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Commissioners send church’s special‑use permit back to staff over traffic, scope concerns
Summary
Sumter County commissioners directed staff to rework a special‑use permit for Saint Joaquin Manana Orthodox Church after questions about traffic impacts and whether the application’s scope properly reflects the applicant’s immediate request for a cemetery and playground.
A Sumter County Board of County Commissioners public hearing on Jan. 13, 2026, ended with the board directing county staff to work with an applicant to narrow and re‑notice a major special‑use permit for a church and cemetery.
The action followed a staff presentation and applicant testimony that differed on the application’s immediate scope. David Rodriguez, assistant planning manager, told the board the submission was reviewed as a larger concept plan that included a new 225‑seat sanctuary, a 35‑seat chapel, accessory buildings, a playground and a 0.75‑acre cemetery. Rodriguez said staff and the Planning & Zoning Special Master recommended approval with 11 conditions, including a traffic impact analysis (TIA) and setbacks and buffering required by the Sumter County Land Development Code.
The applicant, Stanley Pawrowski, told commissioners the original application on file requested only a cemetery and a children’s playground, saying construction of a larger sanctuary was years away. "The only thing that is being requested is a cemetery and a child's playground," Pawrowski said, and offered to give the board the original application.
Commissioners raised traffic safety concerns for County Road 246 S and neighboring private roads, noting the proposal could generate up to 260 additional vehicle trips and that portions of the route are narrow and low on the county’s maintenance priority list. Rodriguez and County Administrator Bradley Arnold said the condition requiring a TIA is intended to evaluate the roadway character and identify needed mitigation, and that the board may require the TIA before a final decision if it wants additional evidence.
After discussion, the board voted to direct staff to work with the applicant to modify the scope and to re‑advertise the application so public notice and Planning & Zoning review match the applicant’s intent. The motion passed unanimously.
What happens next: staff will coordinate with the applicant to narrow the application to the elements the applicant confirms (for example, a cemetery and playground), re‑notice the matter, and return it to the Planning & Zoning Special Master and the board for a future hearing. The board’s action did not approve the permit itself; it instructed staff to rework the application and the public notice to match the narrower scope where appropriate.
