Church leaders are refining plans for future development of a 15-acre campus that will eventually see the construction of a large sanctuary and other buildings on a highly visible corner of Santa Maria.

First Christian Church of Santa Maria is planning its future at 1550 South College Drive by amending a 21-year-old master plan to allow for a 47,125-square-foot sanctuary, additional phasing of the project and some slight changes to smaller buildings, church officials said.

The project site, at South College and Battles Road, is a high-profile area with largely undeveloped property to the south. At a recent study session, city planning commissioners expressed concern about ensuring that the sanctuary design and the master plan include as much detail as possible.

The site now includes a 21,000-square-foot fellowship hall that has 500 seats for church services; an 18,400-square-foot education building, which houses Crossroads Christian Junior High School; and temporary buildings used for classroom space and a cafe and bookstore.

Under the proposed amended master plan, the site also would include the 1,467-capacity sanctuary, a maintenance building and bus shelter, three residential units for care takers, a permanent cafe and bookstore, as well as conference rooms.

The new buildings would be constructed over three phases, said Colleen Durbin, the church's business manager.

Planning Commission Chairwoman Etta Waterfield said she thought the proposal is perfect for its location and much needed in the community.

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“We don't have a lot of big churches that can accommodate what they want to accommodate,” in a campus-like setting, she said.

Waterfield added that the facilities will be a benefit not only for the church but also has the potential for community use. She pointed to the Santa Maria Philharmonic's use of Grace Baptist Church, at College Drive and McCoy Lane, as an example.

Officials hope to go before the Planning Commission for approval of the amended plan and design for sanctuary in the next 60 days, Durbin said.

The project was to be before the commission Wednesday but was delayed to allow for detailed design of the sanctuary.

According to conceptual designs, the sanctuary would be located near the corner of South College Drive and Battles Road and would stand 45 feet tall with a 60-foot steeple.

Once the entire site is built out, 780 parking spaces would be provided.

Durbin noted that the church averages 900 to 1,000 worshippers each Sunday.

Durbin declined to state the estimated cost of the construction, but said church members have been raising money over the years to fund the project.

She added that there is no discussion at this time of expanding the school, which has an attendance of nearly 70 seventh- and eighth-grade students.

Malia Spencer can be reached at 739-2219 or mspencer@santa

mariatimes.com.

August 2, 2007