The Addis Town Council unanimously approved a request from First Baptist Church of Addis to subdivide approximately 34 acres of agricultural property along Highway 1 South, clearing the way for the church to sell a 13-acre portion to an adjacent landowner.

The January 13 vote followed a 5-1 recommendation from the Planning and Zoning Commission on January 6, where access questions initially caused confusion before commissioners determined legal access had been established years earlier.

What's Being Approved

The church is splitting its property into two parcels. The western 13-acre portion will be sold to Randall Loupe, who owns approximately 200 acres of adjacent land to the north. The remaining acreage stays with the church.

Pastor Tom Shepard addressed the council directly when pressed about the church's intentions.

"All we're doing is subdividing the property to sell a piece of the property," Shepard said. "That's it."

The property remains zoned A-1 Agricultural. No rezoning was requested.

Access Question Resolved

The subdivision drew public attention after the Planning and Zoning Commission initially moved to deny the request on January 6 due to unresolved access questions. Discussion at that meeting referenced potential access through Union Pacific Railroad property.

Court Bradford, representing the church, clarified at the council meeting that access was established when the property was originally subdivided in 2017.

"Back in 2017 when this subdivide was approved, the city approved access off of the two roads through the subdivision," Bradford said. "The access has always been there."

Those two roads run through the Friendship Acres development off North Acadian. Bradford said each road touches each of the newly subdivided parcels.

Buyer's Plans

Loupe told the council he has no immediate development plans for the 13 acres.

"My personal plans is to buy the property, to sit there," Loupe said. "I have no immediate use for it."

The stated purpose appeared to shift between meetings. At the January 6 Planning and Zoning meeting, Loupe indicated he planned to use the land for cattle. A week later at the council meeting, he said he would simply mow it and "leave the big tree."

Loupe revealed he is working with Union Pacific Railroad on a separate project - securing a right-of-way to extend Peter Messina Road at his own expense to access his larger 200-acre holding north of the church property.

"I would like, and with probably my own expense, extend Peter Messina Road to my property," Loupe said.

If that railroad deal falls through, Loupe said the 13-acre purchase could provide an alternative route to his land.

"If the railroad says no, if nothing is done, I ain't lost nothing, I still got the 13 acres right there hooked to my property," he said.

Community Questions

Several residents attended to ask questions about the church's plans. The property has been discussed at multiple public meetings, including a September 2024 community presentation where church representatives unveiled plans for a large campus featuring education buildings, a worship center, gym, and athletic facilities including a football stadium and track. Those plans appear to have been scaled back.

One resident questioned why the plans appeared to have changed from the original vision.

"My curiosity is what are they going to do with it today," the resident said. "The initial plan that the church had was to take up the whole 34 acres."

Another resident asked whether the council could require access documentation before approval and what recourse neighbors would have if problems arose later.

Councilman Dustin Hebert noted that any future rezoning or development would require separate public hearings with neighbor notification.

"Nowhere on this are they asking for a rezoning of the property at this time," Hebert said. "If they decide to do that in the future... that's a whole other ballgame of steps they would have to take."

Mayor David Toups added that the approval was preliminary and any future subdivision or development would trigger additional requirements.

"Through the start of the process, then it's going to go through and then there'll be some triggers if the council decides that they want to do traffic studies," Toups said.

What's Next

The preliminary plat approval allows the subdivision process to continue. A final plat will require another public hearing and council action at a future meeting.

The property remains agricultural. Any change in use would require a separate rezoning application with public notice and hearings.

The Addis Town Council meets the second Tuesday of each month at 6:00 PM at Addis Town Hall.