The Flowery Branch City Council voted unanimously to table a request from a nearby church looking to rezone a property on McEver Road to build a new facility.
McEver Road United Methodist Church is looking to relocate to the new site from it's current location in Oakwood. The church's pastor, Reverend Dr. Rob Bruce says the church needs a bigger site.
"It's not that we've outgrown it numerically, our vision and mission has become bigger than the facility," Bruce said.
City staff recommended denial of the request. Planning Director Rich Atkinson said the more-than 11-acre property at the corner of McEver Road and Gainesville Street lies in a corridor that the city has been looking to use for commercial development.
A standing-room-only crowd filled Flowery Branch City Hall for the meeting, with most indicating they were there to support the church's request. Two residents spoke in support of the rezoning.
"I've had a business in this community for over 30 years and I've seen a lot of change," resident Ron Clements said. "Churches serve communities, they're good neighbors."
Councilman Joe Anglin was the first on the council to suggest tabling the request, saying the city needed more time to review the property and the surrounding area.
"This is a very tender topic, to say the very least, for both sides," Anglin said. "This is our very first look at it."
Anglin and other city officials said they would like to see the site have the parking lot behind the building. Council members also said they wanted to ensure that the building would not prevent nearby commercial properties from being able to serve alcohol. City Manager Bill Andrew said by his estimation no current businesses would be within the city's 100-yard range of the church that would prohibit alcohol sales.
The first reading for the rezoning is now scheduled for July 18.
