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Mustard Seed Ranch’s effort to build two new homes will have to wait at least another month, according to Director of Development Brandon Stephenson.
Stephenson said the homes were classified as a commercial building project by the Tennessee State Fire Marshal.
“That basically caused a revision from the ground up to all of our plans to make sure we were ahead of the game this time,” Stephenson said.
The Ranch had originally planned to break ground on the new homes this spring, but delays with the Fire Marshal plus a late septic permit pushed back original plans.
Stephenson said the Fire Marshal’s Office has told them it would be anywhere between one to three months before they receive approval.
“With the way that they changed the commercial [classification], the number of rooms in these houses caused the need for an engineered septic drawing,” Stephenson said.
Despite the setbacks, Stephenson remains optimistic and says the new houses will allow them to take in up to 16 more children.
“We haven’t been able to take in new kids lately just because of the amount of children who are in need of assistance,” Stephenson said. “We felt the Lord was calling us here to grow so that we can help give more kids a home, a family, and a future.”
Mustard Seed Ranch provides a home for children who are victims of abuse or have been abandoned before placement by DCS.
J&S Construction has donated all fees associated with the architectural design of the homes. The two-story houses will each feature ten bedrooms, six bathrooms, large kitchens, and several large gathering spaces.
