The MacPhersons fill a room

The pews at the county courthouse were completely full last week (Jan. 18) for the Rappahannock County Planning Commission’s monthly meeting. And, in a nice change of pace, every citizen who stood up came to praise a project, not bury it.

County Administrator Debbie Keyser said no one could remember an application to the planning commission that generated more letters — all of which supported the project, she said.

The project, and the rezoning application heard by the commission, is that of John and Diane MacPherson, who are about to settle the sale of their Foster Harris House B&B (and its small, highly rated dining room) on Washington’s Main Street and are hoping to open a new place — a somewhat larger restaurant-only spot — in downtown Sperryville.

The old house on a hill at 4 Main St., its driveway right next to Sperryville Rescue Squad, will need some work — the MacPhersons freely acknowledge that. When all was said and done last Wednesday, the planners agreed; they recommended approval of the permit to the supervisors. They added three conditions that must be met, however: a VDOT-approved entranceway, now too narrow for commercial use; the rescue squad’s agreement on the reconfigured drive; and a site plan showing drainage and runoff plans.

“We are hopeful,” said John MacPherson on Tuesday. “We’ll know more in a couple of weeks. Right now, we just have boxes everywhere.”

The MacPhersons will have moved out of Foster Harris House by the time you read this, to a smaller home further north on Washington’s Main Street.