The Alpharetta planning commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of zoning condition changes that would allow Founding Faith Worship Center to construct its new building in phases.

The church gained approval to build in 2007 but was financially unable to move forward with the project, which will be at 13660 Cogburn Road in a mostly residential area.

The commission approved the new plan with 29 conditions placed on the site — one saying the church cannot increase its child development center capacity from 100 children to 200.

“We’ve done some analysis; we’ve looked at some other daycares in the area, and 200 in a lot of kids, and this is a fairly small piece of property,” said Wheeler. “The site really doesn’t accommodate all the additional circulation.”

Rev. Korey Jones, pastor of the 60-member church, said the church wants to be able to offer more child care capacity because a child development center would fit in well with the schools in the area.

Members of the commission felt that the church was trying to bring a commercial business to a residential area.

Jones and Associate Minister Paul Thurston said the child development center would bring in funds for the church, which has moved four times in the past five years.

But Thruston told the commission the main priority was to finally provide a permanent home for their church members to worship.

“[The child development center] admittedly, is an economic engine, but it is primarily an outreach to the community,” Thurston said. “There’s going to be a lot of development in that area and a need for this type of service.”

The commission agreed with staff’s recommendations and kept the 100-student capacity condition.

City staff proposed a condition that would prohibit the church from providing substance dependency programs because they could create increased traffic, but members of the planning commission said the primary goal of a church should be community outreach.

“One of a church’s core purposes is to reach out and to help people in trouble, and that’s what brings them into the church,” said commission member Nancy Bristol.

The prohibition was stricken from the conditions.

The 14,000 square-foot building will be constructed in two phases, with the second part coming to fruition as funding becomes available.

City Council will vote on the changes at the Sept. 27 meeting, 7:30 p.m. at City Hall.