MACON, Ga. — Macon-Bibb Planning & Zoning leaders met last week to hold their first public hearing for September.
The agenda included a church proposal set near the entrance of Nowell Estates.
The church hearing has been postponed to October, but neighbors showed up to voice their concerns about the 17-acre proposal for a church on 6045 Cara Drive.
Neighbors say a new building would worsen ongoing flooding issues in the area.
Dickie Malone Jr.'s family home sits near the entrance of the neighborhood.
They've lived on their 7-acre property for more than 30 years.
Like many other homeowners in the neighborhood, they've grappled flooding issues for decades.
"It's like in a bowl area back there -- all the 17 acres, 17.3 acres that's what it is, just like a swamp area," Malone said. "We don't need anything else back there to cause more flooding. This will not percolate."
Malone says rainwater can pile up nearly 20 feet around their home and sit for 2 weeks before it dries out.
With P&Z commissioners looking to place a new church in the plot beside their yard, Malone says he and other neighbors are now worried the 120-person building will worsen the problem.
The proposal includes elements including sidewalks, handicapped parking and site grading to channel stormwater into a retention area.
A P&Z staff report is urging the commission to deny the application as well.
"We're just asking the Planning and Zoning committee to follow the staff report, which does not recommend anything to be built back here," Malone said. "They say it's not a good idea because of the flooding in everyone's backyards and up on our property right here."
Neighbors say they are concerned about deforestation and increased traffic.
Malone says there are deer on his property every day.
The proposal says builders will insert a road between two properties off of Houston road, but Malone fears their driveway, which connects to Cara Drive, will become an entranceway, too.
Developer Tony Widner deferred the church hearing to their Oct. 14 meeting. Malone and other neighbors say they will be in attendance.
The Macon Water Authority approved more than $220,000 to continue tackling stormwater issues in the area. This would include funding a new retention pond in the Nowell Estates.
There is not yet a confirmed date for construction to begin.