early part of the next century, Coweta County could be

the home of a Catholic school.

The Coweta

County Commission Tuesday night cleared the way for the

county's first parochial school by voting in favor of two

conditional use permits that will allow the school and a

Catholic church to be built at the intersection of Lower

Fayetteville Road and Ebenezer Church Road.

Catholic

School Properties has bought a nearly 41-acre tract at

the site and plans to build a 30,800-sq. ft. sanctuary

and parish hall, along with a 69,224-sq. ft. education

building.

The

sanctuary will house approximately 1,000 parishioners,

while the school's capacity is listed at 500 students and

50 employees.

Plans call

for the construction to be phased in over the next six

years with work beginning on the sanctuary, parish hall

and parking lot occurring first.

Phase two

of the development is expected to start in 2003 with the

construction of the school, soccer and softball fields,

basketball and tennis courts and parking.

Enrollment

at the school will be kindergarten through 12th grade.

Commissioner

Vernon "Mutt" Hunter was delighted to approve

the zoning.

"As

long as I'm up here, I'll vote for churches," he

said.

The zoning

request passed the commissioners by a unanimous vote.