A local church is looking to expand in a tract of land adjacent to Grovetown’s Huntington Farms neighborhood.
143 Ministries is a Christian organization in Grovetown, comprised of several smaller ministries, largely geared toward those recovering from substance abuse and addiction. Among these are Immanuel House, a 90-day, 12-step recovery program for men, and Katherine’s Way, a sober home for women. According to its website, its congregation, called The River, meets and holds services on Friday nights out of the Good News Church building on Warren Road.
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Earlier this month, 143 Ministries, along with landowner Lester Williams, submitted a request to rezone some 20 acres at 5821 Rockford Drive from Residential Agricultural to S-1 Special District.
The roughly triangular parcel sits near the intersection of Rockford Drive and Old Louisville Road, is abutted by Euchee Creek at its north, but otherwise surrounded mostly by homes in the Huntington Farms and Haverhill Acres subdivisions.
The church plans to purchase the land from Williams to develop its own campus, complete with a 7,000 square foot church building, a conversion of the one-story house currently on the property into an office, and 50 to 100 parking spaces.
Most of the property would be used as a campground for outdoor-themed ministry programs and overnight activities. There would be staff present 24 hours a day to care for the property.
Pending approval, the religious organization anticipates beginning construction in January of next year, in time for completion next July.
The Columbia County Planning Commission is slated to consider the request during its meeting on July 18.
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
