Alpharetta planning commission backs Spirit of God Church master‑plan amendment, with tightened parking and sound rules

The Alpharetta Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of a master‑plan amendment and conditional use permit that would allow Spirit of God Church to operate at 145 Noble Court, forwarding the item to City Council on March 23.

Michael Woodman, a city planning staff member, told the commission that staff revised the record after the February hearing and corrected the on‑site striped parking count from 64 to 62. Based on Alpharetta's parking ratio for places of worship (one space per two seats), staff recommended limiting the church's primary sanctuary to no more than 124 seats. Woodman read ten conditions into the record, including limits on days and times of primary worship to weekends, a prohibition on daycare, requirements for a masonry dumpster enclosure, and a ban on outside speakers.

Pastor Randall Nying, representing Spirit of God Christian Church, said the congregation has served Alpharetta for more than two decades and that the church has tried to meet with neighbors and to comply with city requirements. "We've done everything the city of Alpharetta has asked us to do," Pastor Nying said.

Several residents and nearby property owners raised concerns during the public comment period about parking counts, potential overflow onto adjacent properties, covenant conflicts within the Windward Business Center, and application completeness. One commenter who reviewed original permitting documents said parts of the application packet lacked dated owner authorization and other materials. A congregant, Daryl Thompson, urged approval and described the church's community services.

Commissioners questioned whether placing a dumpster enclosure in existing striped spaces would reduce the number of on‑site spaces and, if so, how that should affect the seating cap. Staff recommended, and the commission adopted as part of its motion, language that any reduction in striped on‑site parking would require a proportional reduction in permitted sanctuary seats (two seats per removed space). The commission also adopted clarified language to the "outside speakers" condition defining the term to mean non‑portable sound‑amplifying devices.

After deliberation the commission approved the staff recommendation with those edits. The commission recorded four votes in favor; the item will be considered by the City Council on March 23.