New Life Church to build new youth facility
Planning commission members voted to approve a significant development permit to allow New Life Church to construct a two story, 24,635-square-foot building.
The building will house the children’s educational area on the first floor and administrative offices on the second floor, according to Tim Estes, senior pastor for the church. This is the first phase of development for the church, Estes said. A second phase of development will be the construction of a new worship center, Estes said. A date for the second phase of construction has not been set, Estes said.
Staff recommended approval for the permit to begin the first phase of construction with several conditions, according to a staff report prepared by Senior Planner Ben Rhoads on May 29.
The conditions for the permit require the applicant to show exterior lot lighting with a photometric plan; pay a sidewalk fee projected to be $6,888.88; indicate the west driveway as a right out only or right turn only drive on the construction plan set; show drainage improvements from the detention basin outlet to the right of way of North Lincoln Street; and have a drainage analysis approved by the city engineer for the drainage improvements from the detention basin to the right of way of North Lincoln Street, the staff report states.
All of these requirements need to be completed prior to issuance of the building permit, the staff report states.
Ron Homeyer of Civil Engineering, who is representing New Life Church, addressed the requirements. Homeyer said he and Estes do not completely agree that an existing grandfathered drive should have to be held to the higher standard of the right turn only.
“I know they are saying that is needed to comply with good planning, but at the same time that is an existing driveway that should be under a grandfather clause,” Homeyer said.
Homeyer said the church has had a history with drainage issues which come from the Gabriel Park subdivision to the north of the property.
“The city has tried a couple of times to improve the drainage through this site in order to improve the drainage in Gabriel Park subdivision,” Homeyer said. “It seems a little tough we’re now being told that because of a drainage complaint from a neighbor that we’re expected to further improve the drainage from the detention basin over to Lincoln Street.”
Bob Whitaker, who lives in the area, said in a letter there is already a massive flooding problem that has never been addressed by the city on the west side of Lincoln Street by Renfoe’s Garage and the houses in the area.
Whittaker said he would like to see the development incorporate a large drainage ditch that will flow directly into the culvert under the intersection of Cheri Whitlock Street and Lincoln Street and eliminate some of the flooding on Lincoln Street and Renfoe’s Garage.
Homeyer said the church is willing to do the improvements, but they were hoping to start the improvements during the next phase of construction when the church puts in a driveway on Lincoln Street since that is where the culvert is.
“If we do drainage improvements now, more than likely we’ll have to get a highway construction permit to do the drainage improvements and then (get a second highway construction permit) later to do a driveway,” Homeyer said.
A few members of the planning commission had some questions for the developers. Commissioner Jerrod Driscoll doesn’t think having the driveway on the west as a right turn only is necessary because traffic on Sundays is different than traffic the rest of the week. As for the drainage, Driscoll asked if something could be done to temporarily fix the backup but leave the major construction for the next phase.
Commissioner J.W. Smith said he had no problem approving the permit, but did not want the approval to further damage the neighbor’s driveway. Smith made a motion to approve the permit with the conditions laid out by Rhoads, except for the one designating the driveway to the west as right turn only. The permit will go before the city board of directors on July 7.
Other business approved by the planning commission:
• Rezoning development permit to rezone the 700 to 1000 block of Arkansas Highway 16 South from R-2 (Roadway Commercial) to P-D (Planned Development). This will also go before the city board on July 7.
• Final Plat Development Permit for the 100 block of North Lincoln Street and 106 N. Country Club Road. This will go before the city board on June 16.
• Right-of-Way Closure for 2100 U.S. Hwy. 412 E. This will go before the city board on June 16.
• Lot Line Adjustment/ Consolidation for 2100 U.S. Hwy. 412 E. City board accepted those easements during the June 2 meeting.