Daniel Prince
May 17, 2023
Corinth Baptist Church plans to open 4-K program through First Steps
A new four-year-old kindergarten program in the city is closer to becoming a reality following Tuesday’s Union City Council meeting. At a public hearing, comments were received on a proposed ordinance to rezone 302 North Herndon Street, the site of Corinth Baptist Church, from A-1 central business district to R-6 residential. The church wants to offer a four-year-old kindergarten program through Union County First Steps, but the current zoning of the property does not allow for a school or even a church use in it. Corinth was grandfathered in because it existed prior to the zoning ordinance taking effect. However, any expanded use of the property would not be allowed until the property could be rezoned. The Planning Commission recommended that the property be rezoned to allow for the new usage and to bring the church out of its current nonconforming status regarding zoning. During the public hearing, several people spoke in favor of it, including Corinth’s pastor, Rev. Dr. J.A. Calhoun, who explained why the rezoning is so important:
(audio below story)
During the regular meeting, council unanimously passed first reading of the ordinance. Second and final reading will be held in June. Dr. Calhoun stated the church has already hired a director for the program, Dr. Tiffany Lyles, and they are working to hire other employees, but they can’t do more to facilitate the program until the rezoning happens. They hope to have the 4-K program operational in time for the August start of school.
Council also unanimously approved first reading of an ordinance amending the text of the zoning ordinance to address student housing. City Planner Stephen Allen noted that the current ordinance does not address student housing, which is different from regular apartments and other uses. The proposed changes defines what student housing is, requires one off-street parking space per bed, permits student housing by special exception in the R-6, R-8, R-10, A-1 on the upper floors only, A-2, and A-4 zoning districts. Allen noted that by allowing student housing only in the upper floors in the A-1 district, it still allows for commercial use of the main floor, and thus it doesn’t take away from the potential tax base there. All special exception cases go before the Board of Zoning Appeals. The proposed ordinance also puts into place a one-year waiting period before making another application to the Board of Zoning Appeals if an application is denied. Allen said if conditions have changed substantially since the previous application, the board can vote to rehear the matter sooner, but the vote must be unanimous.
We’ll have more from the meeting in tomorrow’s newscast.