Without issuing a recommendation, the Columbus Planning Commission Monday passed a request to allow a church in a single-family residential district to the city council.
The commission voted 3-3 to allow church members to build the church, at 2533 Highway 69 South, in an R-1 (single-family residential) district.
Both sides of the debate were well represented during the hearing.
“We are here to request building a new church because we have outgrown our old building,” Demario Jefferson, the son of the church’s pastor, said. “We are looking to build a new ministry.”
Lowndes County District Four Supervisor Jeff Smith voiced his support for the church.
“As a member of (New Beginnings Full Gospel Baptist Church), I am here to show my support and what we are trying to do as a church family,” Smith said.
Neighbors voiced their opposition.
“I’m against this, but I’m not against the church,” landowner Bill Bryant said. “But the only way anyone can access the property is through an easement on our property. We think that it would cause a lot of traffic and congestion. You have to go between three houses to access the property owned by the church. This is a residential neighborhood.”
After hearing much of the same argument from Bryant’s family and neighbors, Commission member Wayne West questioned New Beginnings Pastor Glenn Jefferson on the size of the proposed church.
“We own 7.3 acres and the building will be 10,000 square feet,” Jefferson explained. “We may want to expand one day, but that is all we plan to build at this time.”
Building Official Kenny Wiegel said the acreage was ample for parking, but the easement was questionable.
“There is plenty of room for parking, but the easement is not owned nor maintained by the city,” he said.
Although the easement is not owned by the city, Jefferson said he was trying to find the owner so it could be adopted and maintained as a city road. Jefferson didn’t know who owned the easement.
But Smith assured the commission the matter was under consideration.
“We have had a study done on the easement and we are looking at our options,” said Smith. “We are looking to invest over $1 million in this property. I don’t think it would do anything but increase property values. This doesn’t even affect the (surrounding) property owners. We are trying to find the owner of the easement. I mean, let’s use common sense — we are talking about a $1 million investment.”
Commission Vice Chairman Kevin Stafford, who governed the meeting in the absence of a commission chairman, tried to persuade the church representatives to table the request.
“A development like this needs a paved road,” Stafford said. “I would hate to see you go through this process and not be able to come to an agreement with the owner of the easement. I would hate to see you get denied or approved tonight and not be able to move forward. My suggestion is you table it until the easement issue is resolved.”
“I don’t see what the problem is,” Jefferson said. “We own the property. What can we do with it? If we do more research, we will still have the same problem. I don’t think tabling it is going to do us any good.”
Nicole Clinkscales made a motion to grant the church its zoning request. The commission voted 3-2 against the measure. Stafford cast the tie vote in favor of the motion to approve.
“We have a split vote,” Stafford said. “This will go before the city council, without a recommendation from the planning commission.”
The council next meets March 20.
Donald Pope, owner of 4th Quarter Bar and Grill, 201 23rd St. S., also appeared before the commission. On the agenda to request changing the status of his establishment from a restaurant to a bar, Pope said his intent was misunderstood.
“I’m here to ask permission to occasionally have live music, a poetry night and karaoke,” Pope said. “I am not here to ask for a nightclub status.”
Pope explained to the commission he would not be change his hours of operation, nor did he want to increase the establishment’s allowed occupancy.
“I’m requesting this, because business has gotten kind of slow,” he said. “I’m just trying to get people in the door. I have a nice place with a nice atmosphere; I do not want to run a nightclub.”
Wiegel noted Pope would be required to upgrade parking and bathroom facilities. The 4th Quarter Bar and Grill is located in a C-1 (neighborhood commercial) district, which only allows the business to operate as a bar.
The property owner, Charles Colvin, tried to clarify Pope’s request.
“(Pope) is not trying to change his occupancy with the fire marshal,” Colvin said. “He’s only trying to bring in more customers to eat in his restaurant.”
Clinkscales said Pope didn’t seem to be out of compliance with his current zoning status. Commission member Wythe Rhett concurred.
“I’m not so sure (Pope) needs to even do this,” he said. “It seems to me like he’s just running a restaurant and adding some entertainment. I don’t think this is a zoning issue.”
The commission voted unanimously to recommend the 4th Quarter Bar and Grill continue to operate as a restaurant and offer entertainment.
In another matter, the commission approved a request from Baan Thai owner Praphai Manning to operate a snow cone hut at 2212 Military Rd.
Jeff Clark was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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