Faith Bible Church Is Back At The Zoning Board 6/27/2013

I'm experiencing, first hand, Yorktown's building and zoning machine in action.  My neighbor is trying to parlay a very small house of worship and two legal single family homes (per building department and tax assessor records the houses were illegally converted) into a huge church.  I love the church and would love to see them upgrade their facilities, but we need to be realistic about the occupant and parking loads the site can support.
The church's attorney has opened their 4th Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) application which will be heard publicly on Thursday June 27th, 2013 at Town Hall at 6:30pm.  The Planning Board--who has been hearing the application for more than 4 years[!!!]--sent the applicant back to the ZBA at my prodding. The chronology of the 4 zoning variances breaks down as follows:

1. Application #1: Instead of notifying all of the "interested parties" to the planning board application, the applicant only notifies 2 homeowners of the  required zoning variances (6 households were notified of the planning app).  I showed up to the first ZBA hearing, raised numerous, valid and serious questions.  ZBA closed the hearing and approved the variances.  I advised the town attorney (representative of the board) that the ZBA should rescind the variance approvals for various reasons.  The ZBA rescinded their approval.
2. Application #2:  In spite of overwhelming public opposition (oral and written), and in light of the gross and factual parking deficiencies, the ZBA approved the zoning variances. They told me specifically that my concerns about parking would be addressed at the planning board.  As luck would have it, we're back at the zoning board to address--among other serious issues--PARKING!  Literally.  [note: I sued--pro se--and lost, not on merits, but because I didn't notice the church, even though I was challenging the ZBA's determination].
3. Application #3:  I notify the Planning Board that the applicant has overlooked two major variances regarding parking prohibitions in front yards in residential districts (makes sense), and a miscalculated the required front yard (honest oversights by the town's most prominent attorney and engineer--I'm sure). The Planning Board correctly directs the applicant to notify 2 adjacent home owners associations, a park district and the Mohegan Lake Improvement District who were not party to the original planning application in 2009.   The applicant hastily makes application to get on the ZBA agenda for April 2013 (they only meet once a month).  Applicant withdraws the application, voluntarily because there are still glaring deficiencies.
4. Application #4:   I won't start picking apart the wild, siding interpretations the applicant's attorney is trying to sell the ZBA in this space; I'll save that for the public hearing, 6/27/13.

I made an unsucessful bid to garner the endorsement of the Democratic party for 1 of the 2 open town board seats in the upcoming election based on my love of Yorktown, education and career. 
My day job is consulting on zoning and building code matters for the City's most prominent building owners, engineers and architects.  If I'm having a hard time understanding and navigating Yorktown's planning, zoning and building departments, then I feel for the average homeowner.  It shouldn't be this hard.  Please keep me in mind if you want substantive change in these areas of government. 
Free zoning and building code consultations at YorktownCode@gmail.com

May 6th, 2013 Planning Board Meeting Video

The internet is a wonderous place.  For those who were unable to attend or watch on the Municipal channel, you can watch it clicking on this link.  You can scroll ahead to the 1 hour, 36 minute mark to watch just the Faith Bible portion.  It's 2 hours long, so grab some popcorn.

I'm absolutely exhausted, but excited about our prospects.  Next public hearings:

May 20th Planning Board

May 23rd Zoning Board.  We'll have to wait and see if the Zoning application will be opened to public comment, but you should assume so.  See you there.  

And It Was Epic

Hi there all you bloggers and bloggerettes reading this here blog. The Faith Bible part actually only lasted about 2 hours and was left open to public comment. Thank goodness because I got off track and was distracted [note to self: don't bring 4 kids to a public hearing].  I promise you some choice video clips very soon. The takeaways from the meeting:

1.  Thank you Mohegan Lake. It's a lot to ask a neighbor to physically appear before the board from 730-11 at night, but you did it.
2. The Yorktown Planning board is very deliberative and doing good work.
3. We'll likely get some quality time with the Zoning Board in the near future. [editor's note: I love you guys.  xoxoxoxo.]
4.  If you haven't written an opposition letter or signed the petition, now is the time. Get in contact with me at YorktownCode@gmail.com. 
5. We need to have a community meeting to go everything--again. There's a lot of details to discuss. Hold 2-4pm on Saturday May 20th in your calendar. Likely at the MHPOA beach. 
6. Will Faith Bible sue their design team for misleading them into a proposal that may be un-approvable?  As a trained architect and building code and zoning consultant, I'd be all over that.  Church is a residential use yet it requires a "special use permit" in a residential zone. Mwwwahahahah.  Naked in Times Square.  I've been there.  Not pleasant. 

 Stay tuned, kids.

Urgent Call To Action

As you know, the public hearing for Faith Bible Church's proposal to create a huge building capable of holding 730 people while not increasing parking will be before the Yorktown Planning Board at 7pm on Monday, May 6th at Town Hall.

If you are submitting written comments to the Planning Board, I am recommending you make one specific point.  FBC's use of the facility is not in keeping with the historic character of the small residential community that surrounds the site.  That's one thing I can't credibly testify to.   Thankfully  I have so many awesome neighbors who have lived here, right here in the Mohegan Highlands, Shrub Oak Lake Estates and all around Mohegan Lake.  Most of you have lived here for many years.  20, 30, 40 year residents.  I actually know a 75 year old resident.  Born and raised right here on Jones Hill.  But I digress.


Below is a template. If it is easier, you can email it to planning@yorktownny.org with a copy to yorktowncode@gmail.com [that's me].  USPS mail works too. 

April 25th, 2013

Yorktown Planning Board
Yorktown Community & Cultural Center
1974 Commerce Street, Room 222
Yorktown Heights, NY 10598

Re:  Faith Bible Church
       3500 Mohegan Avenue


Planning Board Members:

I live at ________ in Mohegan Lake.  I am writing you regarding the subject application to inform you that Faith Bible Church's use of the site is not consistent with the historic character of our small residential community.They do not use the site in accordance with the last Yorktown Planning Board approval.  The Lakeland Jewish Center never used the homes for church purposes and substantially conformed to the Planning Board approval.

[Tell the planning board members  what the historic character of the neighborhood was prior to FBC's recent transgressions.]

[Discuss any specific issues like the illegal conversion of the homes in 2005.  The fact they park 85+ cars weekly where 23 are permitted.  The building they are proposing has two places of assembly capable of holding 730 people without increasing parking.  They are proposing parking in the front yards which is illegal and would never be allowed in Yorktown Heights.  The building department and code enforcement officer fail to do their job and issue a violation after years and years of flouting the law.  The list goes on and on.]

[Thank the planning board members for their voluntary service.]

[Closing]

[Your name(s)]
[address]

Meeting Regarding Faith Bible Church 4/20/2013 at 2pm

Hello Mohegan Lake,

You are invited to a meeting regarding the FBC application currently before the Yorktown Planning Board.  We will be meeting at the Mohegan Highlands Property Owner's Association beach (after our clean up).   All Mohegan Lake Improvement District home owner associations and park districts are invited.  Email me if you need directions.  Refreshments will be provided.

There is a May 6th public hearing on the subject at Yorktown Town Hall.  We will be reviewing the plans and discussing actions we can take to preserve the quaint residential character of or neighborhood; since the subject site is one of the main gateways to our community, it affects us all.  

Hope to see you there,

The Brays

"Some people work very hard, but still they never get it right."

It is time to sum up where we are with Faith Bible Church. Simply put, the church leaders continue to behave selfishly. Their proposed construction would be detrimental to the wetlands of Mohegan Lake and every home in the small residential neighborhood that surrounds it. Their design is plainly illegal, for good reason. The site is simply too small for such a large development. And yet, nearly 5 years after plans were initially submitted, the scale of the proposed development is as large as ever. 

Instead of respecting the law, and the public interest that is served by the law, the church hires shameless professionals to make deceitful arguments in an endless search for special exceptions to the law. The public interest is clearly opposed by such an illogical design, but mislead public officials continue to entertain the possibility of granting these exceptions. While this may benefit the church and the hired professionals who exploit their selfishness, the rest of us are losing in the process

Much more to come on this shortly.  Thankfully, we have the full backing of both home owners associations that surround the site and will make a reasoned stand against the madness.  

Honey, I Eliminated The Required Front Yards

Unfortunately for Faith Bible Church, their design team has made what we in the profession refer to as a "colossal fuck up."  It's a highly technical term, but I think you understand it's not a good thing.  In short, the zoning code prohibits parking, for anything other than residences, in required front yards; 30 of the 63 parking spaces they are proposing are not permitted as of right and this is just now--over 4 years after the application was filed--coming to light.  It effectively reduces the occupant load the parking can support from 252 to 132.  Keep in mind they are proposing an occupant load of 344 on the first floor and 378 on the 1st floor. 

B. In any residence district, no required off-street parking facility shall be developed within the required front yard to serve other than residential uses, nor shall be developed within five feet of a side or rear lot line. 

I had a bit of a back and forth with the building inspector and he helpfully pointed out that in residential zoning districts, like where Faith Bible is, corner lots are required to provide side yards equivalent to the minimum front yard requirement in the prevalent zone  (30 feet in this case).  This means the wetland lot actually has a front yard requirement(indicated by yellow highlighter on plans below) not shown on my the plans; even worse than I initially thought.

G. Corner lots. On a corner lot in any residence district, there shall be provided a side yard on the side street equal in depth to the required front yard on said side street.

Since I wrote the attached letter (below, with exhibits) to the planning board, it has also come to light that the applicant is required to maintain a 35 foot front yard, not 30 feet as previously thought.  It's right there in Appendix A, footnote (1) of the Residence Zone Standards.  Duh!

NOTES:

1

On streets with less than a 50-foot right-of-way [Sagamore is 40 feet wide], the front yard setback shall be measured from the center line of the existing roadway and 25 feet shall be added to the required front yard setback.

 

There is actually additional required front yard on the Mohegan Ave frontage of the Wetland parking lot.  The code prohibites all this parking in our little residential zone.  Their engineer and architect totally overlooked (willfully or not) this provision.  It's kind of a bid deal since granting a variance for so much parking in that required front yard buffer would ruin the residential character of the neighborhood and devalue all of our homes. 

If I had made the same mistake they did (overlooking the front yard prohibition on parking), I would lose my job.  Shame on me for missing it for such a long time. Zoning can be sexy and thrilling.  I think I just proved that. 

There Is a God

As you may have heard, I sued the Yorktown Zoning Board of Appeals pro se (without an attorney).  I lost.  The article 78 petition I filed was thrown out on a technicality.  Even though I was solely challenging decisions made by the ZBA and served them properly, I was unaware of obscure case law that required me to serve the property owner--Faith Bible Church.  The case was not decided on its merits. The judge dismissed it based on that failure to serve and I couldn't challenge it because zoning variances have an extremely short statute of limitation of 30 days (in NY state).  Live and learn.

As luck would have it, I just discovered a zoning section the applicant (FBC) does not comply with.  The net result is that instead of 63 parking spaces, they can only provide 33.  What does this all mean?  At a minimum, I'll have the pleasure of making a reasoned argument against a ginormous zoning variance that will ruin the residential character of the neighborhood. I had some good times with the ZBA and look forward to at least a couple more:)

Faith Bible Church Planning Board Working Session 4/8/13

The subject application is on the Planning Board Agenda on Monday. 

In related news, I made amazing discovery today; it was was right under my nose for about 2.5 years.  I had underlined, doubled underlined, highlighted and made notations all around it.  I overlooked it, but it was there the whole time.  Zoning and code are exciting like that.  I did a fist pump and a little dance.  It is exactly one sentence of Yorktown zoning. 

It's not fair to link directly to it, but it's in there.  I will confirm my revelation with two zoning attorneys before I commit it to writing, but if I'm correct, the number of parking spaces they can provide as of right goes from 63, to 33.  Gasp.

Deep Breaths

There's a whole lot going on up here in Mohegan Lake and it sure can get stressful. We have to remember to take a few deep breaths occasionally and keep things in perspective.  Think about how this late blast of winter is going to make spring seem that much sweeter.

A quick recap of all things Mohegan Lake:

• Friends of the Holland Club was assertive in rejecting the town supervisor's proposal to level the steep slopes with an undetermined percentage of 86,000 cubic yards of "clean" fill.  The contractor performing the work graciously offered the fill and some labor up, now the town is now seeing if there is a suitable site that can accept such an incredible amount of fill.  We've determined the Holland club needs very little, if any of the fill.  Really appreciate the offer though. 
• The Faith Bible Church application to create a facility capable of accommodating 730 people is currently under review by the planning board.  The town's traffic engineer is currently reviewing the church's traffic consultant's response to their initial comments.  Should see some action during the April 9th planning board meeting.
• Spring is upon us.  Is anyone going to claim this boat? 
• The blue-green algae problem.  Interested in how you can help?  Get involved with the Mohegan Lake Improvement District.  
• We've decided to seek a seat on the town board via the democratic primary.

Hectic indeed, but  I'm now thinking back to simpler times, just a few short weeks ago when I was simply a father, clearing an ice skating rink for my girls. That's my happy place.  Should get me through til next winter!

Hard work, but totally worth it. 

Yes, that is the Holland Club property in the background.

Going places.

We've got moves.

Faith Bible Is Proposing A Church That Can Hold 730 People

But they are only designing parking for 252 people.  This is Yorktown, so it should sail through the approval process, right?

Please note that all images below--except the 1968 NYC Building Code--are taken from the signed and sealed architectural plans in the planning board file.  I've pored over the plans for 2 years now.  I can say that Larry Dalfino (the church's architect), who I see in the Manhattan DOB occasionally since he has an office on Park Ave South and seems to do most of his work there, needs a little refresher course on the pertinent codes for this project.

I think he forgot that he:

a) can't invoke the 1968 NYC building code to claim "non-simultaneous occupancy"; if Larry Dalfino can find any NY State code or Local Law in Yorktown that has any mention of "non-simultaneous occupancy," I will let him punch me in the mouth.  Parking is is regulated by zoning, not building code.  Come on Larry.

b) even if Mr. Dalfino was proposing this project in NYC, he couldn't claim non-simultaneous occupancy for the ENTIRE FLOOR.  I hate to publicly dope slap a licensed professional, but here it goes:

From the 1968 NYC Building Code (the only code in the nation that has any mention of this concept).

First Floor Plan of 378 people (the 6 classrooms of 19 each convert into an auditorium of 320 people).

Detail of the classrooms convertible to an auditorium of 325 people.  That's contradictory to the table, but no one really looks at these plans, they just listen to Al Capellini.

 2nd Floor occupancy of 344 (I'm not even going to include the AV mezzanine in the occupant load, since Mr. Dalfino doesn't either.

 It's amazing this application has made it this far, in this form.

2/25/13 Memo to the Planning Board

I wanted to share this memo I wrote to the planning board over the weekend in my professional capacity regarding the Faith Bible Church application.  I firmly believe that the church does great works but believe the occupancy has been should not be expanded beyond what they've illegally expanded to already.  Demolish the two legal single family homes and build bigger, but let's be honest with ourselves about the parking limitations. They already park 92 cars but are only proposing 64 normal parking stalls (per Site Design engineers of Yorktown, their own engineer--in a study done about 2 years ago).  

Much more to come.  The approval of this application likely come quickly.  Now is the time to start paying attention.  I've included straight text of this images below in case you are having trouble reading the scans of the letter I delivered.

The way we're positioned, it's going to be a crazy finish to this application.  Click on the "read more" link below to "read more."

Good Questions

And now, back to the memo from Jacobs Engineering which is the engineer under contract by Yorktown to review the traffic study prepared by Faith Bible Church's traffic consultant, John Collins Engineering.  

The first question that the town's engineer asked tipped me off that he's on the ball.

Question #1

The project is not an expansion or renovation. It's a new development.  When you demolish all existing structures on a site, it's impossible to "grandfather" them.  Example: a two family home with a commercial use on a single zoning lot in Yorktown burns to the ground.  Can't be rebuilt and needs to be demolished.  When they go back to build what was there, they are kindly informed by the town that zoning doesn't allow for a 2 family house on the lot, single family only.  Tough luck.  That's a true story.  You cannot "grandfather" that which does not exist.  They are trying to pretend it's an expansion of existing facilities.  That's not true.  The existing facilities--including the 2 illegally converted homes--will be 100% demolished.  A new building of 5 newly combined lots (the lots are still separate) is more accurate.

Question #5 



Interesting.  A shuttle from a remote parking facility?  Where is that?  CVS and SOLE Beach?  Good question raised by the town's traffic consultant.  The planning board has actually raised the question before in a working session.  It's important to note that if this were to be an actual arrangement, the applicant, at a minimum, would require an easement with the owner of the remote parking facility.  Very interesting.

You can review the initial correspondence between the town's engineer and the applicant's here.

 

Good Feeling

I had a feeling this morning to inquire about any new material regarding Faith Bible Church's planning board application.  Sure enough, there were a couple new items in the file, one of great interest. I'm including the entire document below.  There's a lot of questions raised by Jacobs (the town traffic consultant reviewing the applicant FBC's  engineer).  I'll certainly review it in detail and opine, but here's an interesting tidbit:

It would seem that John Collins Engineers (FBC's paid traffic consultant; why do I mention that? FBC had the option to hire Jacobs directly and instead chose to engage John Collins Engineers P.C., at an additional cost; curious move from a financial standpoint) used a ratio of nearly 1/2 the proscribed code standard [.31 instead of .61].  Rookie move?  Unlikely since they've been around a long time and have a great reputation.  I'm interested to see the explanation.   Stay tuned. 

To read all of the comments from Jacobs, click on the "read more" link below.

Weekend Wrap Up

Wow.  It sure is special when the lake freezes and--even if for just a few brief days--we have a very different and intimate experience of Mohegan Lake; from ice fishing to skating, it's a beautiful asset for the whole lake community. 

Alone with his thoughts, and some frozen fishes.  In the distance, the Holland Sporting Club property.

It's important that the Shrub Oak Lake Estates (SOLE) home owners are cognizant that, in addition to the parking at the SOLE beach, they have a permanent deeded right to park on another lakefront lot "at all times" and "at no cost."  When SOLE sold this parcel to the Lakeland Jewish Center (now Faith Bible Church [FBC]), it stipulated 5 permanent terms and conditions when they sold it to Lakeland Jewish, and those terms still carry the weight of law.   I only mention it because some of the legally required signage indicating the SOLE member parking seems to have gone missing.  The deed restrictions clearly state such signage should be present; just be aware it is available for SOLE members to use in addition to FBC members.   You can read the history of that parcel here.  [Click "read more" below to continue reading]

A Quick Recap

The public hearing regarding the enormous church that will demolish 2 single family homes, create an occupancy on the 2nd floor of 344 people, 6 school classrooms for 19 kids each, convertable into an auditorium for over 300 people while reducing the number of cars they park their to day is becoming a reality.  If you add the occupancy of both floors, you have almost 700 people as a potential occupancy.  Oh, but don't worry, they "promise" not to occupy--never, ever, ever--over 344 people.  Sure, they currently exceed the legal occupancy by 152 people and park over 70 cars than are allowed (23 max).


Cut to the chase:

Today they are allowed 100 people in the church 3 days a year, 3 hours at a time.  They illegally converted two single family homes that the Yorktown building department and the tax assessor still classify as a single family residences to a church. A church requires a special use permit in this (R1-10) zoning district.  I should note it is the smallest residential zone in the whole town, as far as lot area requirments; that is in keeping with the small, summer cottage nature of the area; that's literally what this specific neighborhood was established as and still has the flavor of--but this will destroy a prominent corner of it.

Now they occupy up to "252" people, against the law.  The town is spineless and refuses to enforce valid laws, even though the building inspector noted it was a violation to convert the homes to church without approval or permits.  Hire a prominent attorney and threaten to sue the town.  That is the takeaway from this story.

But we can and will fight to make this development a more reasonable size and in keeping with the character, while preserving the quality of life of all residents of Yorktown.  The church isn't bad and the congregation is full of beautiful families.  This is a town planning issue though and the proposal is wholly inappropriate.  There's a reason he hired Al Capellini. 

If I haven't been at your door with a good old fashioned paper petition regarding the planning board application for Faith Bible Church, then drop me a line, or email me (YorktownCode@gmail.com).  I have a couple community organizers gathering signatures, but am always looking additional help.

Like Watching Paint Dry

The new return date on the article 78 petition will be pushed out a bit past 3/6/2012; at the end of the day, our legal system takes time to navigate.  Initially, and naively, I was expecting this action to come to a conclusion in a quick dramatic fashion.  That is not going to happen.  It will happen in a fair and just manner though.  I'm sure of it.

So, in the meantime, I leave you with this: the deed and the restrictions attached to the wetland parking lot.

Background: the two lots across Sagamore Ave. from Faith Bible Church used as parking were transferred to the Lakeland Jewish Center from Shrub Oak Lake Estates [an adjacent home owners association] to use for 6 parking spaces.  Shrub Oak Lake Estates (SOLE)  transferred title to the Lakeland Jewish Center in 1969 and it included six (6) legally binding terms and conditions.

It's a bit hard to read, let me enlarge that for you.

Still having trouble reading it? Here's a transcription of the six (6) terms and conditions of the wetland deed that Faith Bible Church is legally required to observe.  

1. Approval of the Supreme Court of Westchester County to the conveyance.

2.  That the Grantee [Lakeland Jewish Center--now Faith Bible Church] shall develop, grade gravel and maintain the subject parcel as and for an automobile parking area.
 Setting aside the fact that the wetland lot is now paved, they comply with that term.
3. The Grantor [Shrub Oak Lake Estates] hereby reserves a permanent easement on behalf of its membership to use the subject parcel at all times for parking purposes at no cost to the Grantor [SOLE] or any of its individual members of the Grantor and the Grantee [Faith Bible Church].
That speaks for itself [emphasis mine].
4. That the subject parcel be permanently posted by the Grantee to indicate it as private property for the exclusive use of the members of the Grantor and the Grantee.
I like how attorneys use such crisp, clear language.
5. In the event the Grantee shall abandon the subject parcel and not use the same for parking purposes or if the Grantee shall use the subject parcel for any purpose other than parking, then the Grantor its successors, then the Grantor its successors and/or assigns.
No can argue FBC does not comply with that condition.
 [CLICK ON IMAGE BELOW TO MAKE BIG]

6. That the Grantee shall not in any way encumber the subject parcel by mortgage, lien or easement, but shall always maintain clear and unencumbered title to the subject parcel excepting the easement herein reserved to the Grantor, and in the event of a breach thereof, the Grantor shall have the right of re-entry and the fee shall revert forthwith to the Grantor, and in the event a breach thereof, the Grantor, its successors and/or assigns.
Let's all marinate on that while the paint dries.

Someone's Not Truthin'

Someone's not being honest with themselves, their community, the Mohegan Lake residential community and the Yorktown government.

Today, Sunday, February 26th, 2012, Faith Bible Church parked 88 cars to support an average occupant load; an average load, per pastor Zottolli's Planning Board application is about 150 to 160 people.

The new building that would take the place of two single family homes and the very small church that allows 100 occupants 3 days per year would allow for 344 people on the second floor alone. The church's architect, Larry Dalfino, has made up a code section about "non-simultaneous occupancy" claiming the 1st floor would never be occupied if the 2nd floor was being used. That's not only a lie, but also completely unenforceable.

Read the deed that ZBA chairman Gregg Bucci never took the time to read, here.

Let's set that falsehood aside. Let's pretend that the church is legally allowed to occupy the premises with "150-160 people" and park 88 cars on site to get those people there [the church is actually only allowed 100 people 3 days a year, for 3 hours and can only legally park 23 cars on site]. Let's then pretend the town approved "344" people to occupy the new building. How many cars would they have to park to support that occupant load? If it takes 88 parking spaces to allow 160 people on the site, how many spaces would be required to support 344 people? This is middle school math, but I'm going to give away a $40 gift certificate to The Winery At St. George for the first person to correctly figure out the number of parking spaces required to support 344 people (based on the current ratio of 88 cars to 160 parishoners) and leave the answer in the comment section.

"Character of The Neighborhood"

Below, please see an image from September 18th, 2011. You are looking at the wetland parking lot plus an additional lot that was never approved for parking. There were 83 cars parked on the site that day. (click on the image to enlarge)



Both lots have been paved without approval or permit. Now the developer is trying to get credit for correcting this illegal development all within a State and Town required buffer zone. Is this "the character" of our small, unique residential community?

PLEASE NOTE THAT YOKTOWN HAS NEVER APPROVED MORE THAN SIX (6) CARS TO BE PARKED ON THE WETLANDS. You can view those approval documents, by clicking on these big orange letters.

Community

I hope you were able to watch the simulcast of the 3 hour long hearing that took place two weeks ago. If not, it will air again every Thursday until August 11th, 2011; that night they will simulcast the next ZBA hearing, in case you can't make it. Channel 20 Cablevision in Yorktown [that includes us up here in Mohegan Lake :)].

Here's two sequential excerpts from the last hearing.



I would like to note that while FBC certainly has a special community distinct and apart from the Mohegan Highlands Property Owners Association, they are also--de jure--a part of our community as well.



Mrs. Gordon spoke most directly to the concern over the proposed zoning variances: there are too many cars and not enough parking--even after two single family homes are converted to part of the church and a parking lot. This has nothing to do with the proposed new development being a church or its people. This has everything to do with zoning, planning and a unique, lake/hill-side community. More on that later.