Grays Hill Baptist Church earns victory in fellowship hall dispute

Grays Hill Baptist Church earned a recent victory in its fight to build a large fellowship hall in the shadow of Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort.

On Feb. 29, Beaufort County Judge Marvin Dukes upheld his 2013 order allowing the building. Beaufort County had asked him to reconsider.

The church has been trying for years to build a 10,000 square-foot fellowship hall on property it owns on Trask Parkway. Beaufort County has opposed the plans because the property’s zoning restrictions limit development due to safety concerns related to the neighboring air station.

Dukes ruled in 2013 the building be allowed and said the church’s permit predated development restrictions. He pointed to a permit issued in 1997 for the church’s master plan, which he said included the fellowship hall.

The county contended the church did need a new permit, that there weren’t enough facts to overturn zoning board and planning commission decisions blocking the project and that the new building would increase the church’s capacity in violation of rules.

Dukes agreed with the church’s argument that the building wouldn’t draw more people, that the same people would just move from one building to the other during different functions.

Both sides asked Dukes for time to resolve the issue themselves but couldn’t come to an agreement, Dukes wrote in his order denying the motion to reconsider in February.

The county will have to decide whether to pursue an appeal, said Mary Lohr, the county’s attorney on the case. The Marine Corps could also choose to contest the decision, she said.

Deputy county administrator Josh Gruber said staff is discussing the issue with County Council and no decisions have been made as to possible next steps.

The church has not started the project, an employee said Thursday. She directed questions to Steve Blankenship, chairman of the church’s board of trustees. Attempts to reach him Thursday were unsuccessful.

Blankenship said following the 2013 ruling that the church was ready to break ground on the fellowship hall.

The new building would host dinners and special events currently held in the sanctuary, saving time to set up and take down for Sunday services, Blankenship said at the time.

The church first sought permission for the building in 2007. County staff denied the permit, a decision upheld by the Beaufort County Planning Commission in 2011.

The matter went to court, and in 2013 Dukes directed the county to allow construction of the building.

This story was originally published March 17, 2016 at 4:57 PM with the headline "Grays Hill Baptist Church earns victory in fellowship hall dispute."