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Board hears contested proposal to expand Bridge Community Church near Warrenton; planning commission had recommended denial
Summary
Bridge Community Church seeks to expand its Marshall‑district campus with a 7,800 sq ft ministry building, a 7,200 sq ft multipurpose barn and 142 additional parking spaces; staff noted planning commission recommended denial citing scale, water and traffic concerns.
The Board of Supervisors reviewed a petition by Bridge Community Church to expand an existing place of worship south of Warrenton on James Madison Highway during the Oct. 9 agenda review. The application requests a category 6 special exception to add roughly 7,800 square feet to the ministry building, construct a 7,200 square foot multipurpose barn building, add 142 parking spaces and raise the seating capacity of the sanctuary.
Staff summarized the site history and prior approvals: a BZA approval in 2010, a 2015 special permit amendment, and a 2018 amendment that addressed parking, lighting and screening. The planning commission voted 3‑2 in July to recommend denial, citing concerns that the proposed scale, design and intensity are out of character with surrounding rural properties and inconsistent with the comprehensive plan’s rural lands chapter.
Staff described conditions intended to mitigate impacts, including limiting the multipurpose building to 7,200 square feet, requiring a hydrogeological assessment before site plan submission, annual well‑water testing, limits on amplified outdoor music, and a minimum 45‑minute gap between services to improve parking circulation. Staff also reported receiving 21 letters of support (20 verifiable church members) and eight letters of opposition from nearby property owners.
Supervisor Wright expressed strong opposition in the agenda review, saying the planned additions would make the facility one of the largest non‑agricultural buildings outside service districts and that "it already is too big." He urged protecting the county’s rural character and indicated he supports placing the item on the evening agenda for fuller public hearing and consideration.
