Planners’ Decision on Church Is Appealed

Councilwoman Barbra Williamson, responding to criticism of church neighbors, Wednesday appealed the Planning Commission’s approval of a proposed 13,000-square-foot expansion of New Heart Foursquare Church.

Earlier this month, the commission approved the proposal, which would add offices and classrooms to the church, despite concerns of the neighbors, who feared an expansion would increase the risk of flooding in their backyards.

“I had so many [of the church’s] neighbors call me. . .,” Williamson said. “I don’t know if anything can or can’t be done, but people have the right to talk to their elected officials.”

Her appeal will bring the matter before the City Council, opening the church’s proposal to another public hearing, which is scheduled for Feb. 22, according to Assistant City Manager Laura Herron.

Robert Swoish, Williamson’s appointee to the Planning Commission, said he believes the commission “made the right decision based on the information we had at the time.”

“What you really want to try to do is make the best decision for everybody,” he said.

A better decision would involve installing an underground drainage pipe from the church property, located at 4200 Township Ave., through a patch of ground set aside for utilities, he said. But residents at the meeting said they were unwilling to allow the pipe to run next to their properties.

The neighbors live in a subdivision near the church. A ditch running within the subdivision allows drainage from the church, which is built on a grade. Williamson said she is concerned about the possibility of a child falling into the ditch when it is full of rainwater.

“There’s got to be some responsibility on the church’s part to mitigate it,” Williamson said.

Church officials could not be reached for comment.