Local churches are to get more leeway than would have otherwise been the case under proposed zoning changes, following discussion Tuesday night by the Neosho City Council.
Father and son Ray and Matt Prihoda, both affiliated with Ozark Christian School, 906 Summit St., in Neosho, addressed the council in turn Tuesday, with questions geared toward the place of churches and private schools in Neosho if the ordinance to overhaul Chapter 405 of city code is put into effect. As reported Wednesday, the council will treat the bill as a simple discussion item and take no final action at its next meeting on Jan. 20. The ordinance only needs one more round of voting to pass, having already been approved on first and second readings.
Ray Prihoda, who serves on the Christian school’s board of education, asked the council that churches be allowed in all, or nearly all, zoning districts and for existing church buildings to be grandfathered in if additions are made onto the structures and not be required to provide additional off-street parking to accommodate the entire building.
Under the proposed ordinance, whenever a current building expands by a square footage greater than 25 percent of its present floor area, off-street parking requirements would go into effect for the entire building. In a church’s case, this would mean one parking space for every four seats, plus one space for every vehicle operating or stored on the premises, such as a church bus or van.
If the building remodel or addition measures less than 25 percent of the existing floor space, the appropriate number of off-street parking spaces would only apply to the new portion.
Meanwhile, Matt Prihoda, vice-principal of Ozark Christian School, had questions about a newly added provision that would allow churches in certain residential zones normally reserved for duplexes, apartments, hospitals, hotels, assisted living centers, etc., provided the church sits on at least three acres of land and meets all other site plan requirements. There was some debate among council members about the three-acre requirement, however, and City Manager Jan Blase said it would be dropped from the final draft, though certain site plan requirements would be retained.
Zoning restrictions on churches have already been eased in the ordinance, which initially limited churches to only two zoning districts, without requiring a special use permit. As it’s written now, churches would be allowed in all commercial districts and in the residential districts outlined above, which are classified R-2, second dwelling house district and R-3, apartment house district, provided site designs are approved and the church maintains the required number of off-street parking spaces.
Councilman Jeff Werneke questioned the 25 percent clause, as related to the off-street parking schedule, for churches, and noted that all of the bigger churches in town originally started out in smaller buildings. He also said he felt that churches shouldn’t be subjected to the appeal process when they want to expand their structures.
Mayor Howard Birdsong acknowledged the role of churches, but said, “the fine line is how much exemption should churches get from government.”
“No question, they contribute to the quality of life, but so does a restaurant, so do other things,” Birdsong said.
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Also on Tuesday, the council heard from local resident James Smallwood Sr., who inquired about the future of the former Neosho First Baptist church building, at the corner of Main and Jefferson Streets.
The church was purchased by the city last February for $290,000. City officials have previously stated they don’t definitely know what they will do with the structure. But there has been talk on the record of tearing down the building and turning the area into a green space and/or parking lot.
A study conducted in August by an engineering firm found that it would take more than $1 million to restore the structure for public use. According to the preliminary cost estimate, prepared by General Design and Restoration, Inc., the building needs roof repairs, new plumbing, a new HVAC system, electrical work, fire protection and sprinklers, site work, and demolition of the front of the building for parking, among other improvements.
On Sept. 16, the council directed city staff to look for alternatives to renovating the old church.
In a follow-up interview, Birdsong had stated that the building “doesn’t have to be demolished if we want to spend a million dollars to fix it up.”
At the same time, Blasé said he didn’t think the city’s sales tax revenue could hold up a project of that size and said he thought the corner space was much more valuable as a parking lot.
On Dec. 4, the Neosho Historic District Commission OK’d a request, as petitioned by the city, to tear down the church.
Four days later, Blasé said it would take at least $50,000 to destroy the building and pay for engineering studies, and added that wouldn’t include actual construction of a parking lot or green space. However, he suggested the idea of possibly reaching out to local businesses to help create a communal parking lot around the Civic, which would include the First Baptist Church lot.
The following week, Blasé confirmed to another news outlet that the city had been approved to use about $40,000 worth of leftover state tax credits toward the demolition of the church and reportedly said he hoped work could start this spring. He said he would still have to bring the issue before the city council.
But on Tuesday, Birdsong said there has not been a decision reached about what would be done with the former church structure.
“What I’ve asked the city manager for at this point, until we do make a decision, are rough numbers about what it would cost to renovate (the building) and what it would cost to tear it down,” Birdsong said. “Those are the only discussions I know of.”
Smallwood suggested that instead of turning the building into 30-40 space parking lot, as had been discussed, the city should sell the structure to a developer for the purpose of converting it into apartments.
Werneke said that it was the recommendation of the ad hoc auditorium renovation committee for the city to purchase the soon-to-be-vacated church building as a way to guard the taxpayer’s investment in the auditorium against blight.
“Maybe, financially, it wasn’t a perfect scenario,” Werneke said. “But, on the other hand, if you look at it relative to the auditorium building itself, it was a protectionist move. It was a way to control the property nearby, to make sure what we put our money into was protected.”
Werneke added that his understanding of the issue, as far as what is to be done with the church building, be it renovation or demolition, “is still up for discussion.”
“We’re just entertaining ideas right now,” he said. “…I want to make it real clear that we’re not steamrolling ahead to get rid of (the church building) or just do one thing with it. We just want to know what all the options are.”
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In other business, the council:
• Heard a report that Kum and Go plans to pay for major improvements to Kodiak Road, adjacent the company’s property, according to specifications required for a stoplight at Kodiak and U.S.
Highway 60. As the city needs to require two easements first, since Kodiak isn’t wide enough to build the appropriately sized stacking lane, the council approved a $7,820 agreement with CEI Engineering, of Bentonville, Ark., to prepare for the acquisition of the right-of-ways.
• Approved a contract with Hurst-Rosche Engineers for design engineering and construction inspection services for renovations on the Square in the amount of $42,350 for design and engineering services and construction-related services not to exceed $31,900. The city will be reimbursed through state grants and tax credits.
• Amended a contract with Hurst-Rosche Engineers for parking lot and sidewalk improvements.
According to Blasé, the city has acquired a new parking lot, across from the Neosho-Newton County Library, and which had previously belonged to the library. The lot will now be improved.
The contract reflects an additional engineering and construction services fee totaling $15,447. Work is being funded by a state grant.
• Approved a change order with Blevins Asphalt in the additional amount of $1,650 for parking lot and sidewalk improvements. This doesn’t include work for the newly acquired lot.
• Approved the purchase of six CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear) suits for the police department for $11,970. According to Neosho Fire Chief Greg Hickman, the purchase is 100 percent covered by a homeland security grant.
• Amended, on final reading, last fiscal year’s budget to reflect revenues in the amount of $15,490,960 and expenditures in the amount of $23,481,161, with a reserve fund balance of $7,551,796.
• Approved, on final reading, an agreement with Burlington Northern San Francisco Railway and the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission for the closure of Randolph Street as improvements are made to the Baxter Street railroad crossing. Cost to the city will be labor and materials only for the road closure.
• Approved the purchase of chemicals and fertilizers for the city golf course, from two companies, Turf Grass, of Marshfield, and Agriturf, of Rogers, Ark. The council voted to accept the low bid for each particular product from both companies rather than awarding one of the businesses the entire bid package.
• Declared, on final reading, personal property as surplus to be sold off or auctioned. The items include several vehicles, a John Deere tractor with mower, firefighting breathing apparatus, a backhoe, a wastewater generator, tires and several other miscellaneous items.
