Womble Road, adjacent to the Rock Church

Following the recent crisis in which the Rock Church was in peril of losing their Liberty Station operating permit, congregants received via email the church’s official reply to the fiasco.

Chief operations officer Mark Stevens said, "As some of you have heard, this week [August 22], Mayor Jerry Sanders issued a response on behalf of the City to the Grand Jury, validating what we already knew to be true, which is that the our CUP (Conditional Use Permit) was issued appropriately.

“Mayor Sanders also disagreed with the Grand Jury conclusion recommending suspension of our CUP, saying it ‘will not be implemented because it is not warranted or reasonable.’ After reviewing the report, it was clear to us that the findings made by the Grand Jury were based on an incomplete review, incorrect information, and faulty conclusions. As a result, we believed, the recommendation to suspend our CUP was without merit.

“Our CUP was issued in 2005, following a lengthy public approval process that strictly analyzed the appropriate land-use plans and potential traffic impacts. We’re very pleased, but not surprised, with the City’s response to the Grand Jury report. As the Mayor said in his letter to the Grand Jury, the Rock Church is a compatible use with the Liberty Station land-use plans."

Stevens goes on to remind parishioners of the need to be mindful of "local residents and retail customers" and to make every good effort to "live harmoniously together in our neighborhood."  To be good neighbors, "please remember to use the approved parking lots, drive carefully, and be courteous to our neighbors."