Plans for a new church in Tyrone Township that were at one point approved, have now hit a snag.

The Rock Church is proposed to be a 31,000 square foot facility on the northwest corner of Linden Road and Bennett Lake in Tyrone Township. Officials from the church were before the Planning Commission, Tuesday night, seeking special land use and site plan approvals. Those very approvals were originally granted in March, but Planning Commission Chairman Mark Meisel said developers were required to make changes and come back for new approvals. He said there some difficulties with the regulated wetlands, causing the applicant to resubmit the plans. This is considered a “major amendment” which means they need to start over with approvals from agencies like the Livingston County Road Commission, Drain Commission, Health Department, and state Environment, Great Lakes & Energy (EGLE) department.

A public hearing was held during the Planning Commission’s meeting. Three residents spoke, bringing up against traffic concerns, particularly near the proposed main entrance, across from Apple Orchard Drive. A second entrance is planned north of there. Church officials said that they will have traffic spotters out there to assist with traffic on Sunday mornings, and that they’ve practiced it with success this past Easter. One resident was also concerned about drainage, as he owns a home across the street from the site.

A representative from The Rock spoke to being in this tricky circle of needing an address to get the agencies to come out and look, but that they can’t get that address without prior agency approval. The Planning Commission recognized this, and while unwilling to vote on approvals without any agency support, offered to help as best they can. They motioned to table the vote, but to also authorize the Zoning Administrator to release documents to the agencies needed to get their reviews. (MK)