Methodists' request to close street is tabled until zoning is settled

By Lynn Hotaling

Representatives of Sylva United Methodist Church, who last May asked town leaders to close Church Street (which bisects church property) to make way for church expansion, learned last week that their property must be rezoned before they can make any changes to existing buildings.

The church, located on the south side of Jackson Street, is zoned R-1, Sylva's strictest zoning category, which allows only single-family homes, according to Sylva's 1997 zoning ordinance. The property's use by a church is grandfathered in, since the church predates the ordinance, but the church cannot expand under the current zoning.

"Churches are not permitted in an R-1 district. What's there is OK, but additions have to be approved," said Sylva town clerk Tommy Thompson. "You can't increase your non-conforming use," said Jim Aust, Sylva's zoning administrator.

The zoning difficulty surfaced during an Oct. 18 meeting of Sylva's three-member street committee - town board members Eldon Cabe, Lynda Sossamon and Norma Lee - called to make a recommendation concerning closing Church Street.

The committee's initial consensus was that the town would have to improve the lower portion of Cowan Street before it could consider closing Church, which connects Jackson and upper Cowan Street. Church serves as an alternate route to the unimproved, one-lane portion of Cowan, and committee members said closing Church without improving Cowan would compromise access of emergency vehicles to residences on Cowan Street. Church and town leaders split the $1,000 cost of an engineering study to determine the cost of repairing Cowan Street. That report, prepared by W.K. Dickson of Asheville, estimates a $249,894 price tag for the project.

Early discussion Thursday centered around how the town and church could divide the cost of the Cowan Street repairs. Lee and Sossamon, both members of Sylva Methodist, recommended eliminating the cost of drainage structures ($46,000) from the proposed shared cost.

"I don't think the church should have to pay for drainage," Sossamon said, and placed the total that would be shared at some $200,000.

Church board of Trustees Chairman Joe Hurt and Pastor Paul Christy represented the church Thursday and did not object to that figure, though Hurt stressed that approval of other church officials would be required before any funds are committed.

The discussion then turned to whether town board members could close the street immediately but make the effective date 2003 to allow time to complete the Cowan Street upgrade. But the news that no expansion plans could proceed under the church's current zoning ended the street closing talks.

Christy indicated that the church would formally request rezoning, most likely to R-1A, which permits churches, schools and bed and breakfasts, at the town board's 7 p.m. meeting Thursday, Nov. 1.

A public hearing to take comment on another rezoning request, that of the Cogdill heirs with regard to the Lois Morris property on Skyland Drive, is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Nov. 1. Tuckaseigee Water and Sewer Authority, which wishes to purchase property within the Sylva city limits to house its office and equipment, plans to purchase 2 acres of the Morris tract if it is rezoned.

In other matters last week:

- Street committee members approved a plan that will add one handicap accessible parking space on Jackson Street.

In order to meet width requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, a portion of the sidewalk will have to be removed, said Aust. Street committee members elected to put concrete rather than asphalt in the section of the parking space that corresponds to the sidewalk and ramps up and down to sidewalk level. The initial plan called for the entire space to be asphalt, which is cheaper, Aust said.

"I'd rather not use asphalt for the ramp - I'd use concrete," Sossamon said. "I don't think (all asphalt) would look good."

Nearby business owner John Kevlin of Metrostat Technologies offered to donate $500 to help offset the additional cost of the concrete. "I'll donate $500 toward the cost of concrete for the sidewalk so it will look nice," Kevlin said.

- Committee members took no action on Kevlin's request to add angled parking places on Schulman Street.

Kevlin's proposal involves closing the right lane of Schulman after Wachovia Bank and using that lane to add up to seven parking spaces. He'd also like to see construction of a pod, like the ones built on Main Street as part of the Streetscape, on Schulman, he said.

Metrostat is planning to excavate the area soon to bury fiber optic cable, Kevlin said, and he'd prefer to have a plan in place before construction starts. He indicated that he would consider paying for the pod construction if the town approves the plan.

"I'm not asking you to commit money," Kevlin said.

"I don't see how we can do it without money," Sossamon said.

Without the addition of a pod, the only expense involved in adding the parking spaces would be paint and labor, Thompson said, but added he'd like to see a more complete drawing before reaching a decision.

"It seems any increase in parking would be good," Kevlin said. "I though we'd agreed to add parking on Schulman Street to replace what's lost to the handicap space on Jackson."

Kevlin initially made the request for additional parking on Schulman Street in June. Mayor Brenda Oliver referred the matter to the street committee for a decision.

More parking would be a "definite benefit to the town," Thompson said. "I'd like to see a better drawing that would include a proposed pod."

A pod on Schulman Street is not on the plans for any of the phases of the streetscape, Sossamon said.

"Other businesses have been waiting for improvements," she said.

"But I'm willing to help pay," Kevlin countered.

"That's nice, but I think we have to follow the plan," Sossamon said.

Back to Archive: 10/25/01.