Church challenged on definition of 'temporary'

By MICHAEL BOYLAN
mboylan@TheCitizenNews.com

The question at Monday night's meeting of the Peachtree City Planning Commission was this: Just how temporary is temporary?

Braelinn Baptist Church approached the Planning Commission several years ago with a request for a temporary use permit for portable classrooms. It was granted. Braelinn Baptist was hoping for a bond referendum to pass and the city to buy the church facility, paving the way for the church to relocate and expand. When this didn't happen, the church had to shift gears and make new plans. This meant that the portable classrooms would have to be on site for a while longer.

David Millican, chairman of the building committee for Braelinn Baptist Church, addressed the Planning Commission, stating that the portable classrooms are used by the church for a number of services and classes but it is also used by different community organizations and individuals. The Peachtree City Police Department has used the classrooms for meeting, training and tests, while other uses include guitar and dulcimer lessons, adult education classes and Kindermusik classes.

City planner David Rast told the commission that the portable classrooms are a few steps above the trailers used at a number of the local schools, meet all Americans with Disability Act standards, are inspected annually by the fire department and building department for safety (and pass annually) and can not be seen from the road, whcih means they are not eyesores to the community.

Millican also told the Planning Commission how relocation efforts to their new campus, which is being built on Dogwood Trail and Ga. Highway 74, are going and how that affects the time they will need the portable classrooms at their Robinson Road campus.

"If everything holds and the financing comes through as expected, we plan on beginning our relocation in 2005," said Millican, who also said that several projects on the Dogwood campus have been completed, including an observation deck over Landrum Mill and the extension of the cart paths in the area.

Braelinn Baptist will not have the use of its temporary classrooms all the way until 2005, but the Planning Commission did grudgingly give the church some relief. Commission members Ray Green and Wes Saunders both felt that the church was stretching the definition of temporary. "While we appreciate the communtiy use of these buildings, a permanent temporary building is just not a good idea," said Green.

"Times are tough right now," said commission member Bob Buckley. "If the buildings are safe, I say give them another 12 months."

The Planning Commission granted an extension of the temporary use permit for the buildings for one year. Braelinn Baptist Church will have to have other plans by July 14, 2004.