Dresden First Baptist Church to Add Expansions

Dresden First Baptist Church plans to add expansions to their existing structure to include a nursery and a youth building.

The church made a “use on appeal request” to the Dresden BZA (Board of Zoning Appeals) for their property located at 490 Morrow Street. The reason the BZA addresses the plan review is due to the fact that a church is in a liable use on appeal in a residential district.

“I get asked a lot why they have to go through this process, but it's just because it's a residential district and just on the off chance that maybe somebody would try something that wouldn't be compatible with residential,” stated Donny Bunton, Community Planner for Northwest Tennessee Development District.

The proposed nursey will be 2,865 square feet in size, while the proposed youth building will be 7,780 square feet in size.

Their proposal includes an addition of six regular parking spaces and two handicapped spaces as well as an asphalt area, adjacent to the proposed nursery and a sidewalk up to and around the proposed youth building.

The property is zoned R-1 (Low Density Residential) and is 8.8 acres in size. The property has access to existing water and sewer services and the property is not located in a designated flood hazard area.

“It appears that all minimum requirements (such as setbacks) would be met for the proposed structures. The minimum parking requirement is based on the size of the primary church building and it is exceeded by the number of existing and proposed spaces. All other relative zoning requirements appear to be met for the proposed additions,” stated Bunton.

Bunton recommended approval to the board and the board unanimously approved.

There is not yet an estimated timeline of when the additions would be completed.