Miami County Planning Commission recommends approval of Fontana Christian Church CUP amendment; vote 5-0

Fontana Christian Church asked the Miami County Planning Commission to amend its 2003 conditional use permit (CUP) to expand a gravel parking area, add one Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) parking space, update exterior lighting and landscaping, and reserve a site for a future building addition.

Assistant Planning Director Jennifer Kane explained the application and staff recommendation. Kane said the application “is compatible with zoning in the neighborhood,” described a proposed 0.19-acre retention basin for stormwater, and noted that the church anticipates the future building — estimated at about 4,200 square feet — in roughly two to five years. Kane told the commission that the church removed a preschool from the earlier CUP and that, per the applicant’s request, staff proposed restoring…