CC PACKET 01081985 - Laserfiche WebLink

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-2- William Zawislak reported on the special meeting of the Planning Commission which had been called by the Council to review and give a recommendation on the revised site plans for a Conditional Use Permit for the proposed expansion of the Elmwood Lutheran Church at 3615 Chelmsford Road, which he had chaired. The Commissioner indicated that , because the church and the abutting property owners had been able, during their meetings since the December 13th Council meeting, to satisfactorily compromise their differences related to the manner in which the addition would be constructed, the Commission in turn had reversed its initial recommendation for denial by giving a unanimous recommendation for approval of the new proposal from the church. Mr. Childs, who had monitored the meetings between church officials and the neighbors, had indicated that staff would also recommend the Elmwood request be approved as per the Planning Commission motion recorded in their January 4 minutes. The Mayor said he was "very pleased to see the neighbors and church officials had been able to negotiate their differences in good faith and in a Christian manner, since at first it had appeared the Council might be forced to make a "no win" determination on the first proposal which could have resulted in further aggravation of existing problems between the church and the abutting homeowners" . He thanked the Planning Commission members for holding a special meeting on the request so soon after the holidays . Mr. Zawislak, in turn, thanked the Manager for the part Mr. Childs had played in getting a successful negotiation. Both church representatives and the abutting property owners , the Antzcak ' s and Esau ' s were present. Donald Esau, whose property at 3505 36th Avenue N.E. abuts the area of the church building where the new sanctuary and fellowship hall/classroom additions were proposed,' rose to thank the Planning Commission and Council members for the time and effort they had expended to resolve the problems he and his neighbors had foreseen with the first proposal made by the church. He asked for the final findings of the Commission on the last proposal and they were read aloud by the Mayor, after which Dick Jones , an Elmwood trustee and building committee chairman, addressed the Council saying he wanted to express the gratitude of the church' s pastor, Reverend J. Valtinson, who was present, and the Elmwood congregation for the patience and forbearance demonstrated by the Council, Planning Commission and neighbors . Motion by Councilman Ranallo and seconded by Councilman Marks to grant the Conditional Use Permit requested by Elmwood Church which would allow the expansion of the existing sanctuary and development of a fellowship/classroom addition on the existing church structure at 3615 Chelmsford Road, as specifically indicated on the revised site plans for the project, identified as Exhibit A finding, as had the Planning Commision, that: 1. There had been significant public input from the abutting property owners, the neighbors down the block, and representatives of the church. 2 . Both the neighbors and the church representatives had agreed the