Waivers granted for new Milford church

By DAWN McELLIGOTT

MILFORD BOROUGH, PA — The Milford Borough Council has granted waivers requested by St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church for its land development plans. The parish has bought property to build a new, 400-seat church.

The council had initially requested that the church provide 115 parking spaces adjacent to the new church, each measuring 10 x 20 feet. Lacking enough space adjacent to the proposed church, the parish asked the council to let parishioners use the parking lot for their existing church, which will be known as the “parish center.” Vowing not to use the parish center and the new church at the same time, the parish hoped to provide adequate parking. Speakers noted that the parish attracts large groups of people only on the weekend.

Milford Borough Council President Matt Osterberg recused himself as a council member during last week’s public hearing, but spoke as a legal party since his property abuts land owned by the parish. Osterberg said that he and his family lived next door to the existing church for 20 years and “it’s a low impact use” of land. Osterberg recommended that since the church only fills the parking lots for a few hours on the weekend, that it should not force the parish to pave any more land to provide greater parking.

Richard Snyder, president of the Milford Enhancement Committee, gave a similar opinion warning the council that some greenery may be permanently lost if further paving is required.

The council allowed the church to make up the 115 parking spaces by using the parking lots at the new church and parish center and by using the nearby streets. The council also agreed to let the parish provide parking lots that are 9 x 18 feet. Council member Robert Fean pointed out that the borough council has, in the past, approved the smaller sized lots.

Melvin B. Jacobson, Sr., staff architect of the Buchart-Horn Basco Association, spoke on the parish’s behalf. Using a three-dimensional model of the proposed church, Jacobson argued against the council’s setback requirement of 40 feet based on the height of what many would call “the steeple.”

He defined the structure as a “cupola.” Jacobson pointed out that the cupola would be an empty area above the sanctuary, an uninhabited floor space.” As such, the architect advised the council that the cupola would not have to be handled the same way as an occupied space or one above inhabited floor space. The council voted to permit the new church to be constructed with a setback of 19.88 feet.