Wedding venue proposed for Maple Ave.

Posted 6/28/22

A Town of Montgomery barn could soon become the region’s newest wedding venue.

William Devine, owner of Pleasantly Devine Stables LLC is seeking approval from the Town of Montgomery Planning …

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Wedding venue proposed for Maple Ave.

Posted

A Town of Montgomery barn could soon become the region’s newest wedding venue.

William Devine, owner of Pleasantly Devine Stables LLC is seeking approval from the Town of Montgomery Planning Board to host wedding receptions and other catered events on his Maple Avenue Farm.

“We purchased the farm about six years ago,” Devine told the planning board recently. “Both houses and barn were really dilapidated.”

Since acquiring the property near the Project Sailfish Amazon warehouse, Devine and his wife Kelly have spent considerable money to get the 104-acre farm back into working order. They are growing corn and pumpkins and this year hope to harvest maple syrup.

“We’re really bringing the farm back to life,” Devine said.

The Devines have also found income by boarding horses in the barn - income that has dwindled since the start of the pandemic. Devine said people stopped paying rent to board horses since then.

“We would like to hold events in the barn,” Devine said.

He said the barn is tucked away on the property, a quarter of a mile from the nearest house. It has a high-end septic system with portable bathrooms. Any food preparation would be done offsite.

A listing on weddingwire.com lists describes the Rustic Barn as a “classic Monitor style barn complete with a heavy timber frame straight from the mill with all the charming characteristics from the farm.” Other amenities offered on the website include valet parking, cocktails on a covered patio and the availability of a 1792 farmhouse for the wedding party to prepare.

Wedding packages, according to the website, start at $6,000.

Devine said the proposed hours for weddings would be 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Most barn events, he said, would take place between 5 and 11 p.m. The cutoff date for weddings would be around the beginning of October, as the barn is not heated.

Devine said that, other than perhaps a short outdoor reception, all events would take place inside the building, which has a capacity of 213, but a limit of 150 will be established. He said there’d be no outdoor speakers and no light emanating from the barn.

“There’s been a lot of back and forth with the ZBA with regard to this project, on many issues pertaining to this application,” Planning Board Chairman Fred Reichle said. “At this time I need to discuss with the town board about to the changes to the zoning law as they relate to this project.”