Indiana Community Members Try to Stop KH Building

[rbrown1205]

http://www.fox59.com/news/wxin-college-park-jehovas-witnesses-community-fights-to-keep-jehovahs-witnesses-out-of-neighborhood-20121107,0,5339745.column

[trottigy]

From the article:

The site has been sold. College Park has tried twice before to keep Jehovah's Witnesses from breaking ground on 5.8 acres inside the community’s boundary. Susan Lindsey has lived in College Park for 27 years. She knows a third failed attempt will change their neighborhood forever.

"We sincerely feel that our presence in the College Park area will be an asset to the neighborhood," said Cory Jones, the College Park Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Jones said they will be good neighbors, but neighbors said the fight is not about the added church, it is about the added people.

"There are only two ways to get in and out of this neighborhood, and with the extra traffic it is really going to cause some issues," said Lindsey.

Lindsey said if this attempt fails, and the church does move in, people will move out.

"I would love to see the proposal defeated and that we could just move on," said Lindsey.

The petition goes to City-County Council for action Nov. 12. If the Council does not take action, the rezoning stands.

It seems their issue is one of traffic - NOT because we are witnesses. I have been in several of these here in Henderson as a representative for the City. Many communities don't like churches added in their residential neighborhoods - because of the added traffic - especially on the weekends. But MANY churches have won court battles over land use for churches in residential areas. They are VERY tough to stop.

The Cities tool to try and ease concerns is asking for a "traffic study". An engineering firm - using accepted formulas for church and number of parishioners - can show what the increased traffic will look like and whether mitigation is in order or if this can't be done. The branch has some great tools that assist with this type of study. I am certain they will come to some type of an agreement.

[JSellenger]

Yeah, I understand that Jerry. My neighborhood only has one way in and one way out. Very little traffic because of this and it stays quiet. But if they made it cut through or added a church or anything, this could change a lot.

At least we try to keep our congregations smaller than most churches, so we wouldn't create quite as much traffic as the megachurches that have hundreds or more at a time.

[Lin ASL Ebron]

This is another example of the tactics employed by this system's govenments in their crack down on religion. It's never "about religion". It was similar in the first century. Rome attacked Jerusalem because the religious extremists where causing unrest and attacked the Roman forces stations in Israel. The Roman army was primarily a "peace-keeping" force, much like the UN today. As the wild beast attacks the harlot, it will be framed as being motivated by security concerns and civil convenience, but we know what's really going on.

[retroHelen]

We may not have as much traffic as other churches have to factor in because they allow non- regular members to hold funerals, weddings and Christenings on their premises during the week. Therefore, some churches are in use virtually every day with lots of traffic of different 'total strangers to the area' each time. As they are total strangers, they may not be as thoughtful about how they treat the neighbourhood and how they park as regular members known to the neighbours.

If the brothers use homes to meet for Ministry and clean the Hall before or after a meeting, then the Hall will only disturb folk twice a week for most weeks with many cars. Parking thoughtfully and responsibly helps. Pretty landscaping outside the Hall may dispel some of the apprehension too. We want to assure them the congregation will be good neighbours and enhance a neighbourhood not detract from it.

[palmhat]

With nearly six acres, parking on the street won't be an issue, attendees will be people that already live there. The one building replaces six acres of houses with six acres of families with 2 1/2 cars each going in and out seven days a week with six acres of children pushing to get to school 5 days a week, all at the same time. Add to that six acres of people going to work 5 days a week then six acres of people return. Shall we add to that the visits and parties and lawn care etc...that WILL add to traffic?

Lets compare that to 40 to 100 publishers who are already residents meeting twice per week at non peak traffic hours. Doing the math tells me it isn't about traffic and it isn't about keeping the population down in a geographic area. If it's none of these and If "this isn't about religion", then it has to be about not wanting things to change. We all know that change is like the weather. There's no stopping it. And if a kingdom hall is that weather, we're looking at a sunny day with a pleasant breeze.

[lovestruth]

From the article:

The site has been sold. College Park has tried twice before to keep Jehovah's Witnesses from breaking ground on 5.8 acres inside the community’s boundary. Susan Lindsey has lived in College Park for 27 years. She knows a third failed attempt will change their neighborhood forever.

"We sincerely feel that our presence in the College Park area will be an asset to the neighborhood," said Cory Jones, the College Park Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Jones said they will be good neighbors, but neighbors said the fight is not about the added church, it is about the added people.

"There are only two ways to get in and out of this neighborhood, and with the extra traffic it is really going to cause some issues," said Lindsey.

Lindsey said if this attempt fails, and the church does move in, people will move out.

"I would love to see the proposal defeated and that we could just move on," said Lindsey.

The petition goes to City-County Council for action Nov. 12. If the Council does not take action, the rezoning stands.

It seems their issue is one of traffic - NOT because we are witnesses. I have been in several of these here in Henderson as a representative for the City. Many communities don't like churches added in their residential neighborhoods - because of the added traffic - especially on the weekends. But MANY churches have won court battles over land use for churches in residential areas. They are VERY tough to stop.

The Cities tool to try and ease concerns is asking for a "traffic study". An engineering firm - using accepted formulas for church and number of parishioners - can show what the increased traffic will look like and whether mitigation is in order or if this can't be done. The branch has some great tools that assist with this type of study. I am certain they will come to some type of an agreement.

i agree. where i live there are always groups trying to stop some sort of building, whether it is costco, target or walmart. it is always about traffic. well, almost always. walmart was mostly political but yes, the others were about traffic. i don't think this article is about being a Kingdom Hall as much as it is about added traffic. and most of all, if Jehovah wants that Kingdom Hall built it WILL be built. we aren't the ones directing matters. He is.

[palmhat]

I have to agree with that, Dianne. Too much traffic is a pain and one can't blame a neighborhood for trying to "curb" it. But as you say,"if Jehovah wants that Kingdom Hall built it WILL be built. we aren't the ones directing matters. He is." And while this forum will not determine the outcome, it is interesting though, what spin will be attempted to try and stop "true" progress.

While some motives are illegal, others are legal. Of course stopping religious freedom is illegal and negative impact on the environment can be the most effective legal argument. While Mr. Lindsey says that traffic is the issue it is clear that our real nemesis has another agenda. As a kingdom hall is always a good thing in a community (because of true worship and the improvement on personal character etc...), it is so good to see the increasing evidence that Jehovah can not be stopped.

[lovestruth]

I have to agree with that, Dianne. Too much traffic is a pain and one can't blame a neighborhood for trying to "curb" it. But as you say,"if Jehovah wants that Kingdom Hall built it WILL be built. we aren't the ones directing matters. He is." And while this forum will not determine the outcome, it is interesting though, what spin will be attempted to try and stop "true" progress.

While some motives are illegal, others are legal. Of course stopping religious freedom is illegal and negative impact on the environment can be the most effective legal argument. While Mr. Lindsey says that traffic is the issue it is clear that our real nemesis has another agenda. As a kingdom hall is always a good thing in a community (because of true worship and the improvement on personal character etc...), it is so good to see the increasing evidence that Jehovah can not be stopped.

reminds me of the illustration of an ant on the train track trying to stop the train.....

[palmhat]

A pic to remember through the GT.