<div>A minister whose church began in his living room more than a decade ago wants a permanent home for his congregation on North Belair Road.Dr. William Tolbert III, pastor of Three Nails Gospel Church, is asking Columbia County for a zoning variance that would allow a church to be built at 201 N. Belair Rd., according to filed applications. The address is where Roxbury Drive meets North Belair.Tolbert and his wife, Shawn, formed the church in April 2014 with the late Tommy Lee Brooks and his wife, Iris.The church currently worships from a free-standing building across from Evans High School, at 4569 Cox Rd., built initially as office space.The proposed church site on North Belair was the site of a private residence for decades before it was demolished about a decade ago.Plans for the property now call for a two-story, 7,000-square-foot building facing Roxbury Drive and surrounded on three sides by parking.The first floor would contain a worship space that can accommodate 200 people; a nursery; a preschool; and a social hall with a capacity of 75.The second floor would house offices and classroom spaces for anticipated middle- and high-school pupils.In addition to organized worship, Three Nails offers life counseling, Bible study and relief from food insecurity. Its food pantry delivered more than 19 tons of food in 2023, according to the church.In a letter to Columbia County planning staff, attorney Andrew Tisdale, whose law office neighbors 201 N. Belair, said Three Nails' congregants would be able to use his office's parking lot in the event of overflow parking at the church.The Columbia County Planning Commission approved the church's requested variance at its Oct. 17 meeting. The full Columbia County Board of Commissioners are expected to consider the request at its next meeting Nov. 5.This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Columbia County church congregation seeks new home on North Belair</div>

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On this spot, a Columbia County minister wants to build two-story church with Three Nails

A minister whose church began in his living room more than a decade ago wants a permanent home for his congregation on North Belair Road. Dr. William Tolbert III, pastor of Three Nails Gospel Church, is asking Columbia County for a zoning variance that would allow a church to be built at 201 N. Belair Rd., according to filed applications. The address is where Roxbury Drive meets North Belair.