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Gallatin County approves Journey Church conditional use permit for 29,800‑square‑foot expansion
Summary
The county approved a conditional use permit allowing Journey Church to add 29,800 square feet to its existing facility at 1794 Baxter Lane in the 4‑Corners area to expand childcare space; staff said the project meets zoning, water/sewer, and traffic requirements and received no public opposition in the advertised notice period.
Gallatin County commissioners on Tuesday approved a conditional use permit (CUP) allowing Journey Church to expand by 29,800 square feet at its 1794 Baxter Lane campus in the 4‑Corners area, a project the county planning staff said will expand existing community services without materially changing traffic or neighborhood character.
Planner Haley Heiner presented the staff report and recommended approval. Heiner said the 40‑acre site lies in the rural residential and agricultural subdistrict of the 4‑Corners zoning district and is connected to the 4‑Corners Water and Sewer District. Public notices were published May 24 and 31, and certified mail notices were sent to adjacent property owners; staff reported no public comments were received during the notice period.
Heiner explained Journey Church previously obtained approvals for a place of worship, a daycare (2023 CUP), and a special‑events facility (after‑the‑fact CUP for up to 1,000 people). The current expansion is intended primarily to give existing childcare operations more indoor space: the church’s representative said existing classrooms are “crammed” and that the addition is designed to improve space for children rather than increase auditorium capacity. The representative added that the YMCA leases eight acres of the site under a nominal lease and that the expansion will not change the daycare’s existing drop‑off/pick‑up configuration.
Staff found the proposal consistent with the Gallatin County growth policy, the 4‑Corners community plan, and applicable zoning regulations and recommended conditions of approval in the staff report. Commissioners reviewed traffic and utility comments from county departments and the 4‑Corners Water and Sewer District; County Road and Bridge had no concerns with the proposed expansion.
After no public comment, a commissioner moved to approve the CUP, adopting the staff report findings and recommended conditions. Commissioners praised the project as a community hub that provides daycare capacity and partners with the YMCA. The motion passed by voice vote.
The approval allows the church to proceed with the building expansion under the conditions listed in the planning staff report. Heiner noted that any proposal to increase the existing special‑events capacity above the previously permitted 1,000 would require a separate CUP modification.
