: start conservatively, approve a smaller pilot operation, and allow the applicant to return for expansion if operations succeed and community impacts prove manageable.

With no VDOT approval packet and remaining uncertainty about wastewater, emergency response and noise mitigation, the planning commission voted to table the Indigo Acres request and asked the applicants to return next month with the requested documentation and a simplified, stepwise plan for initial operations. The applicants indicated willingness to accept lower initial attendance caps (discussion centered on 250–500 for major events and lower numbers for smaller gatherings) as part of a phased rollout. The commission’s tabling means the proposal will not be forwarded to the Board of Supervisors until the submission is complete.

Next steps: the applicants will supply VDOT and health‑department documentation, a septic or alternative sanitation plan acceptable to county authorities, and additional operational details. The commission expects the item to return at the next monthly meeting.