Church Caters To Golf Community

BROOKSVILLE - Brooksville Wesleyan Church is seeking permission to build a new place of worship along State Road 50.

And to make it easier for people in adjacent Wesleyan Village to attend, church officials plan to provide 100 golf cart parking spaces.

The request for a special exception use permit comes before planning and zoning commissioners at their Monday meeting.

Church officials want to develop about 17 acres on the north side of S.R. 50, west of Redbud Lane, with a 43,138-square-foot sanctuary, capable of seating 1,200 people.

The proposed facility will provide a 402-seat fellowship hall, 126-seat chapel, nursery and toddler area.

A boulevard entrance leading to the church is planned off State Road 50 and a secondary entrance would be from Wesleyan Village, off Pasture Lane. Church officials believe most of the traffic for Wednesday and Sunday services will be from people who live in Wesleyan Village, who will drive their cars - and golf carts - to church down Pasture Lane.

Wesleyan Village is a retirement community with a large golfing population.

The P&Z meeting begins at 9 a.m. Monday at the Hernando County Government Center, 20 N. Main St. in downtown Brooksville.

Also Monday, planning commissioners will consider:

- A request to rezone a parcel along the west side of U.S. 19, south of Long Lake Avenue, to use an existing 6,000-square-foot warehouse for indoor granite countertop cutting and outdoor slab storage and display.

- A special exception use permit for a 275-unit, four-story assisted living facility on the west side of Grove Road. The center would serve active seniors 55 and older.

- A master plan revision and rezoning of a portion of property on the south side of Wiscon Road for a variety of uses, including office-professional, general commercial and multi-family housing.