Gallatin board approves conditional use permit for Fireplace Fellowship at 1616 Long Hollow Pike

The Gallatin Municipal Board of Zoning Appeals voted to approve a conditional use permit allowing Fireplace Fellowship to operate a place of worship at 1616 Long Hollow Pike, board members said.

Planning staff recommended approval with conditions, and the board approved the permit by voice vote after hearing from the applicant and neighboring property owners.

Brad Hickman, a staff planner for the Gallatin planning department, told the board the application requests approval of a conditional use permit under Section 6.05.002(c) of the Gallatin zoning ordinance for a place-of-worship use on a 7.65-acre lot in the agricultural-residential district. Hickman said the plan shows the existing house and a proposed addition and that parking and access details are still preliminary. "The owner and applicant requests approval of a conditional use permit for a place of worship use for the fireplace fellowship for section 6.05 0.02 point c of the Gallatin zoning ordinance on a 7.65 acre lot, zoned agricultural residential district located at 1616 Long Hollow Pike," Hickman said.

Shanda Tripp Hill, pastor of Fireplace Fellowship and the applicant, described the congregation's history and plans for the site. She said the church intends to build a roughly 4,000-square-foot addition onto an existing 6,000-square-foot house to provide meeting space and office headquarters for the church's local and missionary work. "It is our desire to build a 4,000 square foot addition onto the 6,000 square foot house that's already there and the 4,000 square foot would simply be meeting space for the church," Tripp Hill said. She said the congregation typically draws about 65 regular attendees and that roughly 200 people are on the membership roll.

Neighbors who spoke during the item generally expressed support but asked for clarity on access. Bart Bagsby, owner of Bagsby Ranch adjacent to the site, said he welcomed the church next door. "We just wanna simply say we welcome these guys in here. Welcome the fact there'd be a church next door to us," Bagsby said. Bruce Rainey, speaking on Bagsby's behalf, said he reviewed the plan and "the plan looks great" but asked the board to confirm the church's access would be on the applicant's property and not rely on an easement.

Board members and staff said access and driveway configuration remain subject to engineering, state review and the site-plan process. An engineering staff member, Sean, told the board he did not expect the Tennessee Department of Transportation to allow two entrances on the state route adjacent to the property. "I don't see TDOT allowing 2 entrances just because of the state route and the just the sheer logistics you have to go through to," Sean said. Planning staff and the applicant acknowledged that access, driveway width and any required coordination with TDOT will be resolved during engineering and the planning commission site-plan review; the applicant is scheduled for the April planning commission docket with a site plan.

Hickman told the board the planning department recommended approval with five conditions; the resolution number discussed during the meeting was not specified in the transcript. The board discussed the conditional-use criteria — including public health, safety and welfare; impacts on adjacent properties; compliance with provisions for conditional uses; and conformity with district requirements — and members said they found the use consistent with those standards as presented.

A board member moved to approve the conditional use permit, citing that the use would not adversely affect adjacent properties and that it complied with the conditional-use provisions in the ordinance. The motion was seconded by DJ. The board approved the permit by voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded in the meeting transcript.

The board emphasized this approval covers the conditional-use determination only. Additional approvals remain: engineering sign-off, any required TDOT permits, and a planning commission review of the applicant's forthcoming site plan. Tripp Hill said the church has purchased the property and is working with consultants to complete the necessary plans and permits.

The board concluded the item with the conditional use permit approved and no further business on the agenda.