Split City Council Stops Family Entertainment Venue Near Church

 

SAN ANGELO, TX – The City Council of San Angelo faced a predicament at the October 15th meeting as they heard public comments regarding a new family entertainment venue that was seeking to open on 4382 Southwest, the former All About Signs building.

This new center was introduced to the public as a place where families could take their kids to enjoy games and food trucks; while parents could enjoy a glass of wine or beer. The proposed center faced backlash, especially from the congregation of Green Meadows, who argued, among many things, that the new venue would disrupt their worship services.

The entertainment venue had received approval from the Planning and Development Services in September to change the zoning permit as long as they fulfilled a list of seven requirements. The list included limiting the hours of operations, not opening before 11 on Sundays, following all zoning requirements, adding sidewalks and curb ramps, and adding more parking spaces. The new zoning permit would allow them to host an outside recreational area and apply for a permit serve beer and wine. The City Council was asked to vote to approve the change in zoning permit.

Brittany Ionita and Bryan Benson, who planned to open the new family entertainment venue, were present at the meeting and attempted to explain their vision to the council and the city. They want to open a new venue that allows families with younger children to relax and have a fun family experience. They explained that no venue like it was available in San Angelo and would be a great option for families with kids who wanted to enjoy a relaxing afternoon in a safe and enclosed area.

They told the council that the church had not talked to them about noise level concerns and that they were only looking to have acoustic music, “not rock bands.” The music would have only played during Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night; not interfering with worship times at the church on Wednesday and Sunday.

Several people sent letters of support for the rezoning and gave comments like the following:

“For years the community has needed a fun place for parents to take their children to run around and play,” said Brittney Schniers, owner of Reflections Salon.

“There are so many new families moving into our community asking, “what is there to do with children”, our options are limited.” Laura Vincent Scott, owner of Berkshire Hathaway Home Services.

“The current building has been left disheveled for the past few years and I feel having a venue for families to go and enjoy will benefit the neighborhood and the community greatly,” said Verba Pape.

But one of the loudest opponents, the Green Meadows Church of Christ, voiced their concerns both in letters and at the council meeting. The argument against loud music, disruption of church services, opposing the consumption of alcohol near a church, the safety of kids, and overcrowding of parking lots all came up. With over 20 letters and several congregants present at the meeting, the church made its stance very clear.

“We are a quiet church with no instrumental music. Worshipping God, praying to God, and studying about God all require quietness,” said Don Knight, Elder at Green Meadow Church of Christ, “Aside from it being against our beliefs, it poses the problems of overflow parking on our parking lot, noises from the business interfering with our worship of God, trash and debris by their patrons, danger to us and our young by those that become intoxicated, and also business of this nature would be difficult to communicate with if problems arose.”

“I am a member of the Church of Christ…I feel that our worship services and Bible studies would be negatively impacted and hindered by the noise level this new business would create because of the proximity to our building,” said Deborah Neddo, “I also have concerns regarding the combination of children’s activities with an area designed for drinking and the business being located near a daycare and apartments.”

The council appeared to be split in its decision and for over an hour debated on what the business could change or modify to maintain the zoning permit the area currently had and ensuring everyone was content with the decision. Ionita and Benson expressed their willingness to work with the community, but it appeared they would have to make significant changes to their business plan to accommodate the concerns of the church and the Green Meadows Veterinary Hospital that is next door.

“We are open to ideas. We want to be a good neighbor and have a family-friendly place,” said Benson.

After nearly an hour and a half of public comment and discussion, Council member DeWitt made a motion to deny the new zoning request and was seconded by Council member Hiebert. The final vote was 4-3 in favor of denying the change in zoning request. Council members DeWitt, Lane, Thompson, and Hiebert voted against the change citing their concerns with safety and the response of the business community that operates in the same area as the proposed business. Mayor Gunter and Council members Gonzales and Thomas voted to approve the change, making comments on the benefits it could bring to the city to open a new family-friendly business and occupy a building that has been empty for nearly two years. Thus, effectively making it very difficult for the entertainment venue to open up with the original plan and have to make substantial changes to their vision.

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Comments

Wabo73, Tue, 10/22/2019 - 15:08

Everyone that voted no needs to be voted out bunch of worthless POS sounds like they are taking advice from moronson ex mayor

Is Hooters going in next door to your church? No, and even then, that's an opportunity to witness. But you don't want an opportunity to do that. You want to be a concern troll. A grouch. A sensitive snowflake.

It's people like this that give us Christians a bad name. These are the weakest arguments I've ever heard for such a thing.
I hope these folks aren't discouraged from doing business in San Angelo, we have enough problems in this town keeping local businesses afloat as it is.

...the two terms evoke images of a weary city, saturated with churches and religious imagery on every corner.

Sanctimonious assholes, beating the public over the head while yelling "Ouch! Stop it!".

The permit was denied based on the response from the business community around the area? Who, the church? If they are part of the “business community”, they need to be paying taxes! The real business community surrounding the permit requester was supportive - unless something else wasn’t reported to us here in this article. No one wants to come to San Angelo to open a business & the existing businesses can’t make any money because the city is too busy playing the morality police. I grew up in an area that had a church, a bar & a store in every neighborhood. There was no fighting amongst them. Folks from that neighborhood shopped in the local store, drank in the local bar & attended the local church. Why does the council have to cave to the church? They don’t pay taxes! As long as this new business doesn’t hold entertainment during Sunday services, there should be no argument. If they disturb everything around them & throw trash everywhere, the city would have the right to step in then. CoSA priorities: enforce nontax-paying morality on tax-paying businesses. This will certainly make San Angelo a wonderful place to live...NOT!

Not I want to live somewhere that has "a church, a bar and a store in every neighborhood."

IT IS TIME TO STOP LIVING IN THE OLD DAYS AND SOME NEW BLOOD IN THIS TOWN AND ON THE COUNCIL IF THEY CANT GET A DOLLAR OUT OF THE DEAL THERE IS NO DEAL!

If the church members are so concerned about their ability to learn and communicate with God because they will not have the peace and quiet they require then they should cough up the money and buy the building themselves. These folks are wanting to provide a safe place for children to play in while their parents can relax and enjoy their time with their children. Holier than thou's strike again. Geez people it's not like they want to open a bar.

hexi, Thu, 10/24/2019 - 20:59

It was awesome how a tax exempt entity ran off a potential tax paying business.
WWJD?!
Certainly not let a business that caters to families dare to locate next to a church that meets twice a week.
We are so lucky that Jesus chose not to associate with those kinds of people!

hexi, Thu, 10/24/2019 - 17:52

proud of their schiff aren't they!
If anyone ever asks me if SA is a good place to have a business I would reply with an emphatic no.
The city has a lot of vacant buildings that could be paying taxes, but you have vocal locals fighting new businesses every step of the way. Remember the yammering nut job that was offended by his perception of the cactus of the angry cactus being a penis? Good grief!
Start at 29th st and drive down Chadbourne. Be objective. Notice all of the for sale signs, boarded up buildings with plywood windows. Drive through the precious down town area and gaze upon the dilapidated building across from the Angry Cactus.
San Angelo looks like a dump.
Someone wants to make a business, pay taxes, bring jobs. A church that is used twice a week, doesn't pay taxes , is able to hold sway over the council members.
I'm not sure what the issue is, but couldn't the church members find it an opportunity to testify to the heathens at the family-friendly venue?
Thank god jesus only hung out with the godly, churchly people!

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