Planning Commission to recommend permitting for church to move into The Globe building; OK’s building permit  – The Worthington Globe 14:31

The Planning Commission will recommend approval of two conditional use permits; thanked Ben Weber for service on commission.

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The Globe office building, located at 300 11th St. in Worthington, could become home to the Tsadkane Mariam Ethiopian Orthodox Church if the Worthington City Council approves a recommendation from the city’s Planning Commission.

By Emma McNamee

March 04, 2022 01:30 PM

WORTHINGTON — Worthington’s Planning Commission has given preliminary approval to a request for a conditional use permit from the Tsadkane Mariam Ethiopian Orthodox Church, to allow the church to operate in The Globe office building at 300 11th Street. The action was taken during the commission’s Tuesday night meeting.

This is not the church’s first attempt to secure a suitable space since it became established in Worthington in 2010. In 2018, the group was denied a conditional use permit to build on property located across from Olson Park. Instead, the church purchased five acres of land from the city of Worthington, located along Nobles County 57, near Lakeside Travel Plaza. They have been unable to build on that property due to funding constraints and changes in their membership.

“We have a long history of trying to find a suitable space to renovate or build our home,” said Abebe Abetew, president of the congregation.

Currently, the church rents space from First Lutheran Church — alongside We Care Daycare, which is seeking to expand into that shared space. We Care Day Care wrote a letter in support of Tsadkane Mariam Ethiopian Orthodox Church being granted the conditional use permit for the Globe building. Several members of First Lutheran Church’s congregation also attended Tuesday night’s meeting and spoke during the public hearing to show their support.

“I have really enjoyed getting to know their families and learning about their traditions,” said First Lutheran Pastor Jeanette McCormick. “ I think that’s been a really rich blessing in my life personally, and also, I think in the life of our congregation. But when they moved into the space a little over 10 years ago, I think it was always a hope that they would have their own space.”

The Planning Commission voted unanimously to approve the request for the conditional use permit, though final approval will need to be granted by the Worthington City Council at its next meeting. As a condition of the permit, their building occupancy is limited to 64 people. As per the city parking laws, for every parking space — of which The Globe facility has 16 — the building can have four occupants. However, parking agreements with Southwest Minnesota Opportunity Council across the street would allow for additional growth for Tsadkane Mariam Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

In other action, the commission considered a conditional use permit for ISD 518, who applied to expand the district’s administrative building on Marine Avenue. The proposed expansion would add another 4,419 square feet of office space and would require a conditional use permit since the building is in an ‘R-3’ zone. The commission approved the permit unanimously.

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District 518’s administration building at 1117 Marine Ave. will be expanded into this area, the District 518 Board of Education decided in a unanimous vote Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021. (Julie Buntjer/The Globe)

The planning commission also held a discussion about whether or not the current Downtown Retail Overlay District is still necessary. The overlay district is intended to preserve the concentration of retail shopping activities at ground level along Tenth Street, from Second Avenue to Fifth Avenue. It currently allows for only certain businesses, like restaurants and retail. All other businesses — including public entertainment, offices and medical services — seeking to obtain space in that area must seek a conditional use permit in order to do so.

“I’m going to say get rid of this,” said Planning Commission Chairman Ben Weber. “This has been nothing but unnecessary paperwork and time for people who want to do things. I think it’s time this overlay district be removed.”

The decision to remove the retail overlay district would ultimately need to be brought before the City Council in order to pursue an amendment, should they decide to do so.

Before the meeting ended, city planner Matt Selof thanked Weber for serving on the board, as this was Weber’s last meeting. He has been involved with the commission for over three years and is departing due to a timing conflict.

“There are times that being on this commission feels frustrating,” Weber left his fellow committee members with, “but occasionally, this is a voice and we are the people that the community sees.”