Orange County — Board of Zoning Adjustment

SE-04-05-127 — Orlando Deliverance Evangelistic Church

Request: Special Exception in R-1 (single family-7,500 sq. ft. lots) and R-3 (multifamily) zones to construct religious use building and the following Variances: 1) To allow grassed parking in lieu of paved; and 2) To allow a 10 ft. rear yard setback in lieu of 20 ft. (NOTE: The applicant wants to construct a new two-story 4,800 sq. ft. building to be used for religious purposes.

Decision: Denied

Hearing: The Staff Booklet and Recommendation is located on Pages_____. The applicant stated their church currently owns and operates its services on property located on Columbia Street. That site is located diagonally across the street to the south from the proposed new church site. The applicant wants to relocate to the subject property to accommodate future growth. The applicant told the BZA they have a verbal agreement with the property owners next to the existing church to use their land for parking. They want to continue such parking arrangement for the new proposed church across the street. Two neighboring residents addressed the BZA in opposition. One opposing neighbor next door stated she did not want to live next door to a church due to increase in noise, lighting, and traffic. Additional opposing comments indicated the majority of the parking for the church was too far away. Columbia is a heavily-traveled street (4-laned roadway), and it would not be safe for children, senior citizens, and handicapped parishioners to have to cross that street. A 29-signature petition was submitted in opposition. The BZA felt the subject property was too small to accommodate the proposed church use, and that the proposed parking across the street constituted a safety hazard. Therefore, the BZA denied this request.