Calvary Assembly Planning a New Building

Calvary Assembly of Frederick plans to place a 60′ x 23 1/2′ modular building on their property at 8234 Woodsboro Pike.  The large church on the southern edge of Walkersville submitted their plans for approval by the Walkersville Planning Commission.

The building will be placed behind the existing building’s northern most wing as viewed from Woodsboro Pike.  Calvary Assembly of Frederick was asked how the building would be used, and how many stories would the building have.   Pastor Loren Fetty wrote, “Calvary Assembly’s property is partly within the Town of Walkersville and partly in Frederick County.  With this fact, we are in the early stages of planning with both the Town and the County officials regarding potential future improvements.  We would be happy to get back with you as soon as our plans progress and crystallize.”

Some in the community raised concerns about the traffic problems wrought by the church’s entrance on Woodsboro Pike.  Many accidents occur at the entrance as people stop to turn across south-bound traffic or attempt to exit the property to go north.

Planning Commission member, Michael Kuster, would not comment on the application. He did state that his understanding was that “the church was to connect their parking lot to Stauffer Court and close the entrance on Woodsboro Pike once the commercial property between the church and Sheetz was developed.”  Kuster will not be able to attend the meeting, but hopes the issue will be raised by his fellow Planning Commission members.  “My wife and kids were victims of that church’s entrance when our van was rear-ended while waiting for someone to turn into the church,” Kuster recalled.

Mr. Kuster shared that Susan Hauver, Planning Administrator for the Town of Walkersville, confirmed by e-mail that an easement exists on the Grossnickle farm for the church to use Stauffer Road.  “The problem lies in the fact that no one has forced them to do it, and they have not been willing to do it,” according to Kuster.

The Walkersville Planning Commission will review this application and hear from the church at their Public Hearing on Tuesday, July 22, 2014.  Meetings are held in the Walkersville Town Hall at 7:30 p.m.