A Lower Southampton congregation seeking to build a new cathedral on its property has been told to rework plans for its proposed steeple, whose height would exceed the township's building height limit.
St. George Georgian Orthodox Church in the 400 block of Philmont Avenue first proposed expanding its current sanctuary in 2009. The church has received various township approvals over the years related to the project, which seeks to build a 4,900-square foot sanctuary on 4.7-acres.
Most recently the church has sought zoning relief to construct a 63-foot high steeple, nearly double that township’s 35-feet building heigh maximum, which is under consideration by the zoning hearing board.
The Georgian Orthodox church requires cathedral steeples to be
a specific height, according to Lower Southampton Zoning OfficerMichael Italia. It is unclear if the project would move forward if the zoning relief is turned down.
The church has not gone through the full land development process and it does not have approval to build the cathedral at this point, Italia said.
The proposed church project has drawn criticism from nearby homeowners who have expressed concerns about traffic, parking, drainage, noise, privacy and home values.
The hearing on the steeple variance was continued until Oct. 13 to give the developer a chance to rework the plan, Italia said.
“We’ll have to see what they come back with,” Italia said.
Crime and Courts Reporter Jo Ciavaglia can be reached at jciavaglia@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Feasterville church to rework its proposed steeple plan | Exclusive
