Lighthouse Pentecostal Church wins conditional-use approval for new Fort Smith facility

The City Commission granted a conditional use (resolution 2026-01) allowing the Lighthouse Pentecostal Church of Jesus to build a 10,568‑square‑foot house of worship on a 3.3‑acre R‑1 lot on Fort Smith Boulevard.

Planning staff presented the request and a concept plan showing two access points and circulation modifications intended to reduce queuing conflicts. Staff said the application was substantially similar to an earlier approval that expired in 2020 and noted the Planning & Zoning Board unanimously recommended approval 7–0. Conditions in the resolution include a 50‑foot building setback from property edges, required off‑street parking and landscaping, final site-plan consistency with the concept plan, and a requirement to obtain a certificate of occupancy within two years (with an option for a one‑year director extension).

Pastor Zechariah Henry, representing Lighthouse Pentecostal Church of Jesus, told the commission the congregation has been in the community for more than 22 years and described the proposed facility as a "center of hope and community support," including a food pantry and other outreach. Multiple congregants spoke in favor of the project and commissioners noted no concerns with traffic based on the revised circulation plan.

The commission moved and seconded the resolution and advanced the conditional use for approval.

What happens next: the applicant must finalize engineered site plans that meet the resolution's conditions and obtain required permits and a certificate of occupancy within the stated timeframe.