Colleyville — The City Council voted unanimously Oct. 8 to approve a variance allowing Cross Creek Church to build a three‑story administrative building with a maximum height of 53 feet at its Church Street campus entrance.

The church’s representatives said the new administrative building will consolidate staff currently spread across four campus buildings and provide terrace spaces and small outdoor staff areas. Ben Brenner, community development director, said the CC1 Village Retail zoning district limits buildings to two stories or 35 feet; the church requested the variance for a three‑story structure with a roof ridge height of 53 feet 3 inches. Staff reported no adjacent property-owner responses opposing the variance; the Planning and Zoning Commission had not opposed the request.

Zach Towery, speaking for the church, told council the nearest residences are more than 700 feet away and that the proposed architecture is designed to match the campus’ existing materials and scale. Neighboring property owner representatives supported the building design but urged the church and city to address drainage in a small parcel next door where a blue‑line stream and an undersized culvert concentrate storm flows. Contractor Tom Lahoda, who said he is working on the adjacent house, asked the council to require the church to address drainage so the increased impervious coverage would not exacerbate water entering the neighbor’s yard.

City staff and the church’s engineering representative described the blue‑line channel and noted the campus’ development must meet the city’s stormwater-management and site‑plan requirements; engineering staff said a developer can design detention or rechanneling on the church’s property and would not necessarily require work on the neighbor’s parcel. Councilmembers asked for assurances that stormwater impacts will be managed as part of the site‑plan review. Council approved the variance 7–0; staff said the church will proceed through standard site‑plan and permitting reviews that include stormwater controls and coordination with public‑works staff.

Why it matters: The variance allows a taller building than the district code permits and triggers site‑plan review to address off‑site drainage. Neighbors and officials flagged potential localized floodplain and blue‑line stream impacts that must be mitigated in design and construction.

What’s next: The church will submit site‑plan documents and engineering designs to city staff; stormwater controls and any required easements or on‑site detention will be evaluated during permitting.