The city’s code compliance official previously ruled that the Church of Scientology needed a conditional use permit for its proposed Downtown hub. At the Oct. 6 meeting, the church appealed the decision, arguing that it should instead receive a permissive use permit to convert the Gizmo building at Fourth Street and Central into a Scientology center. A conditional use permit requires holding a public hearing with neighborhood input, unlike a permissive permit. Councilors voted to uphold the code compliance official’s ruling as consistent with the 2010 Downtown Sector Plan. In other actions, the Council passed a Sunport bond package put on hold earlier because of turmoil in the financial markets. Councilor Don Harris’ bill extending a moratorium on building subdivisions within Tijeras Arroyo passed unanimously.
Council Watch:
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