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Committee grants 24‑month variance for Sanctuary Church gravel area, adjacent businesses raise drainage concerns
Summary
Sanctuary Church received a 24‑month variance to keep a gravel (chat) multi‑purpose area on its site while it continues fundraising and design for a new building; nearby businesses and planning staff flagged drainage issues that the church and neighbors agreed to address.
The planning committee granted Sanctuary Church a temporary variance to allow an existing gravel (“chat”) area to remain on the property at 3119 Rook Road for up to 24 months while the church continues fundraising and design work for a future building.
Kenneth O’Connell, representing Sanctuary Church, said the gravel area provides usable, non‑mud space for events and short‑term needs and that the church plans to build a new facility on this parcel within the next two years. Church representatives asked to keep the gravel in place until the next building phase begins, noting it would be removed when construction starts.
An adjacent business owner, John Fain of System Services Broadband (3026 Peabody Drive), described longstanding drainage and elevation issues where neighboring parking lots and berming have raised adjacent pads and limited drainage. Fain said the church’s berm at the property edge had contributed to water ponding and that he and nearby businesses had experienced flooding after heavy rains. He proposed adding a ditch along the shared property line to channel water to the city ditch.
Planning staff and committee members discussed the site grading and stormwater retention and said the city has granted time‑limited gravel variances in the past with sunset dates. One committee member said the entire site appears graded for the future building and recommended granting a 24‑month allowance with the expectation that the church will address drainage. A motion to grant the variance with a 24‑month sunset passed; recorded roll-call votes included Millard — yes; Bailey — yes; Capels — yes.
After the vote, members encouraged the church and the adjacent business owner to coordinate on drainage improvements to the city ditch so runoff from the church parcel does not trap water against neighboring properties. The committee’s action allows Sanctuary Church to continue using the gravel area for up to two years, after which the church is expected to proceed with the planned building and permanent surface improvements.
