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By T. Scott Boatright
The Ruston Board of Aldermen at next month’s meeting will decide on a request from Faith Christian Church to change the designation of property at 104 West Woodhaven Rd. from low density residential to central parkway.
Ruston’s Planning and Zoning Commission on Monday endorsed the church’s request and approved an application to rezone the property on a unanimous vote. Commissioner Otha Anders was absent from the meeting.
Faith Christian Church pastor Stan Pody said the designation change would make it easier for the church to handle the approval process from planned expansion of the church.
The P&Z Commission’s recommendation will be on the May agenda for Ruston’s Board of Aldermen because redesignation would potentially change the city’s comprehensive master plan use map.
Faith Christian Church, which is located at 2909 North Trenton St., purchased the adjacent West Woodhaven Road property including a house that sits on it as part of its planned expansion.
Pody said the church would like to enlarge its current building but that doing so will not involve the West Woodhaven Road property.
Concerned people residing near the church who spoke during Monday’s meeting said they had no problem with the church but had questions about the type of addition the church is planning.
Audubon Drive resident Allen Tuten said there have been unsightly storage buildings and such behind the church and that neighbors of the church had previously been told that the current metal building would be covered with brick or veneer but that hadn’t happened.
Pody said the church inherited that building when it bought the Trenton Street property and that he did not know if a previous agreement by the former owners regarding a brick veneer.
While no expansion plans have yet been submitted to the city, Zoning Administrator John Hayes said that the city code provides some control over the type of materials used for new construction.
Michelle McGehee, who lives near the church, said her concern was about the sound level coming from the church’s praise-style of worship.
Pody responded by saying part of the proposed new expansion would include adding foam and sound insulation to the building, which should dampen the sound.