Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Special Use topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Planning Commission recommends conditional approval for community‑scale church; traffic study required
Summary
The commission recommended approval of a special‑use application for a community‑scale church (P250154) with conditions requiring right‑of‑way improvements and a traffic study. The applicant described a 20–30 year master plan; commissioners raised questions about traffic, parking and access.
The Oconee County Planning Commission recommended that a special use (P250154) permitting a community‑scale church be approved conditionally, with requirements that the owner complete right‑of‑way improvements, dedicate necessary easements, and submit a traffic study prior to a site development plan.
Planning staff read the recommended conditions and cited section 1,707.3 requiring a traffic study and road improvements to achieve a service level C where needed. The site, in the Town of Bishop character area, also has a non‑access restriction on Cemetery Road unless a concurrent variance is approved.
Justin Greer, the applicant's engineer, presented a master plan for long‑term growth that could include a fellowship hall, church building, small academy (initially 5–10 students operating as a co‑op), rectory and maintenance building. He said the congregation had met downtown in a community center and estimated attendance then as "between 1 and 200".
Commissioners questioned where parking would be located as the campus grew and whether church activities would conflict with school traffic; Greer said parking areas could be expanded in later phases and explained the team had done soils work and considered septic expansion for future growth. Access along Cemetery Road would require a variance and additional platting if approved.
The commission voted unanimously to forward a recommendation for conditional approval to the Board of Commissioners.
Next steps: the owner must complete required traffic and right‑of‑way work in coordination with county planning, the town of Bishop and GDOT where applicable; the Board of Commissioners will take final action.
