Plan Commission OKs Buechler Farms permit

The Village of Belgium Plan Commission last month loosened the rules for Buechler Farms to hold events on its working farm.

The commission unanimously renewed a conditional-use permit for the business after its first year of holding barn weddings, a rodeo and other events.

The biggest sticking point and the only one that drew a complaint was how long music could be played in the barn.

Irene Buechler, co-owner of the farm, said she thought the original conditions allowed music to run to 11:30 p.m. It was actually 11 p.m., and she apologized for letting it go longer.

Judy Buechler, who lives across the street and is the aunt of Irene’s husband Bryan, said during a public hearing immediately before the Plan Commission meeting that she can hear music going until midnight. 

“You guys signed these contracts and you don’t know what it is? I can’t believe that,” she said.

“Judy, you’re the one that said we’re family. We should try to talk about this reasonably,” Irene said. “And now you’re doing this? I just really don’t want to talk about it with you.”

Judy, who also has contacted the farm about cows making noise, left before the commission discussed the issue.

“These are unfortunate circumstances. I do feel bad for her situation. I’m sorry it got to this point,” Irene said.

Irene asked for the music to be extended since many bands want to play past 11 p.m.

The Commission turned down extending music to 12:30 a.m. but approved a midnight deadline.

The number of events had been limited to 40 per year but the commission unanimously eliminated that number.

“Why would we as a village want to discourage any type of business?” commission member Vickie Boehnlein asked.

Irene said the business is growing beyond barn weddings and has been drawing people from outside of Belgium. A wreath-making class has been popular and Kohler Co. contacted her about holding events during the next year’s Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits.

“The potential that I see that’s coming to that farm is amazing,” Irene said.

Other updated conditions include:

• Outdoor amplification of sound may only be done from dawn to dusk;

• The time events may be held throughout the day was eliminated;

• The number of people allowed in the barn was increased from 225 to 400, pending an engineer’s report.

The permit remains up for an annual review.