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Neighbors and board clash over noise, weddings and religious-use classification; case for Brick Church Pike deferred
Summary
Owner Gina Incom sought a special exception to use her 14.2-acre property as a religious retreat center. Neighbors cited amplified-music noise and traffic from wedding events; staff noted a stop-work/abatement inspection. The board asked the applicant for clearer plans and conditions and deferred the case to April 16.
The Board of Zoning Appeals deferred a contested application for a special exception Wednesday after neighbors raised repeated complaints about noise and traffic and board members said the record did not yet show how the proposed religious use would differ from commercial event activity.
Owner and applicant Gina Incom, who identified herself as a pastor and said the property would be used for retreats and counseling, told the board the family has used the home for ministry for years and bought the 14.2-acre parcel to expand those activities. "Our home has always been an extension of our ministry," Incom said.
Neighbors described late-night amplified music at past events, safety concerns on the narrow, two-lane Brick Church Pike, and a pattern of large gatherings that, they said, function more like a wedding venue than a quiet religious retreat. "The music was so loud... it went on till 11 or 12:00 at night when they've had events," said neighbor Karen Rippetoe, who lives nearby and said she has lived in the area for 40 years.
Architect Ashley Hernandez, working with the applicant, said the existing barn is about 1,500 square feet with a 100-person maximum capacity and that current parking plans would allow roughly 170 cars, which would limit attendance. But opposition attorneys and residents pointed to an online presence and previous large events; the zoning office said it issued a stop-work/abatement notice tied to commercial-amusements activity and that different code sections apply to permanent religious institutions versus commercial venues.
Board members raised three recurring issues: the primary function of the site (religious institution vs. venue), limits on outdoor amplified music and the roadway capacity for events of the scale described. Several board members recommended a deferral so the applicant could work with neighbors and present proposed conditions (hours for amplified music, caps on attendance, traffic plans and clearer accessory-use language). The board voted to defer the case to April 16.
The zoning administrator told the board the code (new religious facility standards and special-exception general criteria) obligates the applicant to show the board the specific conditions are satisfied before a special exception can be granted; the board asked the applicant to return with operational details and proposed conditions.
