Canton OKs partial fee waiver for church expansion

The Canton City Council has granted a waiver of $4,140.50 in permit fees for a local church expansion, but not of $16,729.34 in impact fees the church also requested.

Canton Community Ministries Inc. is planning a new classroom building to replace a modular unit on its Canton Community Church campus at 260 Rolling Hills Ave. The church, active in the city for 43 years, sought a total waiver of $20,869.84.

Council members were receptive to waiving the city’s plan review, commercial building, commercial fire permit and other fees. But they hesitated at exempting the church from paying impact fees when told by staff that Georgia law requires those fees, if waived, must be made up by other municipal revenue sources.