Developer seeks rezoning behind First Baptist Church to build townhouses; public hearing left open

Doug Liberman of Larson Engineering, representing developer Bill Davison and First Baptist Church of Georgetown, told the council the applicant seeks a comprehensive-plan amendment and rezoning to change a rear portion of a church parcel from commercial/highway commercial to MR-2 townhouse residential while keeping the church and frontage as a separate commercial lot. "We're here seeking final amendment to the comprehensive plan to correct future land use for a portion of the property from commercial to multifamily residential," Liberman said during the Oct. 13 public hearing.

Liberman said the rezoning corrects a drafting error in earlier submissions, that the Office of State Planning issued a letter of no objection, and that the development concept would subdivide the rear portion for townhouses while retaining the church and parking on the frontage. He estimated a concept density of around 110–120 units but said stormwater and detailed site engineering remain to be completed and that a final price range is "not known"; he characterized the plan as providing "sorely needed affordable housing."

Council members asked clarifying questions about location and timing; town staff pointed out the proposal aligns with comprehensive-plan language promoting medium-density residential (MR-2) on larger undeveloped parcels. The chair said the public hearing will remain open for two weeks, then return for first reading and approximately two weeks later for a second reading and potential vote. Members of the public attending the hearing raised questions later in the meeting about other small-house developments and accessibility concerns for proposed units.

Next steps: the council left the hearing open for written comments and scheduled the item for first reading at a future meeting. No formal vote on the rezoning occurred on Oct. 13.