Longview Businesses Fight Possible Church Property Conversion

LONGVIEW — Two Longview businesses have gathered almost 1,000 signatures on their petition against a church property possibly turning into a retail store. KETK reports Longview Christian Church is under negotiation to move to a former movie theater off Texas 31. If the church turns into a retail development, it would need changes to the zoning of the property. Skinner’s Grocery, Hardin True Value, and neighboring homes are all involved in signing the petition. These neighbors are worried about road adjustments and traffic that could come with the property’s rezoning.

Michael R. Shirley, Longview’s director of development services, said the church property “would have to go through a rezoning process through two public hearings — one before our planning and zoning commission, and second before our city council.” The petition is to the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission. That commission’s role is to take these kinds of issues, especially larger petitions, into consideration. Shirley said this is one of the larger petitions that the city of Longview has seen. “Generally, when you’ve got a rezone and you’re dealing with a neighborhood, you generally might have 20, 30, 40 signatures.” If the petition is approved, it would have to be written and signed by 20 percent of landowners within 200 feet of the property.