(April 14, 2016) They brought a small army, many of them armed with supporting anecdotes, as members of SonRise Church took an important step Monday toward securing a large piece of property near the northernmost tip of Berlin’s Main Street.
SonRise had a conditional agreement to buy the 22-acre former Select Laboratories property from Merial Select, with the intention of building a new parish on part of it, then subdividing the remaining land and selling that to commercial developers.
The church plans to create three parcels, potentially housing a fast-food restaurant, a chain restaurant and a hotel, and to use those funds to build a nine-acre parish and religious complex.
First, however, they had to clear two major hurdles in Town Hall: Berlin had to agree to rezone the property from M-1 light industrial to B-2 shopping district, and to ratify a zoning code amendment allowing churches to be build in B-2 districts.
The Berlin Planning Commission recommended both changes last month. Previously, the town only permitted churches in R-1 residential districts.
Daryl McCready, lead pastor at SonRise, said his church started in 2002 with about a dozen members. Today, it has more than 800 parishioners and several parishes, including one that meets at Bennett High School in Salisbury, and a planned third parish, which would meet at Washington High School.
In Berlin, SonRise holds three services every Sunday at Stephen Decatur High School, drawing about 700 people in total.
“We haul two large trailers worth of equipment every Sunday … and we’re tired,” McCready said. “We’re a church that believes in being a vital part of the community, giving, serving … helping, partnering, all for the benefit of the community and the people who live here. We believe that’s what God calls us to do.
“What we want to do with this property is set up a permanent home so most of our members, who are Berlin residents, can have their home church in the town they love and want to serve,” McCready added.
He said the church complex would include several athletic fields, which would offer free programs for area youth.
Attorney Steve Smethhurst said one of the major benefits to the town would be a large increase in tax revenues that would far exceed what the town received from Merial Select. That assumes, however, the parcels are subdivided and sold as planned,
Realtor Wesley Cox, representing Merial Select, added that company endorsed the efforts of SonRise, and that he had been trying to find a suitable buyer for the property for more than two years.
Asked how quickly everything could occur, McCready replied, “at the speed of God.”
“We enthusiastically support this concept, because we think it’s the way churches are going to, not only survive, but to expand,” Mayor Gee Williams said. “It’s a realistic approach … and I’m very pleased … that this concept came up. Hopefully, it will set a precedent that not only can be followed in this community, but in other communities.”
Several citizens of the town gave enthusiastic endorsements of the project during a brief public hearing.
Cam Bunting, the recently announced recipient of the 2015 Berlin Award, for volunteerism, said the project was “perfect” for the town.
Ernie Girardi said it would be a “real plus” for the community and an appropriate use for the property, and Robert Poli, from the town’s historic district commission, said more restaurants would bring more tourism.
Both measures received the unanimous approval of the town council.
“I am so glad that you found that [permanent home] here in the town of Berlin,” Councilmember Dean Burrell said. “I’ve been here for a long time, and never have I seen the audience [be] 100 percent in favor of a project.”
SonRise had a conditional agreement to buy the 22-acre former Select Laboratories property from Merial Select, with the intention of building a new parish on part of it, then subdividing the remaining land and selling that to commercial developers.
The church plans to create three parcels, potentially housing a fast-food restaurant, a chain restaurant and a hotel, and to use those funds to build a nine-acre parish and religious complex.
First, however, they had to clear two major hurdles in Town Hall: Berlin had to agree to rezone the property from M-1 light industrial to B-2 shopping district, and to ratify a zoning code amendment allowing churches to be build in B-2 districts.
The Berlin Planning Commission recommended both changes last month. Previously, the town only permitted churches in R-1 residential districts.
Daryl McCready, lead pastor at SonRise, said his church started in 2002 with about a dozen members. Today, it has more than 800 parishioners and several parishes, including one that meets at Bennett High School in Salisbury, and a planned third parish, which would meet at Washington High School.
In Berlin, SonRise holds three services every Sunday at Stephen Decatur High School, drawing about 700 people in total.
“We haul two large trailers worth of equipment every Sunday … and we’re tired,” McCready said. “We’re a church that believes in being a vital part of the community, giving, serving … helping, partnering, all for the benefit of the community and the people who live here. We believe that’s what God calls us to do.
“What we want to do with this property is set up a permanent home so most of our members, who are Berlin residents, can have their home church in the town they love and want to serve,” McCready added.
He said the church complex would include several athletic fields, which would offer free programs for area youth.
Attorney Steve Smethhurst said one of the major benefits to the town would be a large increase in tax revenues that would far exceed what the town received from Merial Select. That assumes, however, the parcels are subdivided and sold as planned,
Realtor Wesley Cox, representing Merial Select, added that company endorsed the efforts of SonRise, and that he had been trying to find a suitable buyer for the property for more than two years.
Asked how quickly everything could occur, McCready replied, “at the speed of God.”
“We enthusiastically support this concept, because we think it’s the way churches are going to, not only survive, but to expand,” Mayor Gee Williams said. “It’s a realistic approach … and I’m very pleased … that this concept came up. Hopefully, it will set a precedent that not only can be followed in this community, but in other communities.”
Several citizens of the town gave enthusiastic endorsements of the project during a brief public hearing.
Cam Bunting, the recently announced recipient of the 2015 Berlin Award, for volunteerism, said the project was “perfect” for the town.
Ernie Girardi said it would be a “real plus” for the community and an appropriate use for the property, and Robert Poli, from the town’s historic district commission, said more restaurants would bring more tourism.
Both measures received the unanimous approval of the town council.
“I am so glad that you found that [permanent home] here in the town of Berlin,” Councilmember Dean Burrell said. “I’ve been here for a long time, and never have I seen the audience [be] 100 percent in favor of a project.”