FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) -- Cross Church is going through the first stages of building its Fayetteville campus, but those have been put to a halt -- at least temporarily -- after the planning commission denied a rezoning request during their meeting on Monday (May 23).
Re-zoning the land on Wedington Drive and Interstate 49 was on Monday's meeting agenda, but the planning commission denied Cross Church's request to re-zone.
The current zoning for the land means the church would have to be close to the street. Cross Church wanted to change that, so the building could be further back on the property with parking lots around it.
Members of the planning commission said they preferred the existing zoning that would allow the church to be more pedestrian friendly. They took issue with the church's plan to build a large parking lot next to the busy street.
Traffic is the other issue. The state highway department will be re-doing the entire Wedington Interchange, which means the way people enter and exit I-49 will change dramatically.
Andrew Garner with the city of Fayetteville said there could be a need for an additional traffic signal on Wedington to make it easier for people to get to and from Cross Church. However, that would be up to the highway department.
"It also draws people in, and that can help support commercial development from the city's perspective if we're trying to encourage more commercial retail development along these areas," Garner said. "I think it could start to help with that."
The city of Fayetteville anticipates Cross Church will appeal the decision to the city council on June 21.