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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.

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.

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