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Union Commission denies zoning change for proposed Allora Wedding Event Center, 3-2
Summary
The City of Union Commission voted 3-2 to deny a zoning map amendment and concept development plan that would have allowed a 13,000-square-foot Allora Wedding Event Center on Hathaway Road, following concerns about septic, traffic and land-use precedent.
The City of Union Commission voted 3-2 on July 21 to deny a zoning map amendment and associated concept development plan that would have allowed construction of an approximately 13,000-square-foot Allora Wedding Event Center on Hathaway Road.
Commissioner George Eldridge moved to deny the zoning amendment and Commissioner Kim Tuyn seconded; the motion passed with Eldridge, Tuyn and Mayor Larry Solomon voting yes and Commissioners John Mefford and Doug Bine voting no. The municipal order (2025-42) described the affected parcel as approximately 18.8 acres (PIDN 052.00-00-028.03) with related concept changes on nearby tracts.
Supporters, including Commissioner Mefford, said they believed the developers had addressed septic and sound concerns and that the venue could be an economic benefit. Mefford noted the change in zoning history for the property and said, “I represent the citizens of Union not those of unincorporated Boone County.”
Opponents raised several land-use and safety concerns. Commissioner Tuyn, chair of the Economic Development Committee, said placing a commercial destination three-quarters of a mile from U.S. Highway 42 could set a precedent for incompatible land uses and spot zoning and expressed concern about an event center operating on septic "for potentially up to a decade." Commissioner Eldridge cited persistent questions about septic, the volume of events beyond the 40–50 weddings described by developers, and traffic impacts on two-lane Hathaway Road.
The denial is a formal decision by the commission; the motion to deny was recorded as Municipal Order 2025-42 and the roll call vote matched the statements made earlier in the caucus discussion. No immediate appeals or next steps were stated in the meeting record.
The zoning denial occurred during the caucus following prior public comment at a July 7 regular meeting, and commissioners said they used written materials from the Boone County Planning Commission and direct responses from the developer in forming their decisions.
