A family lodge off of Highway AA with room for over 100 people has been approved for use as a rentable wedding and events venue.
The extended family that owns the venue on Dover Place, located …
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A family lodge off of Highway AA with room for over 100 people has been approved for use as a rentable wedding and events venue.
The extended family that owns the venue on Dover Place, located about 2 miles outside of Warrenton along Highway AA, received enthusiastic approval from the Warren County Planning and Zoning Commission on Oct. 21. County P&Z staff described the lodge as an impressive building that will be well-suited to the use as an event venue.
Larry and Gloria Vertrees, who co-own the property with other family members, said their family built the lodge themselves, taking about two years. They initially intended it just for private family gatherings.
“We have family members who are in all the trades. It took us a long time to build it. ... We’re very proud of it,” said Larry Vertrees. “It was a labor of love.”
Vertrees and his wife, along with family members Dennis and Darlene Farney, also built homes on properties adjacent to lodge.
Vertrees said they’ve been hosting periodic family gatherings at the lodge since 2015, which have grown into bigger events as family members started inviting friends. Eventually those friends started asking if they can rent the lodge for their own events. Since the lodge often sits empty, Vertrees said they were interested in exploring rentals as a possibility.
The planning and zoning commission unanimously approved a conditional use permit for the venue, with conditions including that outdoor music must end at 11 p.m. and the facility must comply with all health and sanitation regulations. The maximum capacity of the building was set at 120 people.
Planning and Zoning Administrator Vickie Vohsen said only one nearby neighbor had expressed concerns about noise from the venue, but that he was satisfied to learn that music wouldn’t go extremely late at night.
Vertrees commented that their family has tried to keep good relations and avoid disturbing the few neighbors who live near them.
“We’re pretty respectful of our neighbors. They’ve been there a lot longer than we have,” he said.
The lodge has an upper level and a finished basement. The upper level is a 2,500-square-foot, open-layout entertainment area, with a large kitchen, bar area, fireplace, and room to seat about 50 people.
The lower level consists of three bedroom suites, a shared kitchen, garage and storage. The suites are built with fire escape windows.
Gloria Vertrees commented that the suites could be made available for renters to use or stay in, if necessary for their events, but that the family plans to keep overnight lodging to a minimum.
Outside, the lodge is situated on about 13 acres of land with a pond, which the owners said makes for a scenic area for photos.
