City Commission Approves Church Expansion Plans

FARMINGTON — Farmington Church of Christ on Main Street plans to build a new 9,000-square- foot auditorium located behind its present church building.

Farmington Planning Commission approved the church’s large scale development plan at its June 1 meeting. The approval was condi- tional on several issues outlined by city engineer Chris Brackett with McGoodwin, Williams and Yates firm in Fayetteville.

Commission member Judy Horne expressed concerns the new building would not increase water runoff on neighbors of the property.

Brackett said the church’s

engineer will have a “little bit of work to do” on the drainage plans but he would make sure the property would contain any 100-year flood event.

“We’ll make sure it’s practical. We’ll make sure it doesn’t flood the neighbors,” Brackett said.

One problem is that the property is flat and does not want to drain well. Brackett said a new gravel parking lot for the property will be used as a detention area and he probably would require the church to install “trickle channels” for drainage.

The large scale development plan shows the new auditorium will be built on part of an existing parking lot behind the church at 41 W. Main St. The remaining paved lot will be used for parking and a new gravel parking lot installed next to that.

At the same meeting, planners approved a request from the church for a variance from full compliance with the city landscape ordinance. Based on the land- scape ordinance, the church would be required to plant 59 new trees and 430 shrubs.

Sam Annable, a consultant for the project, said having to plant all the trees and shrubs required would be a “budget buster” for the project.

“There’s just not enough space on the property for all when you add a parking lot and a new building,” Annable said.

Robert Beeler, a church elder, said the church had submitted a revised landscaping plan which calls for 20 new trees and 52 shrubs. The church also would retain existing trees on the property.

Commissioners agreed it would be hard to meet the requirements, noting the church is an existing building and is near the highway and adjacent to Farmington Baptist Church.

Horne, a big proponent of landscaping, said she was OK with the variance request because the church did not have many places to plant trees.

“I think what they have proposed will be beautiful,” Horne said.

In other action, commissioners approved two requests for fireworks stands for the July 4 holiday, one at 120 N. Holland St., and another at 380 W. Main, next to the fire department.