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Planning board backs Trinity by the Cove’s raised sanctuary plan with conditions
Summary
PAB recommended approval of a conditional‑use height exception and a variance for Trinity by the Cove’s reconstructed sanctuary, allowing the congregation to raise and rebuild the flood‑damaged sanctuary while preserving key interior elements and matching historic character.
The Planning Advisory Board recommended approval of Trinity by the Cove Episcopal Church’s petition to demolish and rebuild its sanctuary at a higher finished‑floor elevation to improve flood resiliency while replicating the church’s historic appearance.
Applicant representatives said the sanctuary will be elevated roughly 4 feet to meet FEMA and building‑code expectations, and the design will retain or restore interior elements such as the pulpit and pews where possible. Staff advised the board that churches and steeples are identified in the Public Service (PS) district language as structures that may be allowed to exceed the 30‑foot principal‑building benchmark through the conditional‑use process so long as health, safety and welfare are protected. The PAB voted to recommend both the conditional‑use height exception and the variance for existing setbacks, subject to the resolution’s conditions and final design‑review sign‑offs.
