5/16/2011
Honorable Mayor and Councilors
City Manager
City Attorney
Clerk of Council
Subject: (EXCP 3-11-1615) Special Exception Use request for a place of worship on less
than two acres located at 3722 and 3732 Mulberry Drive.
Reverend Dr. Henry L. Burnette on behalf of Grace & Truth Missionary Baptist
Church has submitted an application for a Special Exception Use cited above.
The property is located in a SFR2 (Single Family Residential 2) zoning
district. This place of worship has been in existence for many years at this
location and has been deemed a legal non-conforming use. The applicant would
like to expand the building, however, expansion of a legal non-conforming use
is prohibited. The applicant is making a request to permit a place of worship
on less than two acres that will bring the subject property into compliance
therefore allowing expansion of the building:
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Access. - Is or will the type of street providing access to the use be adequate to serve the proposed special exception use?
Mulberry Drive is classified as a local road with two lanes that will provide
adequate access for the proposed use. The driveway/access entering the site
shall be improved in order to accommodate the flow of traffic during the hours
of service for the use.
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Traffic and Pedestrian Safety. - Is or will access into and out of the property be adequate to provide for traffic and pedestrian safety, the anticipated volume of traffic flow, and access by emergency vehicles?
The site plan indicates one ingress/egress point, which maintains adequate flow
of traffic to and from the subject property. The proposed use will utilize
their adjacent property at 3732 Mulberry Drive for off ?street parking, which
will contribute to pedestrian safety and easy access for emergency vehicles
moving along Mulberry Drive.
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Adequacy of Public Facilities. - Are or will public facilities such as schools, water or sewer utilities, and police or fire protection be adequate to serve the special exception use?
Services such as water, sewer utilities police and fire protection will be
adequate and serve the proposed use at this location. Furthermore, there will
be no impact on neighboring schools in the immediate area.
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Protection from Adverse Affects. - Are or will refuse, service, parking and loading areas on the property be located or screened to protect other properties in the area from such adverse effects as noise, light, glare or odor?
The applicant as indicated the existing vegetation would serve as a buffer to
neighboring property owners. As indicated in the site plan parking will be
located in the front of the facility, furthermore over flow parking may be
located on the adjacent lot at 3732 Mulberry Drive. For more details concerning
issues with parking, loading, external dumpsters / compactors, and light are
addressed in the UDO. Noise impacts are addressed in the City Code.
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Hours of Operation. - Will the hours and manner of operation of the special exception use have no adverse effects on other properties in the area?
The hours of operation for this use will not have an adverse impact on the
neighboring properties in the area. The Church will have Bible Study on
Wednesdays from 7pm until 8pm. Choir practice from 6pm until 8pm on Thursday.
Sunday school takes place at 9:45am until 11am. Worship Services will take
place from 11am until 1pm.
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Compatibility. - Will the height, size or location of the buildings or structures on the property be compatible with the height, size, character or location of buildings or other structures on neighboring properties?
The height, size and location of the existing structure will be altered in a
manner that is representative of the structures in the neighborhood.
Furthermore, the existing structure is compatible with other structures on
neighboring properties in the immediate area. As indicated on the site plan
approximately 750 square-foot of space will be added to the sanctuary on the
front of the structure.
Council District: District 5 (Baker)
Thirty-four (34) property owners within 300 feet of the property were notified
by mail of the proposed Special Exception Use. To date, the Planning Department
has not received any comments in opposition to this request.
The Planning Advisory Commission recommended approval at the April 20, 2011
meeting.
The Planning Department recommends that the Council approve the use because the
application for a Special Exception use meets the criteria for approval.