Woodlands considers legal action in St. Anthony's controversy

Neighbors continue to complain aboutÂ bright lights and other matters over the expansion of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in The Woodlands. Neighbors continue to complain aboutÂ bright lights and other matters over the expansion of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in The Woodlands. Photo: Handout Photo: Handout Image 1 of / 8 Caption Close Woodlands considers legal action in St. Anthony's controversy 1 / 8 Back to Gallery

The Woodlands Township may sue St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church if it doesn't address issues regarding its campus expansion.

Members of the township Development Standards Committee told church officials last week that St. Anthony has until Wednesday, March 28, to respond with a proposal to deal with what it says are violations the township's design regulations.

Nearby residents have complained to the township about trees that were cut down, the parking lot expansion and lights that were installed on the church campus.

"We think there are things you could do," Development Standards Committee Chairman Walter Lisiewski said. "We'd like to have your response back within a week. We'd like to give you an opportunity to come back to us with a definitive plan."

St. Anthony's attorney, Michael Starzyk, told the DSC that church officials have complied with township covenants and also had received approval for the construction, modifications and other work done.

"There is a growing concern that maybe St. Anthony's and its 6,000-plus families and thousands of children who are on that campus every day and in that school are not getting the same consideration that the neighbors might be getting," Starzyk said while urging the committee to not take legal action. "What I want to stress, though, is that from the get go, from the very beginning of this project, we've worked hand in hand with the DSC. We've come back numerous times. We've worked with the DSC to try and make sure we're compliant with everything we're doing. We intend on continuing to do that as we continue to move forward with our construction process."

DSC member John Anthony Brown told Starzyk at last week's meeting that he hopes he understand is the frustrations of the residents.

"I know you're new to this. I want you to understand everybody is tired of this. It seems something very easy to do (fixing the violations). There's been a lot of discussion but there hasn't been an action plan," Brown said. "Actions speak louder than words. ... Not seeing action causes frustration."

Brown also said he knows the church has worked with the DSC and the township to remedy some of the issues, however he said while 90 percent of the work has been done satisfactorily, the remaining 10 percent is what is causing headaches for residents and township officials.

"That 10 percent (or remaining work) has been pushed out too long," Brown added. "Talk is only as good as your actions. That's what (this) is about, doing the right thing."

LOOKING BACK

The long-running conflict between the church and residents and the township dates back several years after the church officials broke ground in April 2016 on long-planned master expansion at the property located on Bay Branch Drive. The plans included a chapel that can seat 350 worshippers, 300 additional parking spaces, a new food pantry building, an outreach facility, a sports field and additional lighting and landscaping.

In August 2017, Laurelhurst residents vented their frustrations over the expansion, standing on local streets and shouting at church parishioners during a Sunday morning protest. The neighbors were angry with the clear-cutting of a thick greenbelt of tall trees and shrubbery that separated back yards from the expanded parking lot. Residents said at the time a thick greenbelt of trees had been removed to make room for the extended parking lot and that headlights from cars as well as light poles that reportedly turned on at 5 a.m. were causing light to be shined into their homes.

During a November 2017 DSC meeting, committee members discussed how the church planned to reduce headlight beams from passing through gaps in the fence that surrounds the church and its expanded parking lot. Committee members visited to the church at night while dark, and many agreed something had to be done to about the light beams shining through the fence.

In addition to prior problems, during the March 21 DSC meeting, committee members detailed how the greenbelt trees had not been replaced as necessary, explained there were still lighting issues that have not been resolved by placing shades on light fixtures and other minor issues like a non-functioning light pole being taken down.

"This thing has been going on quite a while. If you look at our side of it, we don't want to be stuck in the middle," Lisiewski said. "It has cost the township a lot of money. It has cost the taxpayers of this township a lot of money. You're spending more money arguing about it than it costs to just fix it."

RESIDENTS FRUSTRATED

Several residents of Laurelhurst Drive who live near the church were at the March 21 meeting and expressed their frustration.

Denis Carmichael said he lives directly behind the church's sports field and claimed his property values have gone down due to the changes in the greenbelt and lights shining into homes from the church parking lot.

"Everything the church has said they will do, they haven't," Carmichael said, while urging the DSC to approve taking legal action. "We want results."

Another resident of the street that backs up to the church, Markisha Mitchell, said she's lived on the street 12 years and admitted the changes have caused problems, but said she is "On my own journey to accepting it."

"This all started with a difference about 40 parking spaces. (Now) The trees are gone," Mitchell said. "I'm good with spreading the word of Jesus, but do we need this?"

While the DSC took no action on the potential legal action, they did approve a request from residents behind the church to build 8-1/2-foot tall fences to help shield homes from the lights and church activity.

Former DSC chairwoman Deborah Sargeant said the church had complied with every DSC directive and township covenant over the past several years.

"It's time with the DSC and the township to be done with this specific issue," Sargeant said. "This issue has gone on long enough. I think it is ill-advised to proceed with legal action."

Lisiewski said he expects the church to respond in a timely manner, and he added the township plans to hire a landscape architect to survey the trees and shrubs and make recommendations on how to mitigate the loss of the dense greenbelt that existed before the parking lot was expanded.

"It's not a lot of money to plant trees, even if you put up a half-dozen trees. Lights need to be shielded," Lisiewski said. "We've suggested setting up meetings with neighbors. This thing has been going on quite a while."