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BV Council OKsB&B Permit
A conditional use permit for a bed and breakfast and special events venue at 2056 and 2068 Chestnut Ave. was approved this past Thursday by Buena Vista City Council.
The Blue Ridge Abbey Bed and Breakfast is to operate out of the grand old Victorian house built by Charles Francis Jordan Jr. that dates to 1903 and the adjacent brick carriage house. The CUP authorizes special events to be held outdoors that must abide by a list of accompanying conditions.
Conditions include limiting attendees to 50, requiring events to end by 10 p.m., and allowing amplified music but prohibiting it from being plainly audible from within closed residences 250 feet away. The CUP as it pertains to the special events is to be subject to annual reviews by City Council.
During discussion of the CUP, Stanley Coffey expressed concerns about how activity at the B&B would be monitored. “How do we control it?” he asked. “What if people stay longer than 30 days? How do we keep an eye on it?”
City Attorney Brian Kearney said the owners have to comply with the city’s B&B regulations or risk losing their permit. “Do we need to update the ordinance to make enforcement easier?” he asked.
Tom Roberts, the city’s director of community development, pointed out that all B&B owners have to file monthly reports when they pay their lodging taxes, and that they must keep records that the city can inspect.
Melvin Henson asked if parking could be restricted on 21st Street next to the B&B on Sunday mornings because of nearby churches. It was pointed out that this is a public street and parking can’t be restricted.
On whether to grant the CUP, Henson said, “I feel we need the lodging tax for growth. We need a hotel. This is a step in the right direction.”
He made a motion to approve the CUP. Ron Cash seconded the motion and it passed 5-2, over dissents from Steve Webb and Coffey.
