Commission to Vote on Church’s Project

Valley Bible Community Church will seek approval today to build a 13,063-square-foot sanctuary and add more parking spaces and landscaping on property it owns in the 4400 block of Barnard Street.

The church long ago outgrew its current sanctuary and has been using three other buildings, including a house and a trailer, for its office and Sunday school, said church administrator Mary Land.

Those uses, however, were not allowed under the county building permits issued in 1961.

When it first considered the church’s request at its Aug. 19 meeting, the city Planning Commission asked that the church ensure that there would be enough parking spaces to accommodate the congregation, said city Senior Planner Jim Lightfoot. About 300 people attend two services each Sunday at the church.

The commission also asked the church to alter its outdoor lighting to minimize the impact on neighbors.

“The plans seem to address all of those issues,” Lightfoot said. “We’re comfortable with the proposal.”

The project, if approved by the Planning Commission, would involve the demolition of the three buildings to make way for the expanded sanctuary. Construction is scheduled to be completed by the fall of 2000, with landscaping and parking improvements to continue into 2001.

Also on tonight’s agenda, the commission will hear a request from Airtech Cellular to build a wireless telecommunications facility at the Wood Ranch Village Center, 525 Country Club Drive. Construction would include installation of four antenna/flagpoles, a microwave dish antenna and a global positioning satellite antenna.