Trussville Council considers rezoning church property near proposed entertainment district

On Tuesday evening, the Trussville City Council heard requests to rezone a property off Watterson Parkway to house a new building for the city’s Christ Church.

Members of the church were present for a request to rezone roughly six acres of 14 Watterson Pkwy. from Commercial (C-2) to Institutional (Inst-1). The pastor, James Dickson, presented an early rendering of their future church site plan.

“We moved to Trussville seven years ago to plant this church with the help of several PCA churches in Birmingham,” Dickson said. “For the past six years, we have been worshiping at the Trussville YMCA with an office on South Chalkville. It has been our desire, from the beginning, to be a part of this community. We have sought to be involved in the schools, ballparks, and other ministers in this area. It was important for us to continue to be a part of the vision of being a part of this community as we continue to grow. The property on Watterson fit all those desires. ”

But the property’s proximity to the city’s future entertainment district raised concern from the council, who were concerned about potential conflicts with an existing ordinance preventing the issuance of alcohol sales licenses to buildings “when the distance between the premises to be licensed and a school, church or library is less than 750 feet.”

Councilors worried this could impact the city’s planned entertainment district, which will be close to the property in question.

“We have to look at the ordinance to see if [rezoning] would place us in violation, or if it prohibits another property owner from developing a property for commercial purposes,” said Councilor Brian Plant.

Councilor Alan Taylor elaborated further: “There are two issues,” he said. “One issue is what we know is going to happen, and that is the entertainment district. Does this encroach on that? The second issue is that property adjacent to that will limit what can go in. There could not be a restaurant there that served alcohol because it comes into that radius.”

City Clerk Lynn Porter read the city’s ordinance aloud and said there were certain built-in exceptions, including if a property is divided by a four-lane or greater highway, railroad, and if the property is a grocery store that sells for off-premise consumption.

Mayor Buddy Choat said that, according to the radius, the church property did not impede in any of the city’s Quad One development.

“None of the development plans will be touched,” said Choat. “I am looking at Marvin’s, location for the special event, and it is outside of this line. What it may affect are some buildings off S. Chalkville Road and Watterson Parkway, but they are not currently restaurants.”

Choat said that the same property owner owns all the other surrounding land who is interested in more of a professional development.