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The "All Opinions are Welcome, but Sorry no Instigators" Board -> Rockaway Township Free Speech -> Sounds familiar!
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GadFly


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Sounds familiar!
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http://www.timescommunity.com/site/tab5.cfm?newsid=13974510&BRD=2553&PAG=461&dept_id=511686&rfi=6
 
Traffic fears bedevil church plan
By Matthew Perrone
02/16/2005


The developers of a proposed 2,500-seat Korean Presbyterian megachurch faced concerns over traffic and suitability from community members at a Western Fairfax County Citizens Association (WFCCA) Land Use Committee hearing Tuesday, Feb. 15.


Joe Drake, of the Orr Co., which is overseeing the engineering and construction for the church, made his second appearance before the committee, representing his client, the Korean Central Church of Vienna.













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The church has applied for a special exception permit to build a 286,000-square-foot structure off Lee Highway in Centreville that would include a 2,500-seat sanctuary, 500-seat chapel and an educational center for up to 200 children.

Drake said he is still in the process of gathering comments from various area civic associations so that he can address them all in his next round of appearances.



Traffic woes

Several members of local communities told Drake the proposed church would only add to the traffic already clogging area roads.

“We don't see how this is going to work; we'll never be able to get out,” said Pat Ferguson, of Gate Post Estates, a community to the east of Bull Run Elementary School, which is near the church site.

“In the morning and late evening, we already have Gainesville traffic coming in and backing things up. We're going to have another new church on the other side of Old Post Office Road. I don't know how it's going to work,” she said.

Rock Hill Civic Association member Frank Ojeda raised a number of issues, including the fact that, as a tax-exempt place of worship, the church would not contribute any money to pay for roadwork in the surrounding area.

“The traffic isn't going to be isolated here in front of the church; it's going to spread up and down Pleasant Valley Road,” Ojeda said, adding “and who's going to pay to fix that road? We are.”

Ojeda said the construction of the church is an example of a problem that repeatedly occurs around the county. “The problem we have is that we build these things first and then try to fix the roads after the fact,” he said.

Traffic was not the only concern of the 20 or so people who gathered to hear Drake's presentation. Some of them worried that the sheer size of the church would put it at odds with surrounding properties. At-large Land Use Committee member Chris Terpak-Malm noted that the size of the church building alone is as large as some of the entire properties of its neighbors.

As Drake diagrammed the proposed layout of the complex, he explained that the church was trying to purchase a thin sliver of land in the northwestern corner of the property that is still being held by another landowner. If the “piano key” of land was purchased, Drake said, it would allow developers to reorganize the layout of the complex and create larger buffer zones between the church and neighboring properties.

“I think getting that 'piano key' should be your first priority because unless you do I'm not sure you can develop this property the way you want to,” Terpak-Malm said.

At-large committee representative Carol Hawn said the developers should also try to use a multi-level parking deck instead of expansive parking lots for the proposed 1,200 parking spaces.

“Have you ever stood in the middle of a thousand-car parking lot and seen how much land it takes up?” Hawn asked. “If the church wants to be a good neighbor, I think this community would appreciate you making that effort.”



Cemetery access

A major dilemma that arose at the Orr Co.'s last appearance, this month before the Bull Run Civic Association, was access to a small, historic cemetery on the proposed Korean church property. Cub Run Memorial Gardens was once the site of an 18th century Baptist church and continues to serve as a burial site for several area African-American churches.

The only access to the cemetery is on a small, unpaved path called Naylor Road. The trustees of the cemetery have said they would be forced to drive through a parking lot to access the cemetery if the Korean church is built as planned.

At the WFCCA meeting, Drake suggested relocating Naylor Road to the south, around the edge of the Korean church, but cemetery caretaker Ernest Harmon said that was not a viable option.

The Rev. Eugene Johnson of Centreville's Mt. Olive Baptist Church was also at the meeting. Mt. Olive's congregation includes several families who bury their loved ones at Cub Run Memorial Gardens. Johnson said it was more important to preserve reasonable access to the cemetery than to preserve Naylor Road. The pastor also said that a new, wider, paved access road might be an acceptable replacement if Naylor Road were eliminated.

At the close of the session, Drake said a meeting would be planned between the Orr Co. and the trustees of Cub Run Memorial Gardens.



©Times Community Newspapers 2005

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RTconcern


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Deja Vu all over again!



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BR


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Another Yog'ism that fit's this half-baked plan:


"If you don't know where you are going, you will never get there"


 



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fyrral


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more yogi:


"When you come to a fork in the road, take it".


and one that may apply to certain testimonies:


"I never said all the things I said"


 


Some of the debate and some of the babble   at the hearings do kind of remind one of a conversation between  Yogi Berra, George W. Bush, Charo and Norm Crosby ........you kinda know they are talking about something.......but you're not quite sure what.



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Rational


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"...Yogi Berra, George W. Bush, Charo and Norm Crosby" 


And the babble that comes out of you, fyrral, resembles the rhetoric of which of the above indivuduals?



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fyrral


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none of the above rat.but i'm glad you asked with a smile we don't want karen yelling at us again!

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Rational


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Yup!  She is one tough, no-nonsense lady!!!  Almost as tough as my wife, but not quite!  LOL 



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RTconcern


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I say to this church: "You have turned the corner in your Strategery, but never Misunderestimate, those fine OBGYNs spreading their love to women everywhere.


 






 



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fyrral


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The future is now:


 


"As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents,more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folk of the land will reach their hearts desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron". -H.L. Mencken-(1880-1956)



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Mark B


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When did this become a political forum???

If you wish to make political statments and posts vulgarities, please do it somewhere more suiting that topic.

Thanks

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RTconcern


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For you, Mark B



 



 



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Mark B


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If you would like to debate the elected President of the United States with me, I will do so in private, otherwise I beleive you should stop the nonsense.



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RTconcern


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Sorry Rush,


I forgot, Free Speech is only for right wingers anymore. What was I thinking...


Is this better..."The liberal controlled media, and it's Clintonesque lie machine has threatened our American family values with its Hollywood elitist attitude and losing all connection with the flyover Red states who overwhelmingly oppose all things represented by the Liberal spin machine."


Feel Better?


 


 



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karen


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Shots of Ritalin, all around! This thread is about another church case that's interesting to compare to our own conundrum.


I have the feeling that all around the country this is happening and all of these communities are keeping an eye on each other's cases in hopes they'll win their own.


Now let's stay the course, not divide amongst our own ranks (that would make CC SO happy!) and fight the good fight - against the project that stands to alter our entire quality of life in so many ways!



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