Brighton Township’s Board of Trustees on Monday considered a proposal to rezone property off of Old US-23 so that the owner, David LeClair, may construct a wedding barn, two wedding venues, and a tree house onsite. The conditional rezoning from Residential Single Family to Office Service is needed as the township currently does not have an ordinance that regulates wedding barns.

Board members voiced their concerns about the project, with the main issue being in regard to noise control. LeClair told the Board he intends to do everything he can to mitigate any noise coming from weddings held at the barn so that it doesn’t affect neighbors. He plans to construct the insulated barn in the middle of the property so it is as far from neighbors as possible and to plant trees as a noise buffer.

While the township had received several emails from concerned neighbors who too were mostly worried about noise problems, a few have since become supportive of the project or at least neutral after visiting the property and/or meeting with LeClair. LeClair told officials they too were welcome to visit, with several members, including Supervisor Patrick Michel and Clerk Joseph Riker, saying they’d accept the invitation.

Riker said he still had some concerns, again naming noise as one, but he did state that he feels the project is a “wonderful idea”. Michel agreed, adding that he thinks there is a need for that type of venue. Officials voted six to one to approve the conditional rezoning. Trustee Lucille Weaire was the only oppositional vote as she felt that the township should establish an ordinance regulating wedding barns before approving any. But Trustee Sam Theis disagreed as he felt that it wasn’t fair to delay the project.

LeClair’s request will now move to a 2nd reading and a public hearing, as soon as any outstanding issues are resolved. If the wedding barn were to be approved and later fail after construction, the property’s use would revert back to the original designation. (DK)