Applicant proposes to construct a new 6,400 square foot building with a seating
capacity of 250 seats to utilize for worship service, and the original structure will be
utilized for children’s ministry activities during the worship service. The facility operates
primarily on Sundays from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm and the church’s office hours are
Monday through Thursday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. The parking requirement for this
assembly use is 63 parking spaces. The improvements to the site will provide 65
parking spaces meeting that requirement under the Seminole County Land
Development Code. The site must also meet all regulations under the Land
Development Code, such as setbacks, buffering and site lighting. In compliance with
Seminole County Land Development Code Sec. 30.3.5 - Community meeting
procedures, the Applicant conducted a community meeting on February 9, 2026.
Details of the community meeting have been provided in the agenda package. Section
30.3.1.5(a) of the Seminole County Land Development Code states that certain criteria
must be met for the Board of County Commissioners to approve a Special Exception
request. Staff finds that the request meets the criteria with the recommended
conditions as stated in the Approval Development Order. In addition to the typical
conditions of approval for special exceptions, staff is recommending that there be no
outdoor sound amplification without a noise permit from the County. Staff has received
9 letters of opposition, one of which is a petition with 47 names listed, and three (3)
letters of support, which have been provided to the Board for their consideration. We
received letters from those who provided their addresses within close proximity to the
church, which are reflected on the support and opposition map provided. Staff requests
approval of the LifePoint Christian Church Special Exception.
Phil Ayres, the applicant, stated that he is the pastor at LifePoint Christian Church.
They are requesting a modest expansion of their existing church facility. They believe
this request is reasonable in scope, compatibility with the surrounding area, and
consistent with their long standing presence in the community. Their proposal is to
construct a 6,400 square foot sanctuary, which will be primarily used for Sunday
worship services. The new space will provide seating for 250 people, which replaces
their current worship space, which seats 200. The new sanctuary will include a foyer,
restrooms, a small video room, a small storage room, and a room for nursing mothers.
There are no classrooms included in this new structure. Their existing facility is just
over 7,000 square feet. This is a practical step to accommodate their current
congregation. This is not an expansion of a school, it’s a modest expansion of Sunday
worship space. They do not operate a traditional private school. They have a home
school program which offers classes for a few hours on Tuesday and Thursday to
families who already home school their children. That program is not being expanded
as part of this proposal. This project does not increase weekday intensity, which is why
it was determined at the Pre-Application review that a traffic study was not required.
They understand the concerns about increased traffic, considering the nearby
elementary school and the challenges at the intersection of EE Williamson and Myrtle
Lake Hills Road. That matters to them as well. As the pastor of LifePoint Church and a
resident of the Shadow Hill neighborhood, he personally experiences the same
concerns. The project does not introduce weekday demand beyond what already exists
today. They’ve been around since 2002 and started at Altermese Bentley Elementary
School in Sanford. They moved to a local theatre, the YMCA, and then in 2013 after a
decade of ministry, they purchased their current property. Over the past few years,
they’ve seen steady, healthy growth among young families, which led them to plan for
additional Sunday worship space through a capital campaign they call Next. Their goal