Whether your church is relocating to a new site or expanding within your existing property, there are a number of master plan criteria to consider. The following will impact the shaping of your master plan — they are the specific site-planning influences that your architect will evaluate and then integrate into the master plan:
• Mission and program: This is the most important criteria of all, for the acid test of the master plan is that it must telegraph the mission and primary purpose of your church. The ultimate design statement will reflect who you are as a church and your beliefs, your values — ranging from the prominent placement of your worship center to environmentally sensitive preservation of a site as responsible stewardship of God’s resources.
Jim DePasquale
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• Demographics: Acknowledgement of your profile as a church community, as well as a local community, will influence decisions that range from providing soccer fields for youth to program space for seniors. An architectural statement that is energizing and somewhat non-threatening to the un-churched in its ecclesiastical expression (albeit still sacred space) may be appropriate, in lieu of a more traditional statement for a maturing congregation.
• Zoning: Contrary to popular opinion, churches are not automatically allowed in any and all planning zones in the Commonwealth of Virginia. While this was formerly true, a church today must diligently check local zoning ordinances prior to purchasing property, or even before considering expansion.
On the latter note, there are localities that require a rigorous planning and zoning department review and submittal process before approving expansion of facilities beyond 50 percent of existing size. Height restrictions, property setback distances, buffer zones, etc. are just a few of the many other legal constraints to examine.
Footnote to the above: Readers are encouraged to contact me regarding certain federal laws that may supersede local zoning requirements, particularly with respect to whether or not a church is allowed within specific zoning districts.
• Context: Your architect will conduct a visual inventory of the design vocabulary of structures and the environment that surrounds your site, even your community. Architectural forms, patterns, styles and materials must be understood. The same applies for planning influences such as urban vs. suburban character. It is critical that the design language of your master plan “fits its context.”
• Future re-sale: Particularly when purchasing new or additional property, consider “over-buying” in order to later sell or lease a portion of your land as income opportunities. A contemporary trend, particularly in urban communities where land is at a premium, is to consider a mixed-used development of the property, thus creating shared-cost relationships with local developers or others. And, on another note, if you are building facilities that you will eventually abandon for a larger site consider their convertibility for other commercial uses.
Another footnote: When it comes to real estate matters, we see approximately 25 percent of the church projects within our firm delayed by complex property issues. Whether it be purchase, trade or sell matters, adjacent land-owner negotiations for easements, shared cost of improvements such as utility extensions or turn-lanes, it is common for a church to find itself immersed in such matters. We reside within a region that is powered by rapid growth and development. Within that color and context of the physiological are extensive land-development requirements and the influence of neighboring development forces. And in a secular sense you, the church, are considered to be a developer.
But the good news is that we have always seen a church benefit from negotiations, since it typically has something (i.e. land) that other parties need in order to resolve their own development issues.
Yes, master plan resolutions can become complex. Valuable property, confusing directives from local planning officials, large capital investments, and an ultimate accountability to God are all on the table! Your architect will capably guide you through the process as your security blanket! Remember that with patience you will prosper. It is all in God’s timing!
Next month we will continue to explore master plan criteria that will run the gamut of highway department traffic management to energy conservation responses to environmental regulations.
Jim DePasquale, AIA, a member of Bon Air Baptist Church in Richmond, is currently chair of the Interfaith Forum on Religion, Art and Architecture of the Virginia Society, AIA, and a partner in a Richmond architectural firm. This column is a regular feature of the Religious Herald, appearing in the first issue of each month. Send building, landscape or site-related questions to the editor at [email protected] or directly to Jim DePasquale at [email protected].