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After heated debate on safety and noise, council rezones Club 17 property to commercial
Summary
Following testimony for and against, the council approved rezoning 507 South Adams Street to B2 General Commercial for Club 17 Charitable Foundation, with recorded opposition citing noise, calls for service and a previously rejected permit; one councilmember voted no.
Petersburg City Council approved a rezoning request on June 16 that will allow Club 17 Charitable Foundation to operate its headquarters and expanded community-event space at 507 South Adams Street.
Club 17 representatives and long-time supporters described the organizations 75-year history of youth programs, scholarships and neighborhood investment. "Club 17 has been around for 75 years... we've helped some of the citizens with their bills and we've helped other charitable organizations," said Donald Roni, president of Club 17. Bernard Harper, who spoke as the applicant, said the group purchased adjacent property to provide additional off-street parking and has proposed proffers limiting use to nonprofit headquarters and private events, restricting outdoor amplified sound and limiting event hours.
Council members and neighbors also raised safety and nuisance concerns. Councilmember Culpepper presented calls-for-service records that staff said include multiple noise complaints and two entries denoted as shots fired; he also displayed a permit that staff said was rejected on 12/17/2025 and questioned whether sprinklers and other safety measures would be required. Several neighbors urged the council to oppose an expansion of event space into a residential area. Harper said the permit was rejected because inspectors and architects asked questions about design and that the fire marshal would make final determinations on sprinklers.
Councilmember Myers moved to rezoning the site to B2; the motion passed by roll call with one member recorded as "No" (Councilmember Cuthbert) and the remaining votes in favor. Planning staff had noted a 7-1 Planning Commission recommendation for approval and included nine proffers restricting use, occupancy limits, off-street parking and limits on outdoor amplified sound in the staff packet.
