Rolla planning commission recommends approval for church on 3-acre lot with 7-foot privacy fence

The Rolla City Planning and Zoning Commission on May 13 recommended that the City Council approve a conditional use permit to allow a church on a parcel zoned R‑1 (suburban residential) located at the southeast corner of Forum Drive and Eighteenth Street.

Tom, a city staff member who presented the application, said the parcel is "a little over 3 acres" and that the request requires a conditional use permit because the church would be on a property greater than 1 acre in the R‑1 district. Tom described the proposal as an initial 10,000‑square‑foot sanctuary with a possible later 10,000‑square‑foot addition for accessory uses such as a fellowship hall, and said driveway access would be from Eighteenth Street.

The commission’s recommendation limits initial construction to 10,000 square feet and requires a 7‑foot privacy fence that must extend "as far as the development goes." The commission recorded a roll‑call vote in favor and the motion passed.

Why it matters: neighbors said the parcel’s development could affect adjacent yards through headlights, stormwater runoff and loss of trees, and the property must be served by a street that is not yet built. The commission’s conditions address mitigation (privacy fencing and a required landscape plan) and preserve the commission’s ability to require further review if the church seeks a larger expansion.

In the public hearing, Robert Davis, the property owner, told the commission he expects to pay to build Eighteenth Street because it must be constructed before the property can be developed. Davis said road construction costs he had previously estimated rose from $292,000 to $574,000 and that he does not expect the church to cover the full cost. He asked that an 8‑foot sidewalk be considered along the south side of the new street so residents could walk to the church.

Several residents who live along the southern border of the site said they prefer single‑family R‑1 housing as originally shown on plats and asked for stronger buffering than the proposed 4‑foot hedgerow. Donna Riggs said a stormwater drainage box already straddles her yard and that leaves and debris accumulate there, requiring her to clear the inlet; she asked whether parking would be located directly behind her house. A resident who identified herself as living at Lot 9 asked whether parking would be adjacent to her yard; staff and the applicant clarified on the site plan that parking is shown lower on the parcel while the upper, steeper portion with most trees is intended to remain largely undeveloped.

Tom said the plat and site plan show a 15‑foot utility easement along the rear property line and estimated the building would sit about 25 feet from that line; he recommended preserving existing mature trees where possible and adding additional landscaping or a fence outside the easement because large trees are not appropriate within a utility easement. He told the commission the city can require a photometric plan if lighting near residential lots is a concern.

Nick Myers and Josh Chapman spoke for the applicant congregation. Myers said the congregation is established and currently meets in rented space; he said the church is open to mitigation measures and "wouldn't be opposed" to a privacy fence if that better addressed neighbors’ concerns. Chapman said the church’s membership is not large and that services and many activities occur at off‑peak times, which staff said typically reduces traffic impact.

Commission discussion focused on buffering and traffic. Commissioners asked staff about whether completing Eighteenth Street would reduce traffic on Forum Drive; Tom said increasing connectivity generally helps the transportation network but that a traffic study was not required for this proposal and public works staff had not requested one. Commissioners also discussed whether landscaping or a privacy fence would provide more reliable mitigation; staff noted full‑size trees should be planted outside utility easements and that a 7‑foot fence is the maximum height allowed without additional engineering requirements.

Formal action: the commission voted to recommend approval of the conditional use permit with the conditions described (initial construction limited to 10,000 square feet; privacy fence minimum 7 feet extending with development; requirement to submit a landscape plan at building plan submittal). The roll call recorded affirmative votes by Commissioners Kreider, Martin, Shields, Turban, Jordan and Morris.

What happens next: the commission’s recommendation will be transmitted to the Rolla City Council for final action. If the applicant seeks the larger 10,000‑square‑foot addition shown as a potential future phase or makes significant site changes, staff said an amendment to the conditional use permit and another public hearing would be required.

Clarifying details raised at the hearing include that the parcel is roughly 3 acres; the initial building footprint shown is about 10,000 square feet with a possible additional 10,000 square feet later; parking and driveway access are proposed from Eighteenth Street; a 15‑foot utility easement was shown along the rear property line; staff estimated the back of the building would be about 25 feet from the property line; the owner stated he intends to pay to construct Eighteenth Street; and a retention pond for stormwater will be required as part of site development.

The commission closed the public hearing on this item after the vote.