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C~ ~`t December 2, 2003 The Mooresville Town Council met in regular session on Tuesday, December 2, 2003 at 6:30 P.1Vl, at the Mooresville Town Hall. Council members present were: President Toby Dolen, Troy Bryant, John L. Clark, Tom Warthen, and Mark Mathis. No members were absent. Town attorney Tim Currcns was also present. Larry Floyd from the First Baptist Church gave the prayer. First on the agenda was Ross Holloway representing Springhill Christian Ministries for a rezone of property located on Highway 67 south of TQA from. a B-3 to a B-l .Ross Holloway told the Town Council a church had to be in a B-1 and the Plan Commission had voted 7-0 to recommend to the Town Council to approve with the stipulation this was for church use only. Councilman Bryant told the council he had asked the Plan Commission members if they had a problem with this being in contrast with the comprehensive plan and they said they did not as long as the motion would:5ay this could only be a church. Councilman Bryant said that since then he had driven to the property to look at this and he thought the access drive had been overly exaggerated a little bit about the accessibility of tractor trailers being able to turn into this property. Pleadies Drive is a road the Town has a substantial investment in and the .infrastructure, extending the sewer lines and the elevated water storage tank to provide fire protection. He said that road was nothing more than a farm entrance before Woods Wire built there. He stated he fully supported the church and their efforts to expand but he questioned whether this is the proper location. Councilman Bryant said even though he had voted in favor of this rezone at the Plan Commission meeting he was going to change his vote tonight in opposition of this rezone. 1Vlr. Holloway answered he thought there was a difficulty with access and turns if this was commercial or light industrial. He said he thought if a strip mall was there, there would be a dead end on the other end, so this property does have access issues. He said he thought a church would be good use of this land. There is residential right across and up north on Highway 67. Mr. Holloway gave Rev. Mark Wright a chance to say some words. He said his church had been trying to f nd ground to relocate, but as Mooresville was growing so rapidly this was very difficult especially finding a good location close to Town with a price they could afford. The property north of this site was anywhere from $200,000 to $800,000. Rev. Wright said a church in this community represents more than just a church. He said he realized the council was concerned about the tax revenue and income property but there was over 300 acres still available for commercial --industrial use. Tax revenue loss will not cause social problems such as marijuana; etc. however churches do help at no cost to local government. We personally have outreached many families in this community thru food, health, drug counseling, utilities, Christmas gifts, etc. Rev. Wright said they help with other spiritual and financial problems. He said Madison and Brown Township Trustees and other agencies both government and non- for profit refer people in this community to the church. He said he gets numerous calls from Principals and Trustees in Morgan. County. These people do not have to attend their church to receive help. He stated Pastor Bill Wilson of of Metro Ministries International in Brooklyn New York. Rev. Wright Pastor Wilson had told him personally that New York City does not want to allow churches to purchase additional property for the same reasons the Town Council is concerned.. Crime in New York City is rising yet they do not want churches to grow. Pastor John Maxwell, a Pastor in California, has said California does not want to release any new property for tax- exempt churches. Rev. Wright said he didn't believe Mooresville wanted to follow New York or California. 1-le said churches in Mooresville oores vine a better community. Ross Holloway told the council that churches