When a new ownership group purchased the Colonial Inn in January, many Hillsborough residents had questions about what would be done to the property. A public hearing earlier this month helped bring answers.

The town board and planning board reviewed the rezoning application and request for a special use permit of the Colonial Inn property. Through those documents, more details surfaced about the 19th-century building’s future.

Hillsborough mayor pro tem Jenn Weaver describes how the new owners hope to use the property.

“Their proposal with their special use permit,” she says, “is to restore the inn to a functioning inn and have it be an event center where people can host small to medium-sized events.”

New ownership also plans to operate a restaurant, bar and meeting services on the property. The special use permit application highlights the various details needed to comply with zoning requirements. These include the inn’s need for significant renovation, off-site parking and changes in utility installations.

The property, which is located on King Street, borders residential and commercial areas. The former antebellum hotel fell into disrepair over the last decade, but is still a beloved landmark by locals. Weaver says this led many residents to attend the hearing and voice their thoughts.

“The neighbors immediately surrounding the property of course had a lot of questions and a few concerns,” she says. “But they all expressed how they are excited to see something done with the inn and are supportive of something happening. They just had some concerns they wanted to voice and hoped the applicant could address.”

One of the main topics nearby residents asked about was noise coming from the inn. They were concerned over how loud and late music could play with new ownership’s plans for an open space on the backside of the property and an indoor bar. But Weaver says the inn owners indicated there should be no issue.

“They intend to abide by the event center time rules on amplified music that are in our UDO,” says Weaver.

The next step for the Colonial Inn is to be reviewed by the town’s planning board before being presented again to the town’s board of commissioners in the fall.

 

Photo via Blake Hodge

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