Church buys 51 acres on Webb Bridge
by Bob Pepalis.
October 10, 2007
Downtown Alpharetta won't look the same in several years, with Alpharetta First Baptist Church's move 2½ miles east to a much larger property next to Big Creek on Webb Bridge Road just the latest change.
Church members overwhelmingly voted buying 51 acres of land on Webb Bridge road just west of Big Creek and across the street from Alpharetta High School. The 102-year-old church plans a worship center, school, daycare, recreation center with baseball and soccer fields on the site.
Church board member Richard Wernick told Alpharetta Planning Commissioners Oct. 4 that it will take at least three years before the first dirt is turned at the new site.
"Right now our focus is on purchasing the land, then have a fund raiser help us to build the buildings," he said.
The church plans a 1,750-seat worship center, more than double what its Academy Street building can hold. That's important for the 1,800-member congregation, which is growing.
The planning board, led by its chairman, Mike Tomy, offered strong support for the church's plans. Tomy said he advocates larger churches being built in larger master-planned areas rather than shoehorning them into densely populated downtown areas.
The Planning Commission recommended approval for Alpharetta First Baptist's rezoning request. City Council will consider the application Oct. 22.
A connection to Edison Drive on the back of the Webb Bridge property must be gated under a condition approved by the Planning Commission in answer to concerns of the Windward Homeowners Inc. (WHI).
Butch Dumbleton was the first WHI representatives who said while group strongly supports the church's plans, it wants the city to forbid any connection to Edison Drive from the church property which they fear could become a new link between Windward Parkway and Webb Bridge Road.
"We do have a major concern about the access road to Edison Drive. We are trying to prevent any kind of cut through project," Dumbleton said.
Tom Miller, WHI president, chimed in with the opposition. He said even circuitous routes do little to prevent cut-through traffic. Any gate should be a significant structure and secure, he said.
But Wernick said the Edison Drive connection is important, especially to members reaching the church from Windward Parkway. Cut through traffic concerns the church as it is a problem at its existing Academy Street site. A gate may be acceptable, he said.
Alpharetta First Baptist has much work to do before it can move the 2½ miles down Academy Street to Webb Bridge Road.
"We would have to sell our existing facility. Obviously get more detailed plans done, architectural drawings, costing – it just takes time to do all that," Wernick said.
He said preliminary estimates are that the building process will take 18 months.
The church began discussing the property with the seller in May or June. It did not become available until August. Three weeks ago church members voted to buy the land.
Church leaders and members wanted to stay in Alpharetta.
"I think the thing that this site does for us is it keeps us in Alpharetta. We really want to be known as a church that is doing something for the community," he said.
Labels: Alpharetta, Church, First Baptist Church
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Brian Vanderhoff @ 4:57 PM
