By: Rebecca Weltmann
Editor’s Note: The announcement that the Diocese of Trenton witdrew its application to build on Walters Road did not reach The Messenger-Press until after the paper went to print Tuesday.
WASHINGTON The Diocese of Trenton announced on April 3 that it had withdrawn its application for variances to build a new Catholic church on the corner of Walters Road and Old York Road. According to Diocese of Trenton spokesperson Rayanne Bennett, the withdrawal is a result of the Diocese’s plans to take a closer look at the 11.4-acre property and its timeline.
"In looking at this carefully, the decision was made the need for a new parish to be erected would be substantially far down the road," Ms. Bennett said. "We’re talking about a decade or more, and it just seemed prudent to hold off on asking for the variances."
She added the Diocese leaders are still planning to purchase the property, but that construction was "never planned for the immediate future."
Lynn D’Amico, a resident of Walters Road, said she is pleased that the Diocese has withdrawn the application, but said it did not mean that the Walters Road residents, who formed the group "Citizens of Walters Road," would be disappearing into the woodwork.
"It’s not over yet," she said. "We knew at this point that they had withdrawn, but we know they will reapply at a later time. (Citizens of Walters Road) are going to continue to be aware of the surrounding properties that border us and when this does come up for reapplication, we will be there to voice our opinions again."
"Citizens of Walters Road" formed when the Walters Road residents came together to voice their opposition to the Diocese of Trenton erecting a new parish on land zoned as rural residential. The Diocese was slated to ask the Zoning Board of Adjustments on April 4 about four land variances that would make building a church on rural residential land possible. Residents worried that having a parish on that street would cause traffic and safety problems, since Walters Road does not currently have speed limit signs or sidewalks.
The Diocese announced its variance application withdrawals prior to the April 4 Zoning Board of Adjustment Meeting.
