Berean Bible Church, 2675 E. High St., Pottstown PA

SANATOGA PA – Sanatoga’s Berean Bible Church won approval Monday (Feb. 28, 2011) from the Lower Pottsgrove (PA) Township Zoning Hearing Board to move ahead with plans to construct an 11,000-square-foot gymnasium addition to its building at 2675 E. High St., Pottstown PA. The expansion allows church youth programs to continue without disrupting an adjacent area for worship services.

Zoning board members unanimously granted the church relief from lighting and landscape requirements that would otherwise be enforced due to its location. However, they ordered the church to comply with all other applicable building regulations, to apply for all necessary permits, and to provide future lighting and landscape buffers if desired by the township.

Church plans also received earlier approval from the township Planning Commission.

The church’s 300- to 500-member congregation wants to permanently use its existing gym for worship; the new gym would accommodate weekly youth athletic activities. Asked if both gyms could be used simultaneously for sports events, Administrative Pastor Bill Neitz smiled and pledged that once the worship center is set up, “there won’t be any balls in there.”

Several area residents spoke on behalf of the church, testifying it had been a good neighbor and they foresaw no problems with the expansion.

One adjacent property owner reported he experienced storm water run-off problems from a portion of the church lot. Planning commissioners, who next must approve the building design, will address that and other issues, the zoning board assured him.