By Taylor J. Hale
Staff Writer

PLOVER — Woodlands Church in Plover is set to see coming additions starting this July.

Location of the expansions.

Village Plan Commission members unanimously approved a conditional use permit for the 41,280 square foot expansion on June 17.

“Woodlands Church has submitted a complete application to construct an addition to the east side of their facility,” said Plover Community Development Administrator Ryan Kernosky. “They have designed the proposed addition to meet the minimum setbacks from the street right of way.”

The project will cost roughly $8.2 million, and offer church members a new 1,120 seat auditorium, nursery area, classrooms and foyer space. Village officials also approved plans for a new parking lot on the parcel, noting that the paving process must be completed within 18-months of the certificate of occupancy issue date. The parking lot will have a driveway to Lombard Drive.

“They are looking at adding 143 parking stalls,” Kernosky said.

Plover Community Development Administrator Ryan Kernosky speaks at the Plan Commission meeting on June 17. (Taylor Hale Photo)

The new lot would raise the total number of parking spots to 570, 15 of which would be handicap accessible. Kernosky pointed out that the planned additional structure would be 38 feet in height, 3 feet past the village’s R-7 zoning maximum of 35 feet. Plan Commission leaders granted the church a 3-foot height variance for the project as part of the approval.

“The 3-foot variation in height is no concern from a staff perspective,” Kernosky explained.

Woodlands Church officials are working with Cox & Associates and Boson Construction on the additions. Site work is slated to begin in July, with construction starting in August. The development is anticipated to be complete by the summer of 2020.

Woodlands Church is located at 190 Hoover Avenue. Follow the Portage County Gazette for updates on this story.

Contact Taylor J. Hale at [email protected] with Portage County news and information.