Arbo Ministries alters course in effort to gain approval

GILFORD — After getting to know their neighbors a little better, the couple who had hoped to turn a former farm on Curtis Road into a church have scaled back their plans.

Rather than seek a special exception from the Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) to have a church in a "limited residential" zone, Arbo Ministries proposed a "home-based business" that would require only a change of use from the Planning Board.

Although their newest proposal was tabled by the Planning Board on Monday evening, pending a site walk and a conversation with Town Planner John Ayer, who could not attend, most of the neighbors present seemed much more amenable to the revised proposal than to the first.

"I applaud your decision not to go forward with full zoning (board approval)," said abutter Bill Nutter.

Speaking for the ministry, engineer Jon Rokeh explained to the board that Steve and Barbara Arbo, their neighbors, and Ayer worked out a set of conditions for a change of use that included five criteria, the first being that the existing structures on the property would not be altered renovated on demolished and the open field to the east will stay the same.

The second and third were that a maximum of 12 cars will be parked on the property, not including the garage, and that no more than 35 people, excluding family, will be attending any of the planned religious observances.

The fourth was all proposed changes must be approved by the appropriate town official, agency, or board.

The fifth was that there would be no church or institutional activities within 75 feet of the easterly lot line shared with Nutter and his wife Nutter. Those activities include prayer walks, benches, gazebos or any other structure, including tents.

Member of the board asked if there were to be bells, music, loudspeakers or any other thing that makes an inordinate amount of noise and the answer was no.

In addition, the Arbos agreed that there were to be no overnight guests for religious events.

Barbara Arbo said she expects there will be one large prayer group meeting per month and smaller ones every other weekend but they would end by early evening.

She said prayer school would be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and there could be an occasional barbecue on by the front porch that looks out on Cherry Valley Road.

Part of the plan includes the reestablishment of a driveway that exits onto Cherry Valley Road. Abutter Adrian Curtis said he would like to see some of the brush cut away from the old driveway to improve the visibility.

Neighbor Renee Colby was still opposed, primarily because there will be additional traffic on "my dead end residential street." She said she had two small children and also had some concerns with traffic coming from the Arbos coinciding with school bus pickup and dropoff.

During the discussion part of the meeting, and after the public presentation had ended, Planning Board members were divided.

Norm Silber said he felt that putting a church into a home business instead of getting a special exemption from the ZBA is "like putting a square peg in a round hole."

"It gives all the appearances of a church," he said. "If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck..."

Jerry Gagnon was the member who suggested a site walk. While not commenting on the nature of the proposed "home business" he said he's first like to see where the 12 proposed parking spaces will be sited and look at the old driveway for traffic safety issues.

Member Chan Eddy was very supportive of the Arbo's proposal as presented to the Planning Board, although he agreed to table the motion until the board could speak with Ayer. He added he ,too, would like to see the parking configuration.

The site walk is scheduled for 4 p.m. on September 8.