http://www.ajc.com/news/north-fulton/sandy-springs-sidesteps-scientology-167936.htmlBy April Hunt
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The waiting continues on whether the Church of Scientology will move to Sandy Springs.
The City Council on Tuesday deferred voting on a rezoning request by the church until December, despite a packed house of several dozen opponents wearing “STOP” stickers on their lapels and several dozen supporters on hand with a court reporter, taking down all comments.
Council members said the latest delay on the issue, which has been bubbling up since last spring, was required so the Planning Commission could review the latest conditions offered by the church as a way to garner approval.
“This thing has been going on forever. It just won’t go away,” said Councilman Tibby DeJulio, who made the motion for the deferral. “Let’s see if we can’t get it right this time.”
The church has asked the city to rezone an office building at Roswell Road and Glenridge Drive so it can move its Georgia headquarters from Dunwoody into a larger space.
More than 600 residents and 16 neighborhood associations have urged the city to deny the request, though, saying there isn’t enough parking and that the church would add to existing traffic problems.
Last month, the Planning Commission agreed and recommended denial.
That prompted the church to amend its request. It has offered to redesign its plans to include restriping and new paving, to keep the total number of available parking spaces at the 111 already there.
The new design still lets the church convert a basement parking area into a fourth floor, which it says is necessary for worship.
“We are trying to do everything we can to address every issue raised by the community,” W. Woodson Galloway, who is representing the church, said Tuesday night. “We feel we’ve addressed every legitimate issue.”
Residents insist their opposition has nothing to do with the 50-year-old religion, which has been controversial for its beliefs and its celebrity adherents.
Instead, even with the changes, they say a church is a bad fit for the mostly residential area.
“Each delay and deferral makes it only more obvious that no workable compromise can be reached,” said Sheila O’Shea, who lives in a condo across from the proposed church site.
Going against such clear voter opposition could have political ramifications. DeJulio, whose district includes the church site, faces a challenger for his seat in the Nov. 3 election. Councilman Doug MacGinnitie is stepping down – to run statewide next year for secretary of state.
And the Sandy Springs Council of Neighborhoods, the city’s largest coalition of homeowners, has already compiled a report card criticizing the council’s votes that it characterizes as affecting neighborhoods.
"We had come prepared to argue the case for denial," said Robin Beechey, who lives in another condo complex near the proposed site. "We still requested the council do just that."
Galloway said the latest delay was requested by an attorney representing the neighborhood groups, though he agreed with sending the matter back to the Planning Commission as a matter of procedure.
He added that the court reporter – typically an indicator that an attorney is preparing a court case – was his normal procedure for a final hearing, in case the council did take a vote.
The church has hinted in the past that it will file a federal lawsuit against Sandy Springs if the city denies its zoning request.
“No other church in Sandy Springs has made these kind of concessions, or been asked to,” Galloway said.
The Planning Commission will review the latest concessions at its Nov. 19 meeting. Its recommendation then goes to the City Council for a vote on Dec. 15.
"I'm sorry to have this extended, but zoning is a slow process," said Mayor Eva Galambos.
