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New Point Church seeks special use to operate from converted accessory building; church plans phased expansion
Summary
New Point Church requested a special use to convert an existing accessory structure into a church sanctuary, with a phase 1 seating about 90 and a future phase 2 expansion planned. Staff found low intensity use and recommended approval subject to health‑department septic/water requirements.
Pastor Barry Gamage and representatives for New Point Church asked the Zoning Board of Appeals for a special use to operate a church from an existing accessory structure on land formerly owned by the pastor’s family. The request would convert the structure to a phase‑1 sanctuary seating about 90 people; church leaders said they plan a later phase‑2 expansion with a separate 60‑by‑100 building to seat roughly 250.
County staff told the board that churches are typically low‑intensity uses and that the proposed phase‑1 addition and parking plan are consistent with surrounding residential and agricultural uses. A traffic study submitted with the application showed no expected major traffic impacts for phase 1, staff said. The health department advised that the proposed church will require a private sewage disposal system sized for the congregation and that potable water must be available and periodically tested; the church will be required to register with Illinois Department of Public Health if it serves an average of 25 people per day for 60 days in a year.
Pastor Gamage said the property was donated by his mother in memory of his father and that the church wants to remain in rural Tazewell County. Neighbors and board members discussed parking, outdoor events and potential noise; Pastor Gamage said outdoor activities would be limited and trash receptacles would be used and that the church would work with neighbors to address concerns. The applicant acknowledged additional engineering and permitting work will be needed for phase 2 and said contractors and health‑department staff are already involved in preliminary coordination.
The case is a class B special use and the zoning board has final authority to approve or deny the application; the provided transcript records the hearing but does not show the board’s final vote.
