Commission approves administrative permit for Saint George Church pavilion; no new public hearing required

The Planning and Zoning Commission voted to allow Saint George Greek Orthodox Church to proceed with a proposed pavilion and storage building at its West Rocks Road campus without holding a new public hearing, accepting the proposal as a minor modification to the site’s existing special-permit approvals.

John Stonides, president of the parish council, described the structure as a dual-use pavilion that would remove two large storage containers currently used for festival equipment and give the church a covered area for staging cooking equipment and festival operations. Stonides said the proposed structure would be metal-framed, rest on a concrete slab and include two overhead garage doors to store equipment behind the pavilion.

The project team supplied a site plan and engineers reviewed drainage and siting. Stonides said the pavilion design was developed to match the existing community center’s appearance and that the structure would reduce the repetitive manual handling involved in setup and tear-down of the church’s annual festival.

Commissioners asked about screening and nearby homes. The applicant noted there is existing screening — a mix of fir trees and a six-foot wooden privacy fence — between the proposed pavilion area and adjacent properties. Commissioners also asked about façade materials and square footage; the applicant confirmed the pavilion would be about 1,144 square feet and that the exterior finish would align with the community center.

A motion that the proposal be approved administratively (no new public hearing required) passed by roll call. Commissioners noted the installation will still require the normal zoning permit and building permits before construction and that municipal staff will verify screening and setbacks during permit review.