Thursday, March 11, 1999
Church fights zoning ruling
Pregnant teens home rejected
BY JANET C. WETZEL
The Cincinnati Enquirer
MONROE — Solid Rock Church on Wednesday asked the Butler County Common Pleas Court to overturn a Monroe decision that blocks construction of its planned home for unwed pregnant teen-agers.
“We think we have a good case, and we think the law supports us,” said Karri Haffner, attorney for the church.
The nondenominational church in the Warren County section of Monroe contends that it should be allowed to build the Darlene Bishop Home for 30 pregnant teens under the church's 1985 conditional-use permit.
But Jay Stewart, assistant city manager and zoning enforcement officer, ruled Jan. 7 that the permit does not extend to the home and denied the church a building and zoning permit and a site review plan.
On Feb. 10, the Monroe Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) upheld Mr. Stewart's decision by a 3-1 vote. “I'm confident in my decision and the BZA decision,” Mr. Stewart said.
The church has tried since last spring to get approval to build the home. Earlier, the church filed three zoning applications, including one calling for changing the 60 acres sur rounding the church to highway industrial zoning, with a planned unit development, and calling the home a motel. Church neighbors Jay and Helen Frick, owners of Traders World flea market and Cincinnati Zoysia Inc., began objecting, and the applications were denied. The church and the Fricks have since tried unsuccessfully to reach a compromise.
The Fricks say if the home is built south of the church, it could hurt their chances to market their land. But the church says a site north of the church is not feasible and would add considerably to the projected $1 million cost.
“We had hoped that the church would see the wisdom in relocating the proposed (home) to a more suitable location, since various bodies and officers of the city have rejected the proposed site numerous times,” Peter Koenig, the Fricks' attorney, said Wednesday.
The Fricks now have the option of filing a motion to be added to the case, which would let them participate in hearings, submit evidence and other actions to protect their rights, Mr. Koenig said.
The church may still file for an amendment to the city's new zoning code, which went into effect in December. It has no specific definition that fits the proposed home, Mrs. Haffner said.
“The game has changed because the zoning code changed,” she said.
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