Fayette County OKs zoning change to allow off‑site church parking with conditions

The Fayette County Board of Commissioners voted 4‑0 on May 28 to amend Chapter 110 of the county zoning ordinance to list off‑site parking as an incidental use for churches, contingent on meeting conditions the county will set, including a required traffic plan.

Planning and Zoning Director Debbie Bell introduced the amendment, explaining staff and the Planning Commission recommended approval with a condition requiring an off‑site parking traffic plan. During public comment, Bill Entrekin, project manager for Flat Creek Baptist Church, said the petitioner and church leadership believed needed corrections had not been made since prior hearings and outlined the church’s plan to open about 400 rear‑lot parking spaces to the public free of charge rather than leasing them.

Vice Chairman Edward Gibbons moved to approve the amendment and Commissioner Charles W. Oddo seconded the motion. County Attorney Dennis A. Davenport advised the Board that whether part of a church property remains tax‑exempt depends on whether the use is for church purposes: "If the use was for church purposes it would remain tax exempt. To the extent that any part of the property was used for other than church purposes, that portion of the property would be taxable," he said.

The board’s approval was taken 4‑0 (Commissioner Eric K. Maxwell absent). The amendment adds off‑site parking as an allowed incidental use for places of worship and requires applicants to submit a traffic plan and comply with the specific criteria the county will apply when reviewing those applications.

Next steps: staff will publish the implementing criteria and begin processing applications under the amended ordinance. The Board did not specify an immediate enforcement timeline for previously existing off‑site parking arrangements.