Cherry Hill, Evesham/Marlton, Medford, Medford Lakes, Moorestown, Mount Laurel, Voorhees and elsewhere near the iconic state highways of Routes 70 and 73.
A Google Earth view of the Marlton Assembly of God, bounded at the bottom of the photo by East Main Street, Marlton, and the left side by North Elmwood Avenue. The facility is diagonally across the intersection from the Indian Spring Country Club.
A Google Earth view of the Marlton Assembly of God, bounded at the bottom of the photo by East Main Street, Marlton, and the left side by North Elmwood Avenue. The facility is diagonally across the intersection from the Indian Spring Country Club.
A proposed 7,810-square-foot, one-story addition to the Marlton Assembly of God church — increasing seating by more than a third — was approved Monday night by the Evesham Zoning Board of Adjustment.
The religion center at East Main Street and North Elmwood Road applied to the board with preliminary and final major site plans and a request for variances, including allowing only 354 parking spaces — less than the 592 required. The original application asked for a 9,000-square-foot addition, but it had been revised.
Much of the board's discussion was about parking and whether enough parking spots would be provided because the church would expand to 875 seats from the existing 650. Representatives of the Marlton Assembly of God testified that the parking would be sufficient because the lot is shared by the church, its private school and its fieldhouse and their times of use usually do not overlap.
Board members and staff expressed concern about major religious holidays, such as Easter and Christmas. If parking were to become a problem, it would be a matter of enforcement for either the police department or the township zoning officer, the board solicitor, Matthew Wieliczko, said.Â
No members of the public spoke. The board voted 7-0 in favor of the plan, after member Sandy Student made the motion and member Curtis Fox seconded.
The front of the Marlton Assembly of God, where the addition would go.
The church also has agreed to make improvements to the intersection of East Main and North Elmwood and also to North Elmwood near an entrance to the parking lot on the property.
Expanding the church sanctuary would generate an additional 194 auto trips during Sunday services, according to a transportation assessment for the applicant by Traffic Planning and Design Inc. of Camden.Â
The red arrow points out the 7,810-square-foot addition (in gold). The addition would be built onto what is the front of the worship center.
Marlton Assembly of God application to the Evesham Zoning Board of Adjustment
