Vernon Inn gets approval for lot; agrees to cooperate with neighbors

Vernon - The owners of the Vernon Inn came to the planning board to talk about a parking lot and left with a list of improvements requested by the board at the suggestion of the business' neighbors. Jim Drew, co-owner of in, which is located on Route 94 just north of Vernon Crossing Road, came before the board on Aug. 24 with his business partner, Dan O'Keefe, to request preliminary site-plan approval for an expanded parking lot to contain overflow parking. The board approved the preliminary plan, with only Mayor Ira Weiner dissenting. Weiner said he would like to see inn's proposed storm-water drainage system before approving the project. The parking lot in question already exists and has been the source of complaints from the inn's neighbors to the east, one who said her land has begun to erode since the lot was put in. During heavy rains, gravel from the lot also washes down through the establishment's lower parking lots and into the street. Drew and O'Brien want to expand parking to be able to accommodate patrons of the popular venue on weekends and when the inn offers special musical performances and other events. Under normal conditions, Drew says, the lower parking lot is adequate. The Inn, formerly known as "Gary's," was a dilapidated building when Drew and O'Brien bought it. After renovating the inn, which was built around 1833, they opened for business in autumn 2004. The inn now houses a family restaurant, bar and an outdoor café known as "The Vernon Out," where bands play on weekends and entertainments include two horseshoe pits and a bocce court. Neighbors testified that they were worried about getting several ongoing issues resolved. Chief among their concerns were noise, odors from a dumpster, storm-water run-off, lights from parking cars and parking lot illumination. Shirley Nagle told the board that run-off from the inn property had caused a flood on her land in June 2004, and she displayed photographs of the swirling mud and water. Nagle, who has lived for 54 years in the house, said that a berm installed between the upper and lower lots had solved the problem, and she praised Drew's kindness and neighborliness to her on several occasions. "After the flooding, the town went out and looked into the flooding problem, and Jimmy [Drew] installed the berm," Nagle said. "Several times the septic system at the inn ran over. I didn't call the health department ‘cause I didn't want to get anyone in trouble." "Since June 19, they've had septic emptied out three times, and they always responded within an hour of time I called." "Noise from the inn isn't a problem," Nagle continued, "If they're having a good time over there, more power to them: Go for it." Fred Keglovits testified that odors from the inn's dumpster waft across his patio on warm summer nights and that litter often lands on his property. "The dumpster is within 20 feet of my property line and on hot humid nights it is pretty stenchy and raw," Keglovits said. "Our patio is right outside the door, and we've sat out maybe twice this summer, because of the lights, activity, noises and stench. Keglovits also remarked that bottles being thrown into the recycling unit make clanging noises through the evening at intervals, and even as late as 2 o'clock in the morning. "I'd be satisfied if they move and shield the dumpster and quiet the recycling unit," Keglovits noted. Margaret Hines told the board that she is most concerned about her privacy and about intrusive lights shining late at night on the land where she raises Highland Cattle. The meadow where the cattle roam abuts the upper inn parking lot. Hines also said when the inn cut the bank for the upper lot, it caused erosion at her fence line. Now tree roots are exposed where the soil has washed away. Board member John Logan suggested that planting a row of pine trees might help hold Hines' land and shield the property from light. The neighbors were unanimous in saying that they would be satisfied if the inn owners would install fencing and shrubbery to modify light pollution, address storm-water problems, shield the dumpster and recycling unit and try to keep party noise a little quieter. Board members agreed to add these constraints to the resolution approving the site plan. Among other remedies the board told Drew and O'Keefe to assure are better storm-water management, including re-grading of the property to correct the excessive slope and to intercept and redirect the water. The inn also must work with Vernon engineer Lou Kneip to schedule maintenance of the parking lot drainage system.