THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, June 21, 1995 TAG: 9506210590
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MIKE KNEPLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines
The City Council postponed action Tuesday on rezoning applications for a $3 million school for Calvary Revival Church, but several members said they believe approval will come soon.
A council vote is now scheduled for July 11.
The school would be developed on a 10-acre tract on E. Little Creek Road where Calvary Church lost a bitter fight last year to build a 3,000-seat sanctuary.
Unlike 1993 and 1994, when scores of neighbors fought construction of the church, only three spoke at Tuesday's public hearing.
Marie Julian of Roosevelt Gardens and Karla Lawler of Camellia Shores complained that their civic leagues were left out of negotiations and protested that construction of a church school would remove the site from tax rolls.
Gay Myers of Saratoga, a neighborhood behind the school site, said residents generally were satisfied with proposed development restrictions. But she requested at least one more concession - a stronger fence.
The church already agreed to build an eight-foot high privacy wall along the back of the schoolyard. But Myers said neighbors wanted the wooden fence to be reinforced by brick piers spaced every 20 feet instead of every 80 feet.
City Councilman W. Randy Wright, who led the successful petition efforts against the church sanctuary, challenged Calvary Revival to ``settle that one last issue that's floating out there.''
Wright and fellow council members praised the church and residents for resolving many differences.
After the meeting, the Rev. Courtney McBath, pastor of Calvary Revival, said the demand for more brick piers was ``consistent with our experience in the city. When people who oppose us run out of issues, they come up with another one. It's like hitting a moving target.''
McBath is black, as is most of his congregation. Neighborhoods around the school site are predominantly white, but residents have denied that race was an issue.
However, McBath said ``I am totally convinced. . . that there's always going to be an element of people who just don't really want us there.''
McBath has not decided whether to add more brick piers. ``We have to determine economically and architecturally what is the best and go with that,'' he said. ``We're still open to discussion.''
The church already has agreed to 15 conditions on construction. They include using the site only for a kindergarten through 9th-grade school and day care, operating 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, with no more than 700 students.
McBath said the school would open by fall 1996. ILLUSTRATION: Photos
The Rev. Courtney McBath, pastor of Calvary Revival, is still open
to discussion.
Marie Julian protested that the church school would remove the site
from tax rolls.
by CNB