Planning Commission Approves Church Relocation

Victory Church to Move Again When New Building Finished

— Victory Church of Northwest Arkansas is back on schedule to hold its first services at its new location on New Year’s Eve.

In a special meeting Monday, the Springdale Planning Commission approved allowing a conditional use for a church in a general commercial zone. The church is moving to Ozark Center Point Place, 5320 W. Sunset Ave., Suites 168 through 171.

The church has been looking for a spot to move to since the council’s approval of the plans for Don Tyson Parkway interchange on Interstate 540 included demolition of the church building for entrance and exit ramps. The church was given until Feb. 1 to move out of its building.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do and a lot of cleanup before we can have our first service,” said Billy Coffman, senior pastor at the church. “Hopefully, we’ll be ready.”

The application for the conditional use was tabled at the commission’s Dec. 4 meeting when representatives from Mathias Shopping Centers, the property owners, didn’t show up. The next meeting of the commission would not be until Jan. 2.

The Monday vote, combined with an approval today by the City Council, will allow Victory Church to hold services on New Year’s. A site plan, which would include the required number of parking places, must be turned in to the planning department before the council meeting.

A parking plan is required for all conditional uses, said Patsy Christie, city director of planning.

The church plans to stay at Ozark Center Point Place for about a year, if everything works out, Coffman said.

The city, at the request of Victory Church, filed a condemnation case for the property. The church turned down the city’s offer of $2.45 million for interchange right of way. Condemnation allowed the church to receive city’s offer of money quickly while still being able to dispute the value of the property.

The church has purchased property on the west side of Arkansas 112 in Tontitown to construct a new church, Coffman said. Construction time could be as short as 180 days, he said, but financing is still a question with the impending court case from the condemnation.

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