Winnebago County is reviewing traffic study for wedding venue

For now, the public storm seems to have quieted over  Hidden Creek Estates, the proposed seasonal open-air event venue,  Airbnb, and wine bar at 13276 White School Road. But much seems to be happening behind the scenes.

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Tuesday, we reached out for updates from Attorney James Hursh, who represents several neighbors who are in opposition to the venue, but did not receive an immediate response. One of his clients confirmed that he is still acting on their behalf.

Meanwhile, Hidden Creek Estates released a statement that "the Frank family is working diligently each day to prepare for their opening including putting finishing touches on anything and everything to enhance the guest experience. They are hopeful for the future of the venue and look forward to hosting guests this summer."

Guests at the venue would enter and exit through a driveway onto White School Road. The venue had long argued that an access permit from Winnebago County wasn't legally required if the driveway remained unchanged. But on Tuesday Winnebago County Engineer Carlos Molina told Roscoe News, "We are in the process of reviewing a traffic impact study submitted to us yesterday afternoon by an engineering consultant. We plan to have our revisions / comments back soon."

In May, the venue withdrew its application for annexation to the Village of Roscoe, partly because the Village Board would not consider their application until they had requested an access permit from the County.  The Village's Zoning Board of Appeals had recommended in April that the Village approve the venue's annexation request, but the venue could not come to an agreement on annexation conditions, such as guests limits. So instead, the venue sought a pre-annexation agreement with the City of South Beloit.  Kerry Frank, co-owner of Hidden Creek Estates, told them her family wants to host weddings and other special events, a wine bar in the barn one or two nights a week, and an Airbnb in the cottage.

At first, the venue met disapproval from the South Beloit's Zoning Board of Appeals/Planning Commission. But the South Beloit City Council overruled the ZBA's recommendation and agreed to pre-annex the property, granting it a special use permit as a Seasonal Outdoor Venue in the Urban Transitional (UT) Zoning District.

Now that South Beloit has made its decision, the Village of Roscoe is no longer involved, after many months of involvement. Village Administrator Scott Sanders told us, "My final word on Hidden Creek Estates is that I wish them well. I hope they experience success as a business, respect the quiet charm of the surrounding neighborhoods, and honor their commitment to operate in harmony with the surrounding landscape and community."

Asked how home prices would be affected by the wedding venue, real estate investor and homebuilder Chris Youssi of Youssi Custom Homes told us Tuesday, "It is difficult to assess how the market responds until we actually have some sales for comparison purposes. Interest in building at Hidden Creek has not been affected." (The Hidden Creek subdivision is just southwest of the venue.)

Interest in building single-family homes in Winnebago County has been low for years. In 2005, 1,601 single family homes were built in the county, but only 243 in 2008 and 41 in 2012. Now there's a shortage. According to KellerWilliams Realtor Angela Ketelsen, less than 50 homes are active and available for purchase in the Roscoe/Rockton/South Beloit area. The high cost of lumber discourages builders who might otherwise increase that inventory.

According to 2020 tax records, some of the owners of lots directly south of the venue include Chris Youssi and Seed Real Estate (an investment venture of the Frank family). Two of the largest parcels are owned by the Hidden Creek Lot Owners Association.

Expecting to be open for business before now, Hidden Creek Estates took reservations for June weddings before having all their permits in place. In a statement, they told Roscoe News, "The Franks took having to cancel June weddings very seriously. They worked hard to reschedule them at other beautiful venues and helped cover any additional costs incurred. They wanted their couples to have wonderful days without the pressure of unexpected costs."