By Adam Rollins, Record Staff Writer
The saga of a local couple’s push to open a wedding venue near Wright City continued this week with a protest hearing spurred by area residents.The vocal group of opponents, most of whom live in neighborhoods along North Stringtown Road, say the venue proposed by John and Simeen Cook would create too much noise and traffic, and that they are concerned about drunk drivers.The Cooks want to establish a scenic locale called the Renaissance, where couples can get married outdoors on their 12-acre lot near the intersection of North Stringtown Road and the Interstate 70 North Outer Road. They want to construct a new indoor reception hall that could fit more than 200 people. They also plan to convert an existing house on the property into a winetasting business open to daily visits.Warren County’s Planning and Zoning Commission approved a conditional use permit for the venue in March, with restrictions on outdoor music and requirements for adequate access and parking on the property to reduce traffic congestion. That didn’t satisfy opponents, who say the Cooks should take their business somewhere else.Residents protestThe Warren County Commission (not to be confused with the planning and zoning commission) heard an official protest against the venue CUP Monday evening.“We believe the public safety and comfort would be impacted by the additional traffic from the (property),” said Lloyd Murphy, who lives near the proposed venue. “Granting this conditional use will absolutely injure the enjoyment of our property.”Murphy and other opponents said they moved to the area northeast of Wright City because of its quiet country atmosphere, and are afraid large groups of people celebrating a wedding would take that atmosphere away.“We don’t believe this is the right business for this residential area,” Murphy said.The Cooks pushed back, saying the area already has plenty of noise from I-70, an active railroad line and a nearby business that hauls and dumps rock.“I doubt that the noise we would have would match trucks dumping and making noise all day long,” Simeen Cook said. “There is a lot of noise already out there. We wouldn’t be adding to the decibel level.”County Road Department Supervisor Gary Ruether has previously addressed questions of safety along the quarter-mile stretch of North Stringtown Road between the proposed venue and the North Outer Road.“It’s a paved road, and the section they’re putting it in is a straight shot, so there’s no safety issue,” Ruether said. Traffic shouldn’t be a problem as long as the property has adequate entrances, he added.After hearing the protest, county commissioners voted to postpone a ruling for future consideration. They will announce their decision on May 18.If plans for the wedding venue fall apart, John Cook said he will renovate the existing house and build other structures on the property for use as vacation rental homes through an online service such as Airbnb.Alcohol salesThe planning and zoning commission heard a separate CUP application from the Cooks on April 20, dealing solely with their ability to conduct retail sales on the property, including for beer and wine.When the venue isn’t reserved for weddings, the Cooks plan to have it open for visitors to enjoy a winery-style atmosphere where they can relax and view art made by local artists.Residents who attended the hearing said North Stringtown Road is their only easy access to the interstate, and that they don’t want to share the road with drunk drivers. They compared the Cooks’ plans as akin to opening a bar near their homes, a comparison that John Cook strongly denies.“I will not own a bar. It will never be a bar,” Cook said. “What we’re doing here is tasteful. A lot of thought and consideration are going into this.”The planning and zoning commission approved the retail use application for Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, although they said they expect opponents will protest that CUP as well.The difficulty for county officials has been trying to address the concerns of area residents while being as fair as possible to the Cooks. Permit restrictions have been aimed at satisfying both sides.But as Planning and Zoning Commissioner Rebecca Herbst put it after a contentious hour of objections from residents at the retail CUP hearing, “It seems like there’s nothing we can do to make you people happy.”Owner John Cook is renovating and expanding a house at 29131 N. Stringtown Road near Wright City, in the hope of receiving a permit to open a wine tasting venue and build a new wedding reception hall. When Cook and wife Simeen purchased the property in January, they said it looked more like a junkyard full of tires and used tractor parts. Record photo/ Adam Rollins.
