The Calhoun City Council approved a setback variance request from Calhoun First Baptist Church during a busy meeting Monday night, clearing the way for the church to move forward with plans for a new preschool building.
The request was the first of several public hearings held during the July 6 council meeting and drew interest from members of the community.
The approved variance allows the church to reduce the required 35-foot building setback to 16 feet along Fain Street and to 13 feet along Jim Lay Drive (formerly Pitts Street) for property located at 411 College Street.
The church plans to replace its aging modular preschool building with a new permanent facility for its longstanding weekday Mother’s Day Out preschool program, which has served local families for decades.
Speaking during the council’s work session earlier in the day, Pastor John Barber said the current two-story modular building has reached the end of its useful life.
“We’re trying to address a building that’s 24 years old,” Barber told council members. “Currently we serve some 300 children who are enrolled in our weekday Mother’s Day Out preschool program. The church is very committed to that continuing, but we can’t continue that without addressing that building’s deficiencies and age.”
Barber said the church is investing approximately $3 million into the project, which includes construction of a new 9,100-square-foot brick building.
Although the new facility will have a slightly smaller footprint than the existing program, Barber said it is expected to serve about 250 students while providing a much longer-lasting structure.
He noted that church leaders previously withdrew an earlier variance request after receiving feedback from city officials and department heads.
“We heard the feedback, made some of the adjustments, and I feel like this will be better than what’s there,” Barber said.
The church’s original request had raised concerns among city staff, prompting revisions to the project before it returned to the council.
Barber also addressed concerns raised by nearby residents regarding stormwater runoff and standing water along College Street.
He said the redesigned project includes additional pervious surfaces and was engineered to reduce runoff, adding that the church intends to comply with all applicable drainage requirements.
“With the changes, there will be less water in the situation because of the pervious surface added,” Barber said.
Residents also voiced concerns during the public hearing about longstanding drainage problems in the area and questioned whether additional infrastructure improvements would become necessary.
Councilman Bruce Potts, who made the motion to approve the variance, said city records show the drainage system has historically been maintained by the City of Calhoun.
Potts said the drainage pipes extend to Pisgah Way and that the city should continue evaluating and repairing the system as needed, rather than placing responsibility solely on the church.
The Calhoun Zoning Advisory Board considered the request during a July 2 meeting but did not make a recommendation to the council after only three members attended the meeting. Two of those members recused themselves because they are members of Calhoun First Baptist Church, leaving the board without enough eligible members to take action.
Following discussion, the City Council approved the setback variance by a 3-0 vote. Councilman Al Edwards abstained because he is a member of Calhoun First Baptist Church.
The approval allows the church to move forward with plans to replace the aging preschool building with a new permanent facility designed to continue serving families in the Calhoun community for years to come.