NYT: A New Church? Not in Their Backyard

[DeepModem Mom]

A New Church? Not in Their Backyard.
By ROBERT JOHNSON
Published: April 3, 2005


CHULUOTA, Fla.

IT'S Sunday morning and Ginger Willis has stopped for gasoline at the MJM convenience store, where she reflects on the recent spate of building that she frets will ruin this rural hamlet's quiet ambiance.

No, there aren't any Wal-Mart stores, high-rise office buildings or factories headed for Ms. Willis's hometown of around 4,000, 25 miles northeast of Orlando. The focus of her not-in-my-backyard fears is new churches. To her, the spread of the spiritual is just another species of development sprawl.

"We already have too many churches here," said Ms. Willis, who has lived here for 30 years. "Now more are coming and they will bring traffic and noise."...

***

A group of residents recently lost a battle to have Seminole County either prevent or restrict the building of two churches in Chuluota. The initial phase of one of those, the River Run Christian Church's 500-seat sanctuary, is under construction. The plans of the nondenominational church embody the concerns of growth-management activists, including a gym, athletic fields and preschool....

***

New churches in rural and suburban areas are prompting opposition from homeowners in increasing numbers. "There's a nationwide epidemic of churches being mistreated when they want to expand," said Erik Stanley, a lawyer with the nonprofit Liberty Counsel, based in Orlando. His group has fought proposed restrictions on 108 churches since 1999 in cities like Hilliard, Ohio, and Beaver Township, Pa. "We can usually resolve things successfully without litigating, but it takes a lot of negotiation," Mr. Stanley said. "A lot of people who live in quiet areas perceive a new church as a hassle."...


http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/03/realestate/03nati.html

[ixion]

1. they will bring traffic and noise.... and

ignorance and fear. :evilgrin:

[zbdent]

2. Thought you were talking about Euclid Ohio - Faux "talking head" is

being groomed as the prime candidate for a Schwarzennegger-like "recall" election.

Big beef of the dittohead? Well, the reality is that the mayor of Euclid is a Dem. But what they're pushing is that the mayor settled a dispute with a church (actually a predominantly black church) for a six-figure sum.

Why did they pay the money? Well, it seems that the church wanted to use some land that was not being used, and was going to come in and build a church and some residential areas. But the "community" fought against it. Can't have a bunch of (gospel-singing, praying) niggers running around our town!

Well, the mayor smelled lawsuit city and probably saved Euclid a ton of money by settling. But, go figure. Anything a Dem does is evil. So, supporting a church is now verboten, apparently. But the dittododoes are trying to claim it's anything but . . .

[AndyTiedye]

3. We Had Them Try To Build in Our Green Belt

in violation of about a dozen ordinances. The county was all, "but it's the church, we have to let them."
They backed down eventually, after it was clear that the we did not want them there and would litigate to force the county to obey its own ordinances.
Since the order in question had an average age in the 80's, we were all concerned about what would really be built there, once the nuns went off to their heavenly reward.

The unspoiled forest that is there now is a better advertisment for the creator than any church could be.

[Mel Brennan]

4. indeed...

dogma is not permaculture...good for you.