UPDATED PETITION - 8/19/2015

VOTE NO to the building of Winner’s Chapel International near Crofton, MD.

Winner’s Chapel International, founded by Bishop David Oyedepo in Nigeria in 1981, are looking to build a roughly 64,000-square-foot worship center at the corner of Cox Road and Route 450 near Crofton, MD.

All the churches in this area give back to the community. What does this church have to offer to this community? Money goes back to the main church in PG County and Nigeria. The congregation is either driving in or being bussed in. So how is this church a benefit for our community and once again how are they planning on giving back to this community.

The chapel plans to have 300 parking spaces to accommodate their congregation. However, what they are not telling us is that there is 5+/- acres that can be leveled and filled with gravel to make an additional 200 parking spots that they can claim as temporary parking. Therefore, they will not have to disclose when requesting permits. This plan will cause major traffic issue on an already busy and dangerous intersection due to a hill to the east causing a blind spot for motorist travelling west. Additionally, the road is very narrow without an acceleration or deceleration lanes. These lanes could only be possible if the homeowners and businesses next to the church are willing to sale their property. The other proposed plan is to have off duty police officer’s directing traffic when the church lets out. This again will cause traffic delays and congestion to the residents of Crofton and Gambrills.

Just don't think about the 300+ spots. What about the staff that need to have parking. What about the additional traffic in between services. This jumps from 300 to 600 cars coming and going each morning when open. We are looking at around 1000+ people in and out of the church when open. What about the overflow into the triangle. Cars parked up and down Tarrytown or other side streets. Pedestrians causing delays crossing Route 450. This is not only unsafe but poses a problem to the neighbors within the triangle.

Once built there is no stopping the expansion. It is only a matter of time for the church to gain the permits needed to accommodate their ultimate plan. Lets not look at tomorrow but what about 5, 10, 15 years from now. What will happen to Route 450 and Cox Road when they cannot handle the congestion any longer. The government will eventually step in to take control and seek eminent domain. Once in place Route 450 will be widened to accommodate the traffic. Therefore, homeowners will lose property. Businesses like Fatboys, TLC irrigation, Crofton Children Centre, and other businesses along Route 450 from Route 3 to Route 424 will lose property or be forced to close down due to road expansion.

The 18.4 acre parcel that the church purchased for $1.15 million does not accommodate city water and sewage. Therefore, the church has proposed drilling a well and using septic tanks. This plan will ultimately fail and create possible environmental issues. What about the rain water run off. How will the businesses and homeowners around the area going to keep up with their property being flooded. What will happen to Bell Branch Athletic Fields when they are taking on additional water. Now children sports are going to be affected.

Lastly, the chapel will cause major emergency delays to the residents of Cox Road. Additionally, during heavy traffic caused by the church, it will cause major delays for emergency vehicles trying to get to Route 3 and residents in Greater Crofton.

I know people ask why did we not petition against MACC church going up but are petitioning against Winner's Chapel International. This is easy to answer. MACC is built off of Route 424 using its own ingress and egress. They do not block a community from coming and going. If Route 424 needs to expand then they take farm land not businesses and homes. Winner's Chapel is off of Cox Road. This road services a neighborhood and only has one ingress and egress which is on Route 450. The chapel is planned to be built at the corner of this intersection making life difficult for the homeowners of Cox Road. It is not just traffic issues but emergency and environmental issues at hand. Once they expand they will destroy homes and businesses.

This plan was not fully thought through when the property was purchased. It is the greed of the church and the greed of Neil Parrott and his company Traffic Solutions, Inc. Our community both homeowners and business owners will suffer to the greed of these two. We will be destroyed as a community. Help our community by spreading the word and having your family and friends sign this petition. SAVE CROFTON and GAMBRILLS NOW!!!

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