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Planning board recommends Jordan Lutheran rezoning to commercial-conditional to allow church use by right
Summary
The board recommended approval of rezoning case 25CZ02 to rezone a 6.22-acre parcel to planned commercial conditional to allow a church as a by-right use and other potential accessory or primary uses; neighbors and board members discussed traffic, potential accessory uses and whether some commercial uses should remain accessory only.
Joshua Killian presented rezoning case 25CZ02 for Jordan Lutheran Church, covering about 6.22 acres east of 540 and adjacent to Beavercreek Commons Drive. The applicant seeks planned commercial conditional zoning to allow the church use by right (rather than a special-use permit) and several additional uses on the property so the site can remain marketable if the congregation does not build or later sells the property, Joshua said.
Pastor Mike Merkur of Jordan Lutheran (speaker 16) described the congregation’s long-term ownership of the property, interim community uses while the site awaited development approval, and the congregation’s preference to have the church use be permitted by right so the congregation would not need to rely on a special-use permit every time a project moved forward. He said the church expects mostly Sunday-morning traffic and that the sanctuary would be the initial and primary improvement.
Board members and the public questioned several of the additional uses the applicant listed (for-profit assembly hall, health/fitness center or spa, and other commercial uses). Staff and Joshua explained that many of the assembly-type uses would have been allowed under the previous rural-residential entitlement through a special-use permit and that the applicant proposed the broader list to avoid re-zoning later if the property were sold. Staff also noted that some standalone commercial uses—such as an independent day-care facility—could trigger additional review, a neighborhood meeting and possibly a traffic-impact analysis.
Members expressed concern about converting a parcel identified as medium-density residential on the 2045 land-use map to commercial services but also noted surrounding development includes high-density residential and commercial uses. Several board members said the Chapel Ridge Road extension and connection to Beaver Creek Commons reduced their concern about traffic access. After discussion the board moved and seconded approval of the application as proposed; the motion carried and the recommendation will go to Town Council for final action.
