Milton council defers decision on Ebenezer Methodists proposed rural event facility after neighbors object to noise, hours and commercial use

Milton City Council on Monday deferred consideration of a use permit that would allow Ebenezer Methodist Church to operate a commercial "rural event facility" serving up to 300 people at its new activity center.

The council postponed a final decision until its May 19 meeting after residents raised concerns about outdoor amplified sound, late hours and the lease of the church building to a third-party caterer for commercial events.

Supporters, including Michael McGuire, who identified himself as chair of the church trustees, said the new 23,000-square-foot Pardue Family Foundation Center will be used for church activities and limited community programming and that the church has signed a lease with a professional caterer, Gracious Gatherings. "Whatever we do here tonight or whatever the conditions are, as long as legally it works, we'll apply to the whole church," McGuire told council, adding the church agreed to limit event size to 300 attendees and to require off-duty police officers for events expected to generate more than 100 participants.

Neighbors said the use has already changed from what was presented during the 2020 approvals for the building. Samantha Evans, whose family lives near the site, said she supported the church's worship functions but opposed marketing the facility as a for-profit venue. "Call it a bait and switch, call it scope creep, but this type of nonchurch sublease use of the building is not what was presented to or approved by this council in August of 2020," Evans said. She asked the council to prohibit outdoor amplified sound and to limit hours to protect families who live across Cox Road.

Multiple residents said they measured nighttime ambient noise at their property line between 35 and 45 dBA and argued 55 dBA at the property line would be audible and disruptive. Planning staff noted the Planning Commission recommended conditions that would limit outdoor sound to 55 dBA at the property line and require off-duty officers for events over 100 people. Staff also proposed SundayThursday hours of 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. with events ceasing at 9 p.m., and FridaySaturday hours of 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. with events ceasing at 10 p.m.

Opponents pointed to prior Milton permits, such as Little River Farms and Painted Horse, that restrict outdoor amplified sound to lower levels or to enclosed spaces; they urged council to adopt the same protections because houses are closer to Ebenezer than to those venues. Ryan Evans, who said his home is about 100 feet from the pavilion, asked the council to deny the commercial permit or, if it approved one, to require a 45-dBA maximum at the property line, no outdoor amplified sound and hours limited to 8 a.m.8 p.m.

McGuire said the church would accept several conditions discussed with staff and the Planning Commission and offered further concessions during the meeting: limiting outdoor amplified sound to 45 dBA if that was the council's preference and restricting deliveries to end earlier in the evening. He reaffirmed that the church's lease with Gracious Gatherings limits alcohol service for third-party events to beer and wine and that violation of the lease would terminate the agreement.

After extended public comment and questioning, Councilmember Kookerly moved to defer the item to the May 19 meeting to allow the church and neighbors additional time to work toward compromise; Councilmember Jacobus seconded the motion, which the council approved unanimously.

The deferment leaves the facility in a regulatory limbo: the activity center was built and permitted as a church facility in 2020 but was not previously regulated for third-party commercial events. Council members and staff said they will draft clearer conditions and consider whether the church's earlier church use permit should be updated to align with any new commercial restrictions.

The council's postponement lets both sides negotiate and gives staff time to craft a set of enforceable conditions addressing amplified sound, hours, traffic management and alcohol service.