Colonial Williamsburg looks to create outdoor performance venue

At today’s Williamsburg planning commission meeting Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Submitted their proposal to create an outdoor event venue at the Palace Farms site located at 100 Visitor Center Drive. This site contains over 42 acres and the applicant proposes to use the area currently developed which is approximately 21 acres. The first part of the request is to amend the zoning text to require a special use permit for outdoor special events in the Museum Support District MS. The second part of the request is for a special use permit to allow outdoor special events at the Palace Arms site as shown on the sketch provided by the applicant.

CW notes in their application examples of venues proposed for this area to include live concerts and festivals, live stage theatre, outdoor lecture series, outdoor movie nights and pop-up food and beverage festivals.

CW proposes the following temporary facilities as shown on the enclosed sketch to include a stage, grass seating for up to 5,000 attendees, portable restroom facilities, food and beverage tents and food trucks if the Zoning Ordinance is amended to allow food trucks in other locations in the City. The size of the stage and fencing will vary depending on the venue. Examples of staging and fencing provided by the applicant are those similar to the Summer Breeze Concerts and the Fun House Fest events currently held on the Museum Lawn.

Current plans may allow for outside food and non- alcoholic beverages within the venue for certain events. If alcoholic beverages are allow they will be restricted to those purchased on-site and inside the fenced venue.

Parking is available at the site and across the street at the Visitor Center. Access to the site from the Visitor Center is by the pedestrian bridge across Visitor Center Drive.

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