Council Accepts Church Permit

Verbon Muhammad is no stranger to civic involvement. The former District 4 Monroe City Schools Board member has lent his voice and talents to make the city better through his tenure on the school board and his work within the Black community. Muhammad appeared before the Monroe City Council Tuesday (Nov.24) seeking approval to a request seeking permission from the city to open a religious themed initiative on Winnsboro Road. In order for Muhamad to move forward with his project, he voluntary agreed to a waiver whereby anyone who had an occupational license to sell alcohol could remain at their site without fear of their license being revoked from his organization. City ordinance requires that such businesses be required to maintain a distance of 300 feet from establishments that have religious connotations to their existence. Muhammad, by agreeing to a waiver would not contest any existing business that was there before his project was announced because that establishment or business was already in compliance with existing ordinances related to the distance requirement. A question arose, if a future business could open at the existing location (418 Winnsboro Road) that sold alcohol, was whether that new business could operate within the 300 feet distance requirements. Muhammad said that if a liquor store were to open at that location that is properly licensed within city ordinances parameters that has met the distance requirements, he has no objections to that establishments being at the Winnsboro Road address, On an amended motion to include future use of the location within the 300 feet distance requirement to a business that sold alcohol, Muhammad once again said that there would be no objections because “said new business” location would have “been there before” his requested project was established, even though it was within the 300 feet required distance. The council passed the amendment motion by a 5-0 vote.

Muhammad submitted a request to the city council for a Major Conditional Use permit through the Department of Planning and Urban Development “authorizing the use” of the existing location at 418 Winnsboro Road “for worship and training youth and adults. According to city ordinances, the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance allows a “house of worship/church” as a Major Conditional Use in the B-3, General Business/Commercial District. Major Conditional Use permits requires two levels of approval. Before the permit could be submitted to the city council, it would have to be approved by the Planning Commission, which it did by a 4-0-1 vote. Muhammad’s request passed the city council by a 5-0 vote.