Friday, March 7, 2025–10:30 a.m.
-Mo Burge, Rome News-Tribune-
A new events venue offering space for weddings, birthday parties, farm tours, and family reunions is in the works in Silver Creek.
Plans were nearly derailed for the Chambers Mill Trout and Cattle Farm, which needs a special-use permit to operate on a 100-plus-acre farm on Reeceburg Road. Rome-Floyd Planning Director Brice Wood was recommending denial because the applicant, Ronnie Kilgo, constructed the venue before applying for the permit.
But Kilgo told the Rome-Floyd Planning Commission there was no intent to deceive; all events that have been held at the site so far have been for family and friends. Many of them showed up for the planning commission hearing on Thursday in support of the application.
The commission voted to recommend approval based on the condition that Kilgo would complete the required steps to host events at the site, including following guidelines set forth by the fire marshal to ensure the building is up to code.
Also during the meeting, the commission voted to deny without prejudice an application for a special use permit to build a union hall near International Paper in Coosa. The applicant will be able to reapply once more details of the site plan are available.
The recommendations will go to the Floyd County Commission for a final vote later this month.
A separate application within the Rome city limits also was denied without prejudice: a rezoning request for property on Hull Street in East Rome.
Business owner Frances Richardson wants to build a storage building for her lawn care business and her mother’s cleaning business. The family owns several lots. However, complicating the application is a public right of way that splits the property and possibly has a sewage line.
Wood suggested petitioning the Public Works Department to dissolve the right of way, giving back exclusive control of the property. The planning commission added their support for the petition as part of the motion to deny the application.
That recommendation will go before the Rome City Commission at a meeting later this month.
