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Your Church, May/June 2000
BUILDING & TRANSPORTATION
The Three Ls of a Church
Site
Crucial
questions you should ask before buying land for your church
Doug Stephens
Forty
acres of great farmland next to a creek seemed like a great site for the new
church building. Everyone knew the land was in a floodplain, but the realtor
assured the church that there were at least 10 acres of buildable area in the
plot.
By the time a true assessment
of the land was made, however, the committee realized that the 10 acres were
scattered around, leaving only five acres in one marginally workable chunk.
This seriously restricted the church's flexibility in developing a building
plan.
Questions
You Should Ask
This true story
illustrates that even when a church seems to do everything right in purchasing
land on which to build, things can go wrong. Here is what you ought to ask when
shopping for land:
How important is
location for a church?
The three
Ls of real estate—location, location, location—are just as important for a
church as for a business or residence. Your church should be convenient to your
congregation. It should also be visible to the community so people will know
where you are. And it should have access to a major thoroughfare, with adequate
frontage on that thoroughfare.
How much land should
you buy?
You'll need
enough space to accommodate your buildings and parking lot, plus enough for
future needs. You must consider building setback requirements. Factor in space
you'll need for recreational facilities, such as a softball field, gymnasium,
storage barn, and grassy play area. Then subtract those pesky areas of floodplain
and wetland. The bottom line? Smaller churches can make do with about five acres,
but generally look for at least 10 to 20 acres to account for unbuildable areas.
What is a floodplain
and how does it differ from wetlands?
Floodplains
are areas of land near natural drainage areas that are subject to periodic flooding
from heavy rains or rapidly melting snow. A 100-year floodplain means that the
odds of a flood occurring in that area are one every 100 years, or one in 100.
The flood-way portion of a floodplain is the area that a river or stream moves
across to take away water. You can get a special permit to build in a floodplain
as long as the floor of your building is sufficiently above the floodplain level.
But generally you cannot build in the flood way, since that would obstruct the
flow of water.
Wetlands are marshy areas
or other permanently wet areas. The type of vegetation, such as marsh grass
and cattails, that grows in the area as well as wildlife help identify such
areas. Wetlands are protected by law to preserve natural resources for future
generations.
Your local building inspector
has maps that show floodplains and wetlands.
What kinds of zoning
restrictions can affect a church site?
Churches
can be built in just about all zoning districts, although churches generally
prefer building in residential areas. However, there can be special restrictions
for churches beyond the normal restrictions of a zoning district. Some examples:
• You might have to apply
for a special-use permit to build in a residential area.
• The land might have to
be a certain size. Five acres is usually the minimum-size parcel allowed.
• The parcel might have
to be located on a major thoroughfare, with a minimum amount of frontage on
that thoroughfare.
• The building setbacks
might be greater than the standard zoning requirement. The height of a building
can affect the setback; the higher the building, the greater the setback requirement.
• You must allow enough
space for parking. A common ratio is one parking space per three seats in the
worship area. But in most cases, this isn't enough space. Ratios of 1:2.5 or
1:2 are better. Most communities also require that the church parking lot be
properly drained and paved. Storm water detainage ponds are also required.
• You may be required to
provide a landscape screen between your parking lot and adjacent residential
property. This is to protect neighbors from the negative influences of a parking
lot, such as unsightliness, noise, and car headlights shining into homes. Often
the parking lot itself must have trees scattered about to reduce the effect
of a massive parking lot. Other general landscaping is required as well to beautify
the community.
What kinds of underground
obstacles to building could a plot of land contain?
Many problems can lurk
below the surface. Some examples:
• Poor soil. The
soil underneath the surface might be so weak that your building might require
a special foundation. That could significantly in crease construction costs.
• Excessive underground
water. A high water table or underground stream would affect construction,
particularly if you were planning to build a church with a basement.
• Poor fill. The
property might contain unsuitable fill materials, such as topsoil, old tree
stumps, or waste. Fill material must be nonorganic (such as sand) and must be
properly compacted to avoid undesirable settling.
• Undesirable material.
The site may have been a contaminated waste disposal area some time in the past.
What can be done
to prevent such surprises?
You can't
protect yourself from every underground gnome. If you know the exact location
of your new building, however, you should have soil borings done in that area.
These samples will indicate soil conditions and water table depths. However,
it would take a pretty lucky shot to find a buried stump. You might want to
check with long-time neighbors on adjacent property and ask them what they know
about your site. That could unearth many sins.
What about utilities
to serve the site?
It's most
desirable to have public utilities, such as water and sewer, electricity, and
gas, serving your site. Public utilities are more reliable and easier to maintain
than other systems. To make sure these utilities are adequate and accessible
to your site, check with your local building inspector.
Natural gas for heating
is much preferred over other forms of heat, such as propane or fuel oil, because
it is more reliable and economical. The larger church should also look for three-phase
electrical power, as it is more economical in running large air-conditioning
units.
If your site does not have
public and sanitary utilities, then you have more homework to do. First, check
the water wells in the neighborhood to see how they are functioning and if they
are producing usable water. Check with a local well driller for his knowledge
of the area. And make your sale contingent on a positive perk test for a properly
functioning septic system.
Finally, you must be able
to properly drain storm water away from your building and off the parking lot.
So, look for natural drainage features near the site or under ground storm drains
to which you can connect.
What kinds of legal
considerations should we be aware of?
You'd be
wise to hire an attorney who is experienced in real estate. This person will
make sure that your purchase agreement is properly prepared and binding. An
attorney will also arrange for a title search, which will assure you that there
are no liens against the property or hidden owners who could someday lay claim
to your property. He or she will search for any easements on your property,
too, such as underground utilities and access easements to adjacent properties,
which could affect your use of the property.
Generally speaking, churches
do not have to pay property taxes. However, some communities will tax property
that they deem to be in excess of what the church needs to function as a church.
For example, if you have 40 acres, but your church only requires 10 acres to
function, you may have to pay taxes on the excess 30 acres.
How to
Shop for Land
Here are some
other warnings about selecting a site on which to build:
• Be wary of offers
of free or bargain-priced property. There are usually good reasons why such
property is offered. Maybe the land isn't suitable for building. Maybe it will
require a great deal of expense to prepare it for building. Maybe the parcel
isn't marketable for other reasons.
• Don't be afraid to
include contingencies in your purchase agreement. You might make the sale
contingent on a positive perk test, clear ownership, or other concerns you have
about the property that can't be determined at the time of completing the purchase
agreement.
• Do extra research
on property near streams and bodies of water. You might face legal challenges
due to floodplains and wetland requirements. Also, you certainly don't want
to subject your new building to the dangers of flooding.
• Get professional advice
on the property. Have your architect, surveyor, or civil engineer visit
the site, check a few public records (plat maps, floodplain maps, soil maps),
and give professional judgment on the parcel.
• Talk to your local
building inspector. This person knows the area and understands many of the
restrictions.
• Anticipate surprises.
Include a contingency fund in your overall budget to help pay for unexpected
expenses. Allow 3-5 percent of your construction budget for new construction,
and as much as 10 percent for remodeling projects.
Start
Shopping
You should be
ready now to look for that perfect parcel of land for your new church complex.
One more piece of advice: You won't find a perfect site. Every piece of property
includes one or more negative features.
But take heart. With the
help of the right professionals, such negatives can be come blessings that will
result in a very creative and distinguished building project.
Douglas L. Stephens
is an architect with Hull Stephens and Associates Architects in Swartz Creek,
Michigan.
Copyright © 2000 by the
author or Christianity Today International/Your Church Magazine. Click here for reprint information on Your Church.
May/June 2000, Vol. 46, No. 3, Page 33
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