Hampton Residents Urge 'No Mega Church'

Residents along the Providence Road corridor are taking a stand against potential new neighbors.

The Hampton Gardens Community Association has undertaken a new intitiative to "Preserve Providence" from what could possibly be a "mega church" moving into their backyards.

, at 1301 Cheverly Rd. in Towson, . When community members caught wind that among the suitors for the 12-acre tract of land was a 2,000-member church, neighbors decided to act.

A Facebook group and website for "Preserve Providence" quickly formed and residents started passing out 150 freshly printed yard signs on Monday in front of Nancy Thrush's home on Valewood Road.

"We're just trying to get the word out ... about everyone that would be affected, potentially, by the increase in traffic," she said.

One interested buyer for the $6.9 million church property is First Mt. Olive Freewill Baptist Church. The church has met at the Baltimore Hebrew Congregation since lightning destroyed the original First Mt. Olive church in West Baltimore in 2007. The church reportedly has 2,000 to 4,000 members. Belvedere Christian was built for 250, and now has roughly 20 members left.

First Mt. Olive did not return calls seeking comment.

Residents fear that a large congregation would put a great strain on the surrounding 150-home community. Many roads in Hampton have no sidewalks, shoulders or speed bumps. 

"It would increase the danger of our pedestrians and our children who ride bikes," said Andrea Koller, a Valewood Road resident. "It's not just our neighborhood, but along Providence Road, where there's no shoulder. The roads are narrow to begin with."

Residents were holding a private meeting with Mt. Olive officials at Belvedere Christian Church on Monday night.

"Our message is, we will be ready to object should any church that size want to come in and build something that large. A mega church isn't right for a neighborhood this size," said Rick Binetti, a Hampton Gardens community member.

Neighbors also have a philosophical problem with the church. Koller said she doesn't know any residents who attend First Mt. Olive, and that she was surprised to see such a large church want to move in.

"We've gotten to know the church inside and out with Cub Scouts there, so it's really been a part of our lives," she said. "This is something nobody in our neighborhood ever dreamed would come along."