Harvest Life Changers Church Sign Permit Approved

Last night, the County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to approve a special use permit for the new Harvest Life Changers Church location between Neabsco Mills Road and Jefferson Davis Highway.

The church applied for a special use permit to allow for an 80-foot-tall church and a sign modification to the zoning ordinance to allow for a 20-foot-tall sign rather than a ten-foot-tall sign.

Sherman Patrick, planner from Compton & Duling who represented the church yesterday evening, said this new church would be a significant improvement to the Potomac community.

According to Patrick's presentation, the signs for the church are designed to match the building's architectural design and are not a typical large video screens that would be an eyesore from the road.

Charles Scott, a veteran and Woodbridge resident said in his three-minute speech to the board that he sees the new church as a light for the community during a tough time.

"We need a symbol of hope – that's what Harvest is," said Scott.  "The sign is a metaphor and it represents not what we [from the church] need but what our community needs."

The board also unanimously voted for an amendment to remove a stipulation that prohibited lighting the structure from the ground up.

Chairman At-Large Corey Stewart noted the unnecessary aspect of the zoning clause.

"It just doesn't make a lot of sense with the no ground mounted lighting restriction," said Stewart. "I assume we want to 'make it glow'."

Stewart's comment about making the church "glow" was followed by an uproar of applause from the audience.

Woodbridge District Supervisor Frank J. Principi also added his positive attitude towards the church calling it "an exciting time" for the church and community.