Two plans involving Northwest Church will have to address outstanding city comments after the Apopka Development Review Committee recommended denial of both projects Wednesday, Aug. 19. 

The DRC reviewed a second-submittal construction site plan for a proposed 23,217-square-foot place of worship at 1567 Plymouth Sorrento Road, as well as a first-submittal plan to reuse and retrofit an existing building on the same property. 

Planning staff said the larger church project still had outstanding comments. Project manager Jean Sanchez said the applicant had intended to submit an updated traffic study and also raised landscaping and irrigation issues. She said a tree-removal permit would have to reflect the city’s current mitigation rate. 

Sam Sebaali, an engineer for project applicant Thomas and Hutton Engineering Co., discussed lift-station fencing requirements with Public Works. Public Works representative Dale Smith said fencing is required under city design standards but indicated an existing note on the plans could address the issue.  

Sanchez said the project might not have to return to the DRC once the outstanding issues are resolved. 

“I don’t think it should come back to DRC once we review those comments,” Sanchez said. 

The committee also discussed the proposed retrofit of an existing approximately 4,000-square-foot building on the church property. 

Northwest Church elder Jason Gilkey told the committee that the building has been used for small groups and could accommodate about 50 to 100 people for Sunday services, youth activities and other church uses. He said there are no plans to connect the building to the proposed larger church building. 

“It’s just on the same parcel and trying to utilize the existing building that’s there,” Gilkey said.  

Fire representative Jeremy Holderfield questioned whether the conversion of the building to an assembly or church use had gone through the necessary change-of-use process. He said he had not inspected the building and that the city would need to ensure applicable fire-code requirements were addressed.  

Sanchez said the construction site plan could serve as the building’s change-of-use review. The DRC recommended denial pending resolution of the outstanding comments.  

In other business, the DRC approved the second-submittal plan for Yothers Outparcel, a proposed 7,400-square-foot multi-tenant commercial building at 2050 Plymouth Sorrento Road. Planning, police, Public Works, fire and building officials reported no comments on the revised project. The DRC had recommended denial of the first submittal in July because of outstanding comments.  

The committee recommended denial of the second submittal for Lester Oaks, a proposed seven-lot residential subdivision on West Lester Road, because of outstanding comments. 

Engineer Tom Faber said the applicant plans to widen a proposed sidewalk from five feet to eight feet through the subdivision to create a multi-use trail and discussed several remaining drainage-related comments with Public Works.