By Josh Bergeron

josh.bergeron@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — The Rowan County Planning Board on Monday gave its approval to an events center north of the Liberty community on Stokes Ferry Road.

The request attracted some questions and a bit of criticism from the events center site’s immediate neighbors. However, planning board members approved the request unanimously. Mostly, the site would be used for weddings.

A site plan for the events center shows a long gravel road extending from Stokes Ferry Road to a parking lot. The gravel road would be a few hundred feet from the closest house. Reception areas for weddings and any events would be near the rear of the property. Darrell Reavis, from Salisbury, made the request for a zoning change that allows the events center.

Currently, the land is zoned rural agricultural. Reavis’ request, which still requires approval from county commissioners, would change the land to commercial, business and industrial with a conditional use district.

Jim Martin, a neighbor who showed up to speak, questioned whether noise could travel across the rural area to nearby homes, whether dust might be stirred up because of the gravel road and whether alcohol would be allowed on the site.

Martin said there were originally deed restrictions relating to the size of homes on tracts of land in the area. The deed restrictions are why people have “decent-sized homes” and enjoy living in that part of the county.

“I’m not saying he doesn’t have a right to pursue this dream, but I want you to understand why this is a low-populated area,” Martin said.

Reavis said he was unaware of any current deed restrictions on the property.

Planning Board member Taylor Ford, the son of state legislator Carl Ford, said noise may be an issue with the events center site. That’s the only potential issue, he said. Other planning board members said there’s a difference between general noise and a noise that’s a nuisance to neighbors.

At the events center site on Stokes Ferry Road, there would be no noise after 11 p.m., according to the property owners. Most of the wedding events would occur on Saturday or Sunday.

If county commissioners give their approval to the events center site, only the rear portion of the property — 18 of 31 total acres —  would be rezoned.

At the earliest, county commissioners could consider the events center rezoning during their Sept. 19 meeting.

Contact reporter Josh Bergeron at 704-797-4246.