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Residents raise drainage and tree‑clearing concerns as Montgomery commission backs Cornerstone Church rezoning
Summary
At a public hearing, residents said prior clearing and paving by Cornerstone Community Church increased flooding and removed buffers; the Planning & Zoning Commission recommended the church’s rezoning to institutional but emphasized that engineering, drainage, and mitigation plans must be approved before any construction.
The Montgomery Planning & Zoning Commission on April 7 recommended that city council approve a request by Cornerstone Community Church to rezone two 1‑acre parcels (Dev. 2510) from single‑family residential (R‑1) to Institutional.
The decision followed a public hearing at which homeowner Tyler Cooper of 118 Anna Springs Lane said work on the adjacent church property after October 2023 coincided with ‘‘significant flooding issues’’ on his land, including a drainage ditch and his pool filling with mud and debris. ‘‘All of these issues began after October 2023,’’ Cooper said, urging the commission to require that ‘‘drainage studies are conducted and reviewed by the city engineer’’ and that ‘‘downstream impacts adjacent to residential properties are fully addressed before construction begins.’’
Commissioners and staff told the meeting that rezoning is only the first step and that any physical improvements would require subsequent plan submittals and sealed civil, grading and drainage plans for review. Staff member Zach said the city engineer would review impervious cover, elevations and grading, and that ‘‘they would have to be submitted and approved by the city prior to any addition to the site being made.’’ The record shows a stop‑work action and earlier site visits after unauthorized clearing; staff said enforcement actions and retroactive corrections would be evaluated during plan review.
Residents also complained that vegetation clearing removed the 25‑foot vegetative buffer they had been told would remain. One neighbor said earlier assurances from a previous administration were that the buffer and lighting protections would be observed, and that those assurances appeared not to have been honored. Staff confirmed they had issued a stop‑work notice and had been coordinating with the developer’s team to ensure required setbacks, buffers and drainage measures are part of any future submission.
Commissioners emphasized that if the rezoning proceeds, the developer must return with plats and sealed engineering plans and that any historic‑preservation components would also be reviewed; staff noted the landmark designation applies to the property where the church building sits (the historic bell landmark) though the parcels being rezoned are adjacent. The commission moved, seconded and voted to recommend the rezoning to city council by voice vote.
Next steps: the commission’s recommendation will be forwarded to the Montgomery City Council for a final decision; any civil, grading or drainage work must pass city engineering review before permits are issued.
