The Warren County Planning and Zoning Board gave its blessing last week for a property owner on Highway O to build a new wedding and events venue that could accommodate more than 200 people.

The property location is about 4 miles north of Marthasville, set back from the highway on over 200 acres of farmland and surrounding woods. Property owner Doug Willming is seeking to build an event hall that’s about 4,800 square feet, plus additional amenities such as a suite of dressing rooms for wedding parties. He estimated that a normal event would have less than 250 people, but that the venue capacity could be as high as 350.

Willming presented his proposal to the planning and zoning board on July 15.

“This area’s pretty remote. The venue will sit quite a way off the highway,” commented county Planning and Zoning Administrator Vickie Vohsen. She said her only real concern over the project is the narrow private road that leads to the property. Vohsen recommended approving a conditional use permit (CUP) for the venue with the understanding that the road will be widened.

That road ended up being the main issue of contention among members of the planning board. The lane is currently only about one car wide. Board members believe an event venue should be able to handle cars traveling in both directions, and more importantly should have adequate access for large emergency vehicles.

“What if somebody is leaving the venue and there’s an emergency vehicle trying to get in? They’re going to meet head-on,” commented board Chairman Cory Johnston.

Willming said he would gladly widen his entire road, except that there’s one stretch where that decision isn’t within his control. One section of the road travels through two neighboring properties, and Willming’s only access is a 15-foot-wide easement. To widen the road, he would need a new agreement with his neighbor.

That neighbor, Curtis Stille, was present to address the planning board, expressing a preference against widening the road and losing part of his tree barrier.

But County Attorney Mark Vincent advised that the planning board’s role is to set rules to protect public health and safety, including setting the minimum width of access roads. With that in mind, board members agreed that Willming will have to convince his neighbor to provide at least a 20-foot road easement as a condition to running his venue. How he accomplishes that is up to him, the board said.

The board also set requirements that any food service or catering at the venue has to be regulated by the county health department, adequate sewer service has to be provided on-site, and that a gate needs to be erected to prevent public access to any other private properties that share the entry road. With those requirements in place, the wedding venue received unanimous approval from the planning and zoning board.