HomeMy WebLinkAbout002 Project Narrative
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SPECIAL USE PERMIT
PROJECT NARRATIVE
RESURRECTION UNIVERSITY PARISH
Add Project Narrative providing a thorough description of what uses are being proposed and how
they will function on the site.
Include a detailed response to the following:
a. How the site for the proposed use is adequate in size and topography to accommodate
such use.
RESPONSE: The site is currently occupied by Resurrection University Parish and a Special
Use Permit was submitted for and approved for the initial 2009 expansion project. The
site is of adequate size and provides the required parking, setbacks and building coverage
and provides adequate vehicle and pedestrian circulation and public roadway connections
and is accessed from both South 11th Avenue and Kagy Boulevard. The site parking,
drive lanes, pedestrian circulation and utility services were constructed with the 2009
expansion project. The site has shallow slopes and slopes from both the east and west to
the center of the site where a storm water collection system and stormwater basin is
located.
b. How the proposed use will have no material adverse effect upon the abutting property.
RESPONSE: As mentioned previously, the site is occupied by Resurrection University Parish
and has been since the Church was initially constructed more than 50 years ago. As the
Church has been in existence for more than 50 years it is anticipated the proposed
expansion will not have any adverse effect on the abutting property.
c. That any additional conditions stated in the approval are deemed necessary to protect the
public health, safety and welfare. See Section 38.230.110.E.3, BMC for more details
RESPONSE: Section 38.230.110.E.3 is a reserved section in the BMC. No detail is provided to
reference.
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Project Narrative:
As a personal parish of the Diocese of Helena, Resurrection University Parish (RUP) is rooted in
a commitment to serve the Catholic students at Montana State University and the surrounding
community. Currently, the community has over 600 families and at least 100 MSU students that
actively participate in regular worship, ministries, and other programs. And … RUP is growing.
In just six years, the number of registered Resurrection Parish families has doubled, growing
from 300 to 600-plus, and the campus ministry program has also flourished and enjoyed strong
growth. As Bozeman and MSU continue to grow at a record-setting pace, RUP has an
unprecedented opportunity to strengthen, grow, and expand its services by increasing its ability
to provide for current parishioners, attract new parishioners, and expand its outreach to serve the
community.
To ensure Resurrection University Parish is well-positioned to respond to both present and future
needs, RUP has launched Called to Serve – an initiative to build new facilities, expand and
renovate existing spaces, and secure seed funds for future operational needs. The Called to Serve
goals for the physical facilities consist of three elements: a new student center, an on-site rectory,
and expansion and renovation of the Parish Center.
Summaries for each of these items follow, with a detailed description for each provided further
in this report.
Student Center – Resurrection University Parish has always been tied to the MSU
campus, reaching to its early roots as a Newman Center established to serve MSU
students, faculty, and staff, and now a personal parish that blends campus and local
community. Today, nearly 100 MSU students actively worship at RUP on any given
Sunday. Even more are present throughout the church year at hosted lunches, religious
education, and church and student activities.
Accordingly, to build upon its solid foundation and broaden its outreach to Montana State
so that many more students can be reached, RUP will also serve them in a place of their
own by building a student center uniquely designed to foster connections through faith
and fellowship in an “all are welcome” environment. This center will be separate from,
but still connected to, the current church building. In conjunction with best practices
among student centers across the US, it will feature a central comfortable common space
along with small group rooms for academic and religious study.
Rectory Relocation - The arrival of a second priest provided the opportunity for RUP to
consider how to better reach its parishioners, meet them where they are, and be present
for both the local church community and the campus community. The current rectory
does not serve the ministerial needs of a university-focused parish – not in size, design, or
location. Located more than three miles away, the current building is more house than
rectory and limits accessibility of the RUP clergy to parishioners, students, and the
campus community.
Accordingly, RUP will build a rectory on the current church grounds. This is the most
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economical and logical option, given that housing options near or adjacent to the church
are limited, costly, and built to fit the needs of college students, not priests. The new
rectory will be both a home and a sanctuary for the RUP priests. It will include guest
rooms to host frequent parish visitors (including seminarians), a small chapel and large
dining and living room spaces to host social events with parishioners, students and/or
clergy. Situated along 11th Avenue, the new rectory will considerably improve the ability
of the RUP clergy to minister to the unique needs of the RUP community whenever these
needs arise.
Parish Center – The doubling of the RUP parish community has considerably strained the
Parish’s ability to keep up with expanded programs and added outreach. RUP is sorely
short of both administrative and fellowship space.
The current multi-purpose space is functional but insufficient. Basic renovations and
creative use of space have allowed it to eke by. However, there is not enough private
space to host all the activities that the parish currently demands. Additionally, RUP will
be adding human resources to meet its new needs– a second priest, a full-time campus
minister, four FOCUS missionaries and a full-time office person. It is necessary to
maximize utilization of available space and do more with what is already in place.
With considerate renovations, RUP will create a Parish Center that serves the needs of its
growing parish and church community. The existing administrative space will be
reconfigured and expanded to house the new headcount and to provide more space for
classrooms and meetings. This added flexibility will allow for both large and small group
activities including religious education, meetings, and social gatherings that further the
work of the RUP church and community.
End of Narrative