A newly proposed event venue in Madison has folks talking, and voicing their concerns, about what could come to Oak Park Road.
On Wednesday, the Madison County Planning Commission held its first workshop regarding a special use permit application for Madison Hills, an event venue that would be located on 186.476 acres of A-1, agricultural, zoned land located off Oak Park Road. Economic development committee member Molly Wilshere purchased the property last fall and seeks to host up to three seasonal events there including a winter light show, spring market and fantasy faire and a summer event. The winter event would occur from 5-10 p.m. Friday through Sunday for seven weekends, the spring Saturday and Sunday for seven weekends and the summer event Saturday and Sunday for three weekends. No events are proposed Monday through Thursday and the events would include a farmers market which is already allowed as a byright use.
Planning and zoning administrator Allen Nichols said his office has already received numerous calls about the project, the application for which was submitted June 6. He said some of the things he’s heard about the project are based in fact, while others are not.
“Some of the things it is not,” he said,” is a commercial solar energy facility, an amusement park, a concert venue, 28 weeklong events, activities and structures in the floodplain [and] section eight housing.”
Wilshere, a fabricator, former teacher and self-declared “Christmas Elf,” envisions the property as one that can offer education about the local area and a place for artisans to sell their handmade wares. She said the winter event, Frost Fest, would be a walk-through Christmas lightshow with food vendors and wineries, as well as a juried artisan market, kids crafts and games and educational booths. The spring event would be an open market vendor village with handmade items and a farmer’s market featuring a fantastical element. She aims to create a structure that she said is “basically a large front porch” with space under roof for the vendors.
In lieu of selling tickets, which are not taxable, Wilshere said she would offer memberships with a tangible item so the county could receive tax revenue from the membership sales. Septic would be handled by portapotties in the first years, with the goal of creating flushable toilets for staff and vendors in the future. At the suggestion of local EMS officials, Wilshere would include a helipad on the property for emergency access. She said all structures, including an estimated 835 parking spaces, would be located at least two football fields from any neighboring residence. She also plans to install additional driveways for ingress and egress and utilize timed ticketing to mitigate traffic impacts and would privately hire law enforcement and emergency responders so as not to drain local resources. The project is broken into two phases with the initial phase consisting of six acres of festival grounds, the parking area and helipad. The second phase expands the festival grounds to 18 acres. The first phase is proposed to be completed in three years with the second depicting maximum development as the business grows over a 10-year period.
“The goal is not for this to be my bread and butter, but instead be something really wonderful for the community,” Wilshere said.
Community members weren’t convinced however as a packed audience led to numerous speakers voicing their concerns. Colt Puryear, who shares an easement with the property, said the use would change the character of the area. He called the project a “theme park” and said it was ill-conceived, stating he wasn’t convinced Wilshere knows how to do what she’s proposing. He said the application lacked substance and represented a purely commercial activity in an agricultural and residential area.
Chris Covington of Malvern agreed. He said an 840-vehicle parking area would create a muddy mess that would run off into Little Dark Run. He said Oak Park and Fishback Roads already can’t handle their traffic. Hannah Mezzaros, also of Malvern, agreed stating she has trouble accessing her property already.
Margo McClain of Riding Trail Lane said she strongly opposes the SUP application which she said undermines the very fabric of Madison County’s principles. She said a proposed 14-feet tall privacy fence would create a barrier to wildlife who call the area home and the project would affect property values and damage waterways and agricultural land.
Brian Majewski echoed McClain’s sentiments, questioning Wilshere’s insistence that the project was conceived as a desire to boost the local economy. He said what was originally just Frost Fest has ballooned into additional events with Wilshere soliciting private events online.
Carolyn Wall said she relocated to Malvern for peace and quiet, not to be next to an event venue which will affect residents’ way of life. Mary DeMartino and Dennis Biggler echoed similar sentiments, stating the project would change the area.
Offering counter points were Robin Daniel and Jennifer Poteet. Daniel voiced support for the project, saying she’d met with Wilshere, walked the property and had no concerns with the intended use. Poteet, who resides near Graves Mill Farm and Lodges, said she too supports the project. She said it would give families something local and affordable to do as well as provide seasonal jobs.
The meeting marks the first of two workshop meetings regarding the project. The second will be held next month. Wilshere also plans to host an informational open house meeting Wednesday, June 25 at 6:30 p.m. at Cake Krums, 117 N. Main Street, Madison.
