GAINESVILLE — The Gainesville Planning and Appeals Board has approved rezoning requests for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta, allowing plans for a large Catholic church campus on Gainesville's west side to move forward.
The proposed church would be located on approximately 20-acres of land on S. Smith Road, which is just off Browns Bridge Road near McEver Road.
One of the tracts approved for rezoning is a 4.899-acre piece of property that will be rezoned from Residential-I (R-I) and Planned Unit Development (P-U-D) to P-U-D. The other request was for an amendment for existing P-U-D zoning for a 14.233-acre tract of land on S. Smith Road across the intersection from Cherry Hill Drive. Both requests received unanimous approval.
John Schiavone, the Director of Real Estate and Development for Catholic Construction Services of the Archdiocese in Atlanta said after the vote there are still some hurdles to cross before construction can begin.
"It's dependent upon running it through all the appropriate committees of the Archdiocese," said Schiavone. "There will be some fundraising involved...so, just as soon as we can get through all those hoops, then we'd want to start something. A project like this...once you do start, probably 12 months, 15 months - just depends on what you get into."
The first phase of the project includes a 1,000-seat sanctuary for the growing Catholic population in Gainesville. Schiavone said there is already a parish worshiping in a temporary space ready to move into the new facility.
"[They're] excited, very excited. The one they're in, they've outgrown, so it makes it difficult. It tires Father out - he has to say more masses, so they're very excited about this," said Schiavone.
The rezoning requests now must go before Gainesville City Council. Council should take up the request at its first meeting in August, according to City Planning Director Matt Tate.
