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Board approves conditional use permit for Zion United Methodist farmers market with limits on amplified music
Summary
Supervisors approved CUP2026-02 allowing a farmers market at Zion United Methodist Church (tax map 51-6) with conditions: vendors limited to county definition of agricultural products, outdoor music non-amplified only, guiding procedures limit hours to Saturdays 10 a.m.–4 p.m., and staff noted planning commission recommended approval with 11 conditions.
The Louisa County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously May 4 to approve conditional use permit CUP2026-02 to allow a farmers market at Zion United Methodist Church, a 5.68-acre property at the intersection of Zion Road (Route 627) and Columbia Road (Route 615) in the Zion Crossroads growth area.
County staff told the board the planning commission unanimously recommended approval with 11 conditions and noted a neighborhood meeting on March 11 had no attendees. Staff said the permit will require vendors to meet the county definition of a farmers market and disallow mass-produced or multilevel-marketing items. Under the guiding procedures referenced in the permit, the market is functionally limited to Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Several supervisors questioned the allowance for outdoor music. Staff said the planning commission modified the condition to permit non-amplified outdoor music only; all amplified music must be played inside. The applicant, David McWilliams, pastor at Zion United Methodist Church, said the project’s goal is to create “a third place” where residents can gather, and he described efforts to enable SNAP (EBT) matching so low-income customers can stretch benefits and farmers receive full payment. “The goal is agriculture related goods…most of it is to make fresh vegetables available to people in the community,” McWilliams said.
Board members also discussed vendor limits (condition 8 references county code definitions), noise limits (decibel limits and prohibitions on large amplified ensembles), and winter operations; staff said the CUP allows flexibility but the narrative and guiding procedures constrain days and hours. After brief discussion, a supervisor moved to approve the CUP; a second was given and the motion carried unanimously.
Next steps: staff will issue the CUP approval letter including the narrative and the planning commission conditions; the applicant and enforcement staff will coordinate on vendor registration, noise limits and any SNAP-related program enrollment.
