Greetings!
(Apologies for short notice. Warning: issue is land usey/dry but action is important!)
Park and Planning decision on Olney area mega church threatens the integrity of critical policy that protects the Ag Reserve from large scale institutional development!
Need Email to P&P Chair by COB September 7th!
The Short Story: This project (46,500 square feet, 788 seat house of worship), while just outside the Ag Reserve, is subject to the Public Institutional Facilities policy (PIF) which restricts sewage extension to large scale PIFs in rural zones (including the Ag Reserve). The First Baptist Church of Wheaton knowingly purchased land encumbered by PIF and master plan sewerage restrictions. This is not your harmonious scaled to community use facility.This is, like the Global Mission Church near Sugarloaf, MEGA. Yet, Planning Staff has recommended approval of this huge development on narrow, rural Emory Church Road. At issue is the integrity of both County PIF policy and County master plans. If these can be violated here... they can be violated anywhere, including in the Ag Reserve.
The Ask: A quick email urging denial to the Planning Board who will take the matter up on September 8th. Your voice will help not only the Emory Church Road community but also defend against dangerous precedent that would undermine the protection that PIF policy provides elsewhere, including the 93,000 Ag Reserve. Make no mistake, institutions seeking cheaper rural acreage for their mega projects are watching this case closely.
Send emails to: MCP-Chair@mncppc-mc.org
Neil.Braunstein@montgomeryplanning.org
copy: info@mocoalliance.org
Email sample (personalize if you can):
Subject Line: Urge Denial: Preliminary and Site Plans, First Baptist Church of Wheaton, 120100250 & 820100080
Dear Madame Chair and Members of the Planning Board,
I am a County Resident and support the County's policies that seek to ensure that our rural lands and communities do not become holding ground for large scale public facilities. Both the PIF and our Master Plans serve important public purpose. The large scale church that seeks to build on Emory Church Road should be denied their water/sewer category change and their preliminary and site plans. Our highest courts agree that the right to worship does not trump public health, environmental, resource laws and policy. There is a vast difference between a community sized house of worship and a mega church. The Olney Master plan does not provide for a facility of this scale in this location for good reason.
I respectfully urge you deny this project at this site. The church should be encouraged to obtain a site appropriate to their scale, one with infrastructure in place, including sewer and roadways.
The Long Story:
Fact Sheet
Park and Planning Staff Report (this link can be very slow to load)
The court decision that upheld the PIF (despite claims that it abridged right to worship)
