Columbus, Georgia

Subject: (EXCP 6-11-2260) Special Exception Use request for a place of worship exceeding

250 seats located at 4057 Pope Road.

Spirit, Truth, and Liberty Ministries, Inc. has submitted an application for

the Special Exception Use cited above. The property is located in an RE1

(Residential Estate 1) zoning district. The site for the proposed place of

worship is approximately 6.31 acres. The applicant has submitted a site plan,

which is attached. Places of worship in excess of 250 seats are permitted in

an RE1 zoning district only on a site-specific basis upon approval of the

Council based upon the following criteria and conditions:

1. Access. - Is or will the type of street providing access to the use be adequate to serve the proposed special exception use?
   Highway 80 is classified as a major arterial (divided 4-lane). Pope Road is a
   
   local street that connects Highway 80 to Chattsworth Road. Ingress/egress of
   
   the site may need to be improved to accommodate the flow of traffic during the
   
   hours of service for the use.
2. 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 should maintain
   
   adequate flow of traffic to and from the subject property. Pope Road is
   
   adequate for public safety access and volume of traffic flow.
3. 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 (excluding sewer), 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.
4. 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?
   Parking and loading areas shall be set forth per the UDO requirements.
   
   Off-street parking will be utilized on-site. No buffer requirement exists for
   
   RE1 property abutting RE1 property. External dumpsters/compactors and lighting
   
   are addressed in the UDO. Noise impacts are addressed in the City Code.
   
   
   
   Proximity to Fort Benning?s firing ranges may have an impact on use of the
   
   property as a place of worship. Fort Benning has been notified of the pending
   
   Special Exception Use request.
5. 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.
6. 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 proposed structure will not be compatible
   
   with other structures on neighboring properties. The area is predominantly
   
   rural and existing houses are residential in use and not comparable to a
   
   commercial building. The applicant has indicated the building that houses the
   
   sanctuary is proposed as 3,600 square-feet.
   
   
   
   

Council District: District 6 (Allen)



Fifteen (15) property owners within 300 feet of the property were notified by

mail of the proposed Special Exception Use. To date, the Planning Department

has received one comment opposing this request.



Fort Benning Recommendation: Conditional approval.



The Planning Advisory Commission recommended approval at the August 3, 2011

meeting.





The Planning Department recommends that the Council conditionally approve the

use because the application for a Special Exception use meets the criteria for

approval. The recommended condition is: smoke and noise disclosure statements

shall be included in any real estate documents.

• Maps.pdf
• Site Plan.pdf

cc: Thomas Mills, Jr

• Maps.pdf 
• Site Plan.pdf