The St. Cloud City Council Thursday denied a conditional use permit for a church to be established near downtown.
Iglesia Fuenta De Agua Viva had applied to move into space at the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and 11th Street. The applicant, Jose Hernandez, said the church now meets in a mobile home on 10th Street, this place meets the needs of the growing congregation. The building has a maximum capacity of 198 people, but 60-70 people would be expected to attend on Wednesday nights — the same weeknight as the city’s downtown monthly street market — and Sunday night. But those who run businesses on adjoining blocks noted there are 60 parking spots on Pennsylvania Avenue between 10th and 12th Streets. It was called, “A parking problem, not a place of worship problem.” St. Cloud Main Street entered a letter said approving the permit would affect the future and growth of downtown’s entertainment district.
A place of worship requires that conditional use permit, and staff reviewed request and it had no adverse effect on city facilities but, before the Council voted, City staff said it received a verbal and written objection each.
Mayor Nathan Blackwell made a motion to approve and Councilman Ken Gilbert seconded, but it received no other support. The Council did later approve a budget amendment that authorizes funds to build more downtown parking.
The Council did grant a conditional use permit for a childcare center on a parcel of land south of U.S. Highway 192 between Live Oak Boulevard and Tay West Drive.
The city named Public Works Traffic Crew Lead Mark Carcia, as its April Employee of the Month. He saved the city more than $20,000 in materials for new street signs.
“It was definitely a team effort,” Carcia said. “We had a big part in this.”
Outside auditor Purvis Gray & Company issued a “clean opinion,” in its Annual Comprehensive Financial Report of the city, which noted no material weaknesses in the city’s financial reporting outside of an old default on a Stevens Plantation debt payment, which the auditor said can be addressed in the coming fiscal year.
