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New churches
win approval
By^HARON KILPATRICK
Rappahannock New* Staff Writer
Parishioners from St. Peter’s Catholic Church and the Sperryville Assemblies of God Church packed the courtroom last Wednesday evening as the Planning Commission recommended approval of their requests for special use permits to construct new churches.
The Assemblies of God Church is to be built on a two-acre parcel on U.S. 211 just west of the intersection with Route 622, the Gid Brown Hollow Road.
St. Peter’s Church is to be built on a 25-acre parcel also on U.S. 211 west of Washington.
Attorney Douglas Baumgardner represented both applicants, noting that he is an Episcopalian.
There was no one in the audience objecting to the Assemblies of God application. The church agreed to a request from the Virginia Department of Transportation to use the old turnpike as an entrance until the four-laning of U.S. 211 is completed. Also the applicants agreed to locate the parking to the rear of the building and to screen the parking area with trees.
Pastor Ray Campbell said they are planning a building of approximately 5,000 square feet on two floors. "The sanctuary will be on the main level with a fellowship hall and Sunday school rooms downstairs. Pastor Campbell said they do not have plans yet, but they are considering either a 70 by 36-foot building or one 64 by 40 feet.
Architect Steven Biegel showed the planners pages of plans for St. Peter’s. It will be approximately 7,000 square feet, with the sanctuary on the main floor and a parish hall in the basement. In addition it will house a temporary apartment for the priest, Father Albert Verbeke.
Mr. Biegel said the parishioners had told him they wanted a building with the “appearance of a country colonial-syle church.” He said it would be white stucco over wood with a “hunter green” roof.
He said the parking lot will be screened by trees, but will be lighted with a center pole 20 feet high with arms holding downward pointing lights.
The highway department had recommended that the entrance be moved so it would be across from the crossover for the Child Care and Learning Center. They also recommended a 100-foot taper followed by a 100-foot deceleration lane.
Attorney J. W. Fletcher III, representing Robert and Elizabeth Haskell, who own property nearby said his clients “wouldn’t want to oppose the Catholic church or any other church . . . but are interested in the pastoral setting and would like to restrict the visual obstruction overall.”
He said that with the steeple the church would be taller than almost any structure in the county and taller than any of the other churches. “The design of this church is nice, but it would be prettier if there were a ring of trees around it,” he said. He suggested that the height of the steeple be decreased.
See CHURCHES, p.A-6
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