- April 26, 2024
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Rural Rima Ridge won't see an increase in brides in their community anytime soon, as residents won the battle over a proposed wedding and event barn on a 10 acre parcel off State Road 40.
The Volusia County Council denied Adventure Together Barns, LLC, a special exception to operate a rural event center on land zoned for rural agriculture in unincorporated Ormond Beach with a 5-2 vote at the council meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 20. Council Chair Ed Kelley and Councilman Fred Lowry were the only people to vote for it. A total of 33 people filled out cards to speak in opposition of the wedding barn, many of them wearing lime green shirts.
Rima Ridge Resident Rob Giebel said Adventure Together Barns was at best "misleading" in its application to the county, and said he would describe it "blatantly dishonest." He took issue with it being a commercial party venue, and that it went against the rural character and culture of the neighborhood.
“There’s a saying that you can put a lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig," Giebel said.
Ormond Beach resident Shauna Altes of Adventure Together Barns was seeking to construct six structures on 3 acres of the 10: a main barn, covered porch, floral storage barn, groom's barn, pole barn and a gazebo by the pond. The property is bordered by churches on the west and east side and located 872 feet away from residential Cone Road. Though the property contained wetlands, Altes was seeking to utilize the uplands in the southernmost three acres.
Other concerns by residents included losing the quality of life in the neighborhood due to noise, impacting wildlife, increased traffic, crime and drunk driving.
Some residents said Altes would never be accepted as part of the community. Rima Ridge resident Deborah Ringhaver said this would be the third event barn in the area, and it's not needed.
“There’s a good deal of opposition to this," Ringhaver said. "It’s not wanted. It’s not welcome in our community.”
Altes said she felt that the negative comments by the residents was somewhat of a conflict of interest because many were "whipped into a frenzy" by barn owners that are currently operating on a residential street. She said she lives 8 minutes from the property, and is a part of the community as well. Altes wanted to create a venue to enrich the community, she told council.
"I feel it's important to create a space for that, whereas there is a small pocket of neighbors in the Rima Ridge community who are opposed to it, but there are hundreds and hundreds more who are excited about it," she said, earning groans from the Rima Ridge residents in attendance, after which Kelley warned they would be asked to leave at the next outburst.
The property was perfect because it was on a main highway and not a residential road, she said, and flanked by churches with an attendance of 200 or more.
The council had just approved a special exception for a rural event center in Oak Hill earlier in the meeting, but Councilman Ben Johnson said both items weren't equal. That project already had an existing barn, and had support from its neighbors. The Rima Ridge resident outpouring was the largest he'd seen in council chambers, he said, and mentioned the petition opposing the wedding barn that was sent to the council.
“So we’re not talking apples to apples," Johnson said. "We’re talking apples to oranges.”
Councilwomen Deb Denys, Billie Wheeler, Heather Post and Barb Girtman all opposed the project as well.
Kelley believed Adventure Together Barns met all the requirements for a special exception. He said he thought the white barn was great, and that it was needed in the area. He said he was upset that the opposition was led by people who already had a similar facility in the area, and the residents verbally disagreed.
When the vote failed, the Rima Ridge residents stood up, clapped and hollered.
"This will wind up in court," Kelley said as residents came up after the vote to shake the hands of the council members who voted against the barn.
