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Commission approves Whitechapel Methodist Church expansion with height exception
Summary
The Planning & Zoning Commission approved a zoning change and concept/site plan for Whitechapel Methodist Church (ZA25-0075) to allow phased additions including a youth activity center and a new Foundry building; staff conditions and fire‑code adjustments were attached to the approval.
The Planning & Zoning Commission voted to approve ZA25-0075 for Whitechapel Methodist Church on Jan. 8, authorizing a rezone to an SP‑2 site‑plan district and phased additions to the campus.
Staff presented the request describing two phases: a roughly 17,000‑square‑foot youth activity center and a 10,000‑square‑foot education building in phase one, and a Foundry building in phase two, with associated parking. The applicant sought a zoning modification to allow a third floor and a modest increase in building height for specific structures; staff noted the church’s existing steeple and some elements already exceed base height limits, and the SP‑2 district and council variances are mechanisms the city uses to accommodate institutional needs.
Brent Klein, appearing for the applicant, said the additions cluster against existing structures for circulation and that some buildings were structurally prepared for a third floor. Staff and the city’s fire reviewer flagged one technical change — widening a fire lane by two feet near taller structures to allow ladder‑truck access — a modification the church is addressing with staff.
Commissioners moved to approve the zoning change and site plan subject to the staff report and site‑plan review summary dated Jan. 2, 2026. The motion was seconded and the commission recorded a unanimous approval (6‑0).
What it means: The approval allows Whitechapel Methodist Church to proceed into more detailed engineering and building‑permit review for the phased additions, subject to conditions in the staff report and any fire‑code changes that must be implemented during construction plan review.
Next steps: Staff will process the project’s construction‑plan review, utility relocations (including relocation of an 8‑inch water line noted for phase two) and tree‑demolition permits as shown in the submitted exhibits.
