Controversial Wedding Venue Going Back Before Orange County Board of Adjustment Monday Night

A controversial Orange County project will go back before the county’s Board of Adjustment on Monday night.

Community members near Morrow Mill Road have been concerned for nearly an entire year about a proposal that would bring a wedding venue to the area.

The Barn of Chapel Hill is billed as a wedding venue by the owners but those who opposed the project prefer the term “party barn.” The proposal first went before the planning board last year in a meeting that was attended by many residents voicing opposition.

The owner’s of the 22-acre property applied for a Special Use Permit for the project. That application was denied by the county Board of Adjustment. But the barn owners do not need the permit approval to move forward because the property is classified as a “bona-fide” farm.

A local organization, Preserve Rural Orange, has been leading the fight against the Barn of Chapel Hill. A release from the group says three neighboring landowners are appealing Orange County planning staff’s decision that no zoning approval is required for property owners to construct the venue.

The property owners told WCHL earlier this year that they believed they did not need county approval but said they wanted to go through an open process to hear concerns from the neighbors.

In that interview, one of the property owners – Kara Brewer – said they were working to develop the barn “without being a nuisance to the community.” Brewer said, at the time, the property had two bee hives with hopes they would begin to sell honey in 2017. They had also had hopes of selling other products, including flowers next year.

The neighbor’s appeal is set to be heard by the county Board of Adjustment at 7:30 Monday night on the lower level of the West Campus Building at 131 West Margaret Lane in Hillsborough.

‹

County Commissioners Reject Dollar General Proposal for White Cross in Split Vote

Orange County commissioners recently voted against a zoning request for a Dollar General store off of N.C. Highway 54 and White Cross Road.

Hillsborough Fire Marshal Retires After 15 Years of Services

Hillsborough’s Fire Marshal and Emergency Management Coordinator Jerry Wagner retired this week following 15 years of working with the town. The town recently shared a release about his retirement to the community, which began on Wednesday. “Hillsborough is the hometown of my father, so it is was only fitting that I look out for those […]

Orange County Residents Protest Proposed Development Outside Hillsborough; Planning Board to Review

A proposed development just outside of Hillsborough has stirred up strong responses from some nearby residents, leading to a gathering to protest the project. County residents lined Churton Street near the courthouse holding signs advocating against the Research Triangle Logistics Park on Saturday, August 15. The project, which first submitted its request for a zoning […]

Dozens Dead or Hurt in Wedding Party Blast in Afghan Capital

A suicide-bomb blast ripped through a wedding party on a busy Saturday night in Afghanistan’s capital and dozens of people were killed or wounded, a government official said. More than 1,000 people had been invited, one witness said, as fears grew that it could be the deadliest attack in Kabul this year. Interior Ministry spokesman […]

Orange County Asking Barn of Chapel Hill Complaints be Consolidated

The Orange County Board of Commissioners has issued a statement on court cases involving the Barn of Chapel Hill. There are currently four similar appeals pending before the Orange County Superior Court regarding the barn operating as an event space brought on by neighbors of the property, according to the county. The board has requested […]

This is Tourism: Kara Brewer, The Barn of Chapel Hill

On this week’s “This is Tourism” segment, presented by the Orange County Visitors Bureau, Ron Stutts spoke with Kara Brewer from The Barn of Chapel Hill! The Barn of Chapel Hill is a beautiful venue for weddings and other special events that specializes in Southern charm and elegance. They just recently hosted the wedding of […]

State Fire Marshal Praises Orange County for Firefighter Volunteer and Recruitment Efforts

North Carolina fire marshal and insurance commissioner Mike Causey visited fire departments around Orange County, including the New Hope Fire Department, and praised Orange County for its numbers of volunteers and high school recruitment efforts. “From what I’ve seen so far, Orange County is ahead of the majority of our counties in numbers of volunteers, […]

Chapel Hill Couple Married at Local Whole Foods

Cleanup on aisle five. Wedding on aisle six. Weddings are supposed to be held at a location that means a great deal to the couple involved. Sometimes it’s at a church, or a barn, or even on a beach. For a local Chapel Hill couple, this meant Whole Foods. Ross Aronson and Jaqueline Troutmant held […]

Future of Debated Event Space Uncertain

The Barn of Chapel Hill has 17 weddings scheduled beginning this summer at its rustic venue, but they may not happen. The Board of Adjustment determined Monday night that the barn could not host weddings or retreats. “I’m not entirely sure what the decision or what the written decision is going to be from what the […]

Controversial Wedding Venue Going Back Before Orange County Board of Adjustment Monday Night

A controversial Orange County project will go back before the county’s Board of Adjustment on Monday night. Community members near Morrow Mill Road have been concerned for nearly an entire year about a proposal that would bring a wedding venue to the area. The Barn of Chapel Hill is billed as a wedding venue by […]

›