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Flagler County Planning Board recommends approval for New Way Christian Fellowship church on East Moody Boulevard
Summary
At its March 10 meeting the Planning Board recommended approval of a semi‑public use for New Way Christian Fellowship, endorsing a proposed roughly 40,000 sq ft church with an ~8,000 sq ft sanctuary and expanded parking; the decision is a recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners, not final approval.
The Flagler County Planning Board on March 10 recommended that the Board of County Commissioners approve a semi-public use application from New Way Christian Fellowship to build a church on East Moody Boulevard.
Planner Simone Kenny told the board the site is just under 17 acres, with roughly 6.7 acres of delineated wetlands toward the rear and about eight acres of uplands where the development would occur. Simone said the proposed building would be “roughly under 40,000 sq ft,” with the sanctuary occupying about 7,945 sq ft and the unfixed seating allowing just over 1,000 seats; based on that seating the development would require about 265 parking spaces and the applicant is proposing approximately 354 spaces. The site is zoned C2 (general commercial), is not in a flood zone (flood zone X for the parcel), and includes wetlands delineation performed by Carter Services, Simone said. She said the applicant plans to deed an encroaching piece of Old Moody Boulevard right‑of‑way back to Flagler County and would seek water and sewer service from the City of Bunnell as a condition of permitting.
Rob Merrell, an attorney for the applicant, said the congregation has outgrown its current hangar space and promoted the application as meeting the county’s criteria. Merrell asked those in favor in the audience to stand to demonstrate community need and said the materials in the board packet and Simone’s report “check off all the boxes” for the land‑use criteria. Contractor Rich Smith confirmed that the applicant has been in contact with the City of Bunnell about utilities and that a formal application and written commitments would follow as part of permitting.
No members of the public spoke during the public‑comment period on the item. A board member moved to recommend approval of the project “as presented”; the board’s voice vote was recorded as Michael Boyd Yes, Anthony Lombardo Yes, Dan Wilcox Yes, Michael Goodman Yes, Ron Long Yes and Mark Langello I, and the motion carried unanimously. The Planning Board’s action is a recommendation; final approval requires action by the Flagler County Board of County Commissioners.
If commissioners take up the item, conditions the planning staff identified would remain relevant: preservation of the wetland buffer and mitigation permits where needed, construction in substantial compliance with the approved site plan, required signage meeting C2 district rules, maintenance of nonprofit registration for the applicant (New Way Christian Fellowship), coordination with the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office for traffic and special‑event services if needed, adherence to county noise limits for amplified sound, and demonstration of water and sewer availability from the City of Bunnell before permitting.
