The new school year is approaching and with it the Odyssey Charter School received a variance from the Coweta County Commission on July 10 that will add three temporary modular classrooms. Also at the meeting, Resurrection Lutheran Church in east Coweta received a conditional use permit to that paves the way for establishing a preschool on the church property.
Commissioners unanimously approved a variance request by Odyssey Charter School for the placement of three temporary modular units on school property that do not meet facade requirements contained in the zoning category.
In recommending approval of the request, Planning and Zoning Director Robert Tolleson noted that the current property was rezoned in 1996 for Newnan Classical School. Subsequent to that, Odyssey Charter School has occupied the facility, Tolleson said.
Tolleson said the site is located inside the Shenandoah Industrial Park where architectural standards are not as stringent as that in the Office-Institutional zoning district. As the charter school grows, temporary classrooms are needed to meet the student population. This request is for a temporary allocation of three structures to be located to the rear of the building which is also buffered by existing vegetation, Tolleson said.
The approval by commissioners came with three conditions stating that the three modular units be removed by July 10, 2014, that an existing modular storage unit be removed by Aug. 10 and that a written school safety plan be submitted prior to the school year that begins in August.
Also at the meeting, Resurrection Lutheran Church on Ga. Highway 34 at Lora Smith Road in east Coweta County received unanimous approval for a conditional use permit to add a preschool program available to the general public. The preschool will be open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. until noon and will serve children 3-4 years of age. Tolleson said the church was requesting that up to 28 children be served. The existing multipurpose/fellowship hall will be utilized for the preschool, Tolleson said.
Commissioners approved the conditional use permit on the conditions that all applicable requirements of the Coweta County Fire Marshal be met and that any expansion of the pre-school beyond the accommodations for 28 students be submitted for additional review.
The county’s Planning and Zoning Dept. recommended approval of the permit request.
