The Cottonwood Barn took home a pair of awards during the spring, despite ongoing issues with Webster Township.
The barn was one of six “Barns of the Year” recognized by the Michigan Barn Preservation Network and was recognized by Hour magazine as one of the top two special event venues in Metro Detroit.
The barn, owned by Laura and Dan Waitz, underwent a year of restoration that Dan Waitz said cost nearly half a million dollars before hosting its first events in October 2013. Waitz said that the barn is completely booked for the summers of 2014 and 2015.
“Basically very weekend April through November we have something,” he said. “It’s been extremely successful.”
Other residents who live near the barn, which sits near the corner of Farrell Road and Webster Church Road, have raised concerns with the township that include noise and traffic produced by the barn’s events. The township sued the Cottonwood Barn in September, 2013 over zoning infractions.
Chelsea High School students celebrated prom at Cottonwood Barn Saturday, May 3.
Waitz said that he and his wife have been working with the Township on a mediated consent agreement.
“We’ve met with a facilitator and we’re trying to work out the details and hopefully that will be done as early as Friday,” he said.
“We’re working closely with the township and we’re down to just ironing out the details.”
While the mediation has been ongoing, the barn has hosted a number of events this spring, including the Chelsea High School Prom. The rental fee listed on the barn’s website for a 2016 weekend is $7,000.
Ben Freed is a general assignments reporter for The Ann Arbor News. Email him at benfreed@mlive.com and follow him on twitter at @BFreedinA2. He also answers the phone at 734-623-2528.