Planning commission hears wide public comment on Bridge Community Church expansion; motion made to recommend denial

Fauquier County Planning Commission members reviewed an application from Bridge Community Church for a Category 6 special exception (SPEX-23020814) to expand an existing place of worship south of Warrenton, hearing extended public comment and a motion from a commissioner to recommend denial to the Board of Supervisors.

Staff told the commission the church’s parcels total about 33.78 acres and are split zoned agriculture and rural residential. Staff said the application requests expansion of the ministry center, a multipurpose building, and changes to site access and stormwater features. Materials provided to the commission described a main sanctuary capacity of 499, a children’s ministry capacity of 160, three Sunday services, a new 900-foot acceleration lane on the property frontage, a new bioretention stormwater facility and conserved forested areas. Staff also said it had revised and redlined recommended conditions since an April meeting and was proposing monitoring of septic usage, annual well testing, screening and berming around parking, and emergency access/water-for-firefighting assurances. Staff reported receiving four letters of opposition and one letter of support.

The commission’s discussion and public comment centered on scale…