Friday, July 25, 2003

Church too big for zoning

By LINDSAY BIANCHI
Special to The Citizen

Old Landmark Church of God and Christ on Margaret Street in Fairburn is too big, 23.5 feet too big to be exact. The request for a variance on the front yard setback was denied during Tuesday night's Board of Zoning Appeal meeting.

Although a 2.1 acre lot was purchased by the church in an attempt to alleviate the mistake, that was only one of the church's problems, officials said.

"The biggest obstacles are the size of the building situated in the midst of residential homes, the location of the building so close to the street, and the access of a local street to get to the facility," said Planning Director Gail Denham.

Construction began on the site back in 1998, the same year that Fairburn adopted a new zoning ordinance and rezoned several areas of the city. Margaret Street was rezoned at this time as R-4, "a high density residential area" designed to "promote construction of dwellings with reduced square footage on smaller sized lots" Denham said.

The new guidelines provide for "conditional use approval" if a few requirements are met. Old Landmark Church of God and Christ had failed to meet these needs which requires lots to be a minimum of one acre and have frontage on and direct access to an arterial or major collection road.

With the help of the Fulton County Fire Department, an existing dwelling on the lot was razed as training practice for their firemen without first procuring a demolition permit from the city.

The church was being constructed with the help of volunteer labor and was issued a Stop Work Permit by the city. There had been no construction plans submitted and no thought as to parking solutions, officials said. A building permit was applied for, but not approved.

In an attempt to cover parking requirements, another .22 acre lot at the corner of Orchard Street and Margaret Street was purchased. All this may be for naught though without the variance approval.

Without the city's approval, they may have to reconstruct the building to meet code, move the building or simply find another place to worship.

As one impassioned church member put it, "We are here to do a work for the Lord. I think we deserve another chance."

The congregation hopes to come before the City Council at their Monday meeting in order to resurrect their requests.