Planning commission approves Clark Chapel’s multipurpose building request with conditions

The Upson County Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval, with conditions, of a special-exception request from Clark Chapel Baptist Church to construct a multipurpose building at 176 Mathis Lake Road.

Staff told the commission that the 2.8-acre parcel is zoned AR and not in a special flood hazard area. Bill Seram Asama, the planning department intern who presented the staff report, said the structure would support youth programs, church events and homecomings and that setbacks, parking and traffic controls were included in the submitted materials. Staff recommended conditions including site-plan approval, maximum occupancy limits, parking calculations, ingress/egress plans, noise and hours-of-operation restrictions, compliance with applicable codes, prohibiting commercial use and requiring a building permit within six months of Board of Commissioners approval and certificate of occupancy within 36 months.

No members of the public signed up to speak for or against the request. Commissioners asked whether an occupancy figure was locked in by the building-permit submittal; staff said the building-permit application had been submitted and would govern some numbers but that a complete site plan and final plans could change occupancy and parking calculations. Commissioners approved the request with the staff’s recommended conditions; the item will move to the Upson County Board of Commissioners for final action and staff asked the applicant to submit final site plans prior to that hearing.

Commissioners emphasized that the approval is a recommendation to the Board of Commissioners and that the applicant must supply a full site plan before the board meeting. Staff noted that the building permit was submitted before planning review, which triggered the special-exception review because the proposed structure is on property separate from the church’s primary parcel.