UNIVERSITY PARK - After 80 years, a University Park church has growing pains.
To get people in the pews, they want a new parking lot. Neighbors in the well-established community are fighting the change, and their resistance is visible.
"Preserve Our Neighborhood" signs dot the front yards of some homes in University Park. Along the city's main artery and on nearby streets, neighbors are taking a stand.
"We are talking about concrete," said Pete Lempert, who is against the lot. "We are talking about replacing homes and trees with concrete."
Lempert and around 300 of his neighbors are launching a fight against the Highland Park Presbyterian Church, which has been a landmark in the area for 80 years.
Leaders want to build a 1.5 million dollar parking plaza with 145 spaces for church members. The plans call for mowing down three homes owned by the church. Two of those are on McFarlin Boulevard and the other one on University. But, the church needs the city's approval to rezone the property.
"The church is asking us to convert residential property into commercial property and I think anyone would be concerned with that in their neighborhood," Lempert said.
Opponents worry that any zoning change will impact property values and the character of the neighborhood. But, a church spokesman said their vision blends in and includes landscaping, a concrete barrier and special details. They are modifications the spokesperson said were made to address the community's concerns.
"Our next step will be to file the plans with the city and work through the rezoning process with them," the spokesperson said. "The city council has the last word and we will be waiting to hear from them."
Lempert admits the church has been trying to work with them, but they are not giving up.
"It may be a nice parking lot, but it's still a parking lot," he said. "I don't think anyone wants a parking lot, no matter how pretty, next to their home."
E-mail: mdiaz@wfaa.com
