Council approves plans for new Faith Life Church

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

— Plans for a new church building along Highway 59 North have been approved by both the Planning and Zoning Committee and the City Council.

Planning and Zoning Committee members Trip Lapham, Lester Austin and David Sutton met on Thursday night to review Everett Berry’s plans to rebuild the People’s Church on his property. Berry has sold the land where the current church building is located to Empire Electric for a new substation. He plans to demolish or sell his two rent houses along the highway and rebuild the church closer to the road. He told planning and zoning commission members the church name was also changed to Faith Life Church.

At Monday’s City Council meeting, Lapham, the committee chairman, reported thecommittee recommended approving the plans. The council passed a motion to approve the new church building.

“I think it will be a great improvement to that area,” said Mayor Bill Montgomery.

Empire Electric will also have to take their plans for a new substation before the Planning and Zoning Committee forapproval, Montgomery said. The new substation would be on top of the hill, out of sight of the highway.

The councilalso passed a motion to approve the development of water and sewer lines at the Assembly of God’s new church facility.

The council approved plans for the new facility along Highway 102 West last month.

Questions were raised about the current zoning of both properties. One is zoned agricultural and the other is zoned residential. The mayor and council said they would research whether or not land needs to be rezoned and discuss the issue next month.

News, Pages 1 on 07/14/2010