SP church may have to vacate
Published 10:04am Wednesday, November 2, 2011SOUTH POINT — A South Point church located inside a former elementary school may be displaced in the latest development stemming from a dispute over the building’s future.
Joe Freeman, owner of the former South Point Elementary building located on Washington Street, said he was notified Tuesday by the Lawrence County Building Department that the Cross Community Church has 30 days to vacate the building. According to the notice of violation, the building lacks the required fire suppression system it needs to be used for assembly purposes.
Freeman said he plans to appeal the order to vacate.
The church, which has approximately 350 members, has been meeting in the building for about two years. It was already in the building when Freeman purchased it from the South Point Board of Education in July.
Freeman blames the church’s pending eviction on complaints from adjacent property owners as well as “harassment by certain South Point Council members,” who are opposed to his plans to use the building for commercial purposes. Freeman claims neighbors and council members have “harassed him by calling the EPA, state fire marshal, building permit officials and OSHA” with “frivolous complaints,” that he says has now led to the church’s pending ouster.
“For all intents and purposes the community complaints have forced out a community church,” he said.
Many of the residents who have been outspoken about Freeman’s plans to convert the building into a business facility — a move that is limited by the zoning ordinance in the residential subdivision as well as through deed restrictions — say they have no problem with the church and do not want to see it leave.
These comments were made at the village council’s regular Tuesday night meeting.
“That is not our fault,” said Duane Dornon, a property owner who has lived right across from the school since 1999. “We love that church being there.”
Although many of the residents have been adamantly against any business usage for the facility, they all were united in favor of the church.
“We have no problems with the church being there. In fact that would probably be the answer to our prayers if the church just did the whole building,” said resident Brenda McKee, who added that her daughter attends services at Cross Community Church.
McKee said Tuesday night she planned to call the county building department to request the church not be forced to leave.
Village leaders, including Mayor Ron West and Village Administrator Pat Leighty, said they would do the same.
Freeman said he does not understand the reasoning behind the county’s order.
“The State Fire Marshall just certified our fire prevention and protection systems on Wed. 19 Oct. 2011, and found everything meets code for that size structure,” said Freeman, who produced a document dated that day showing that he had corrected seven previous violations.
“The fire prevention systems were existing in the building for many years and haven’t been changed. If the fire prevention systems were good enough for 300 school children and officials then why isn’t it good enough for 300 church members?” Freeman said, adding the church only uses the building one day a week for two hours.
A representative with the Lawrence County Building Department could not be immediately reached Tuesday evening.
According to Freeman, the building had a certificate of occupancy for educational use only, which had been secured by the board of education prior to his purchase of the facility. However, Freeman said, he has been told by county building department officials that a certificate of occupancy for assembly was required instead.
Freeman said when the issue was brought to his attention last week he filed a request to change the occupancy certificate but was denied.
Under the notice of violation, Freeman has 30 days to remove the church from the building and “provide sealed drawings” to the building department, presumably for installation of a sprinkler system.
Freeman said he is not certain that is what the sealed drawings are for, or whether he will be required to install a sprinkler system throughout his entire building. Freeman said he’s been given an estimate that it will cost more than $150,000 to install a sprinkler system throughout the entire structure.
As of Tuesday, Freeman had a county permit allowing him to use the building for one residential unit. His other hopes for his building — including moving his home nursing health offices there and constructing condominiums — are on hold for due to the opposition.
Freeman has been criticized by some of the residents in opposition for changing his development plans, but the businessman says he is only trying to be flexible and find a permitted use for the building that will be an asset to the neighborhood.
Residents say their opposition to Freeman’s plans is not a personal attack or vendetta against him. They say they simply do not want the building used for any type of business because it breaks up the appeal that attracted many of them to the residential area in the first place.
“We want to retain the integrity of our neighborhood and the quality of life we have there,” explained McKee.
McKee, Dornon and at least two other property owners have said they would like to see the building torn down and the land sold for additional single-family homes.
The dispute has sparked public debate in the village over what types of property usages should be allowed in residential areas.
Council members met Monday in a special meeting work session to discuss overhauling current zoning ordinance. The meeting was attended by a handful of vocal residents who want to see severe limitations in residential areas. At Tuesday nights’ regular council meeting, more than two dozen residents were present and many expressed an opposing viewpoint. They implored leaders to avoid taking action that could hurt future economic growth and to exercise caution in crafting a new ordinance.
West said he plans to call another special meeting to discuss proposed changes to the ordinance ahead of December’s regular council meeting.
Freeman said he is taking a “wait and see” approach to developing the building. Although Freeman says he has been advised by his legal counsel that he would not be affected by any future change in the village’s zoning ordinance, Freeman wants to see what the council decides.
“We’re going to start there,” he said, adding he is hopeful a compromise can be reached.
To all of the nefarious adjacant property owners, who over the course of the last 6 moths and longer have conspired with lies and gossip concerning the former South Point Elementary school building:
What’s the problem?
The negative voices of mendacious unfactual spinners have now been called into the light. Brenda McKee has used some decent people to help her try to thrwart Dr. Douglas Freeman’s plans for the former school building. In a time such as this, with the economy on life support, a few has followed the Lied Piper to trying to run jobs out of the Village. I know she is well educated, so I will not call her stupid, to do so would be an insult to stupid people.
Once again, I ask, “What’s the problem?”
The real problem is a that a certain few has gradually fallen in love with no activity at all in the said former school building. In, McKee’s case it may be deeper than silence. Her complaints have no warrant and if this was not an election year then some of city council would not have given her the time nor day. Because of the un-warranted gripes the squeaky wheel is getting some grease. I tend to think that diarrhea of the mouth is nothing more than constipation of the ideas.
Once again….what is the problem?
Was there ever a complaint about the school? After all it must have been a busy area 10 hours a day. Brenda, may I call you by your first name? Give it a break. I know why you are jealous, upset and holding on to a grudge that wasn’t Dr. Douglas Freeman’s fault. Please do the Village a favor and move on to a worthy cause to rally your troops.
There have been many questions concenring the purchase of the building, intent of use, and etc. What it boils down to is what does the current ordinance state he is allowed to do with it and if the citizens of the Village are willing to vote or sign to change the current ordinance. I have personally read the ordinance and it allows Dr. Douglas Freeman to put what ever he wants in that building except for his medical offices. So, what is the problem? Go get a copy of the ordinance and read it for yourselves….Since he can operate many other businesses now out of the building wouldnt it make since for him to be able to move his medical offices there?
To retired contractor,I am sure Dr. Douglas Freeman was fully aware of everything you have mentioned in your report. He has been in business and has been very successful for over 2 decades now…he knows what he is doing.
This a Pygalgia and needs to be over with. There are more important issuses in the community of South Point to cover. But it is rare to see someone wanting to create jobs and good christian folk are against it.
In an election year, does the city council want the voters to know that you are against job growth in the Village?
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Mr. Freeman: When buying residential property, you would not think of buying it unless you had it surveyed and estimating what it would cost you to repair or to remodel to your preference. Buying commercial property, most would know to have any structure checked for any contaminates, or check with the state for any structural or upgrades of any kind to meet code for the state of Ohio. If you purchased this property without having it checked for lead or asbestos was your first mistake. Your second mistake was that if you bought the property wanting to make change of the type of business or structural changes, you should have sought advise through engineering to what had to be done to meet code for the state of Ohio and its cost. Things like handicap facilitated, square footage for sprinkling system, or the number of people who occupy the structure….these are just a few things in buying a commercial building that should be checked. If not, some of the problems that you have acquired goes back to just like buying a piece of property without having it surveyed and you find out instead of buying a 100x 160 lot, you bought a 100x 100 lot. Is there any recourse on this–no….who’s fault is it—the buyers…why? because you didn’t get it surveyed or checked with an engineer. Codes in Ohio change sometimes frequently. A building housing a business can stay in a building with the code being the same as it was as the day of first constructed, but if the business changes or is sold or closes–to reopen a business again, you could be required to make changes to meet code—just as in your case. This is the law in order to protect the people who become the occupant and the owner. This cannot be over rode by city or county authority…these are state required codes that apply to all commercial structures and businesses.
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To Cali: Perhaps the reason that Mr. Freeman got such a “great deal” on the property is that others who were looking for a commercial property didn’t choose to bid on a property in an area zoned strictly residential! You also stated we are getting “wrong information” from someone. What information is it that we are being misinformed about? Our complaint is that he wants to put a business in our residential neighborhood. Are we mistaken?
To CPRluv: Have you been through our neighborhood? I don’t think that our homes qualify as “fancy”. We are working class families and we do not want our property values decreased by allowing businesses into our quiet residential area. Perhaps you don’t work to make a mortgage payment, but I do. As you have said, “the economy here is so low” that I would do well to sell my home for what I paid for it even without a large business next door. I have no intentions of leaving any time soon, but if it became neccesary to sell my home I would like to be able to break even!
Mr. Freeman may very well be a fine man and very generous toward the schools and youth sports leagues. That does not change the fact that he purchased a property that is zoned as “residential” with the intent of having the zoning ordinances changed to profit HIM…not the neighbors. If he is looking for a new place to open a business, start with a commercial property.
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I have no dog in this fight, but I stand by my statement. Families would love to own a house that close to a school. And your arguments are a little weak. Of course we all know children are outside for 7 or 8 hours a day screaming through the neighborhood. And semi trucks run to the school every hour on the hour. And there is year around school in South Point. Oh wait, I guess those points are a little preposterous.
As to the deal I mentioned, it would seem that at a public auction, knowing the value of the property to be 1.4 MILLION dollars, that maybe the financially responsible thing for the South Point School Board to have done was to place a minimum acceptable bid. But I guess a deal is a deal.
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I wonder how many children were run down by speeding trucks during the time that the building was used as a school?
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It’s funny how people keep complaining about the “great deal” Mr. Freeman got on the building. Well, please remember IT WAS A PUBLIC AUTION! Anyone could have bid – even you deist. I do not know any smart business man that would win a high bid at a public auction and the say, “Oh no, that’s too low. Please let me pay more.” Do you?
Every time the opposing neighbors make comments, they always start with . . . I don’t know Mr. Freeman, I’ve never met Mr. Freeman, I’ve never talked w/Mr. Freeman; however, they are getting their wrong information from someone. Neighbors, you have to go by his current office everytime you leave SP. Have you ever thought about trying to talk to him?
Maybe your ring leader is a “mis-leader.”
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To deist if people bought property in that area to as you QUOTE not to have their children run over by speeding trucks apparently you haven’t been in that neighborhood when an upset parent would pick up their child from school and pay no mind to their surroundings. And quiet residential area lol whats quiet about 100 plus children on a playground screaming and yelling as they play. Where theres a school there are delivery trucks in and out all day. And I have never really defined noise as pollution cause for that the case there is already alot of pollution in that neighborhood. Sounds as though you are a little upset over the QUOTE UNQUOTE GOOD DEAL
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This is a classic case of not in my backyard. This also has nothing to do with the church. I believe a variance will be allowed for the church ultimately. This has to do with a developer wanting to put anything into an area that has been since South Point was an infant, a quiet residential area. That is why people invested THEIR hard earned money to buy a home in that area. They wanted to raise their children where the fear of speeding trucks would not run down their children. They did not want the noise pollution of living near a business or apartment buildings. They chose this area because of the ammenities of a small town neighborhood. Mr. Freeman, I am sure, is a fine man. That is entirely not the point. This is about him getting a rather unusually “good deal” on a piece of property. If he wanted to develop something , why did he not buy property in ” The Point”? He knew what he could and could not use this land for when he got his “good deal”, so let him live with that. Keep up the good work Ms. McKee et al.
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I have been watching this unfold for several weeks regarding the South Point Elementary School that the company that Mr Joe Freeman is the CEO bought. I feel the people in the area of the school want it to be like a gated community. Well, if that is the case move to one. Mr Freeman’s companies employee over 300 employees, who work in Lawrence County area, mainly South Point, Ironton, and Chesapeake. I am sure as someone else mentioned earlier any of these areas would be glad to let him move his businesses there. However, Mr Freeman seems to to want to be located is South Point and help South Point grow. Unfortunately, it sounds like council is letting a few stiffle the growth of South Point. Let’s not even start about the church. I understand that church has 350 members or so and has been there for 2 yrs. I have a question to the few that are opposed to Mr Freeman occupying the building, why are you afraid of bettering your community, sorry it doesn’t make sense to me. Good luck Mr Freeman with these endeavors.
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This is a shame both Mr. Feeman and Cross Community Church have done so much for the south point community. I pray this can be resolved soon. This church is changing the lives of so many. It would be a great loss to south point if c3 would have to relocate to another community.
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As a SP teacher, I know what Joe Freeman has done for the schools over the years. He has purchased shirts for clubs on at least three different occasions. This has been amounts of at least $200 or more. He has supported school w/purchase of ads, he has purchased over one thousand cans of food for food drive, he has also supported Little League Softball, Baseball and T-ball and probably even more that I don’t know about. He has not asked for anything in return.
As an attender of C3, I am very hopeful that this matter gets resolved before anything more threatens the church. The church too has done a lot for the people of South Point and the neighborhood.
It’s too bad that because some people have had closed minds, are opposed to change, and have nothing better to do with their time, that they are now threatening the future of both Mr. Freeman and C3 Church.
Come on community. Let’s get behind him and show our support. Show up at the next special meeting and let our council members know we are in support of new business and are appreciative of people who are giving back to our community. This is support we should have been giving all along!
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I as many have known Joe Freeman for many year’s. You would think that since he is going in DEBT to make jobs for not only my children but some of your children as well that the community of South Point would pull together and applaud this man for offering jobs in Ohio instead of allowing our families to be torn apart because the economy is so low here. I would say to those who oppose this building of jobs for the community, your not going to take your precious fancy houses with you when you leave, if you sale before leaving this world what you don’t lose in taxes and health care won’t make it thru to the pearly gates. Stand behind Joe and give him the chance to show you what with the help HE’S ALWAYS depended on from God can do for this community. Isn’t it time that WE THE PEOPLE STAND UNITED TOGETHER FOR THE BETTER OF NOT ONLY A COMMUNITY BUT OUR CHILDREN AND THEIR CHILDREN AS WELL. I earnestly pray for the other businessmen in this community that God will protect them from people who don’t want growth.
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To SunnyValleyGirl, and bigkhuna, you both are exactly correct.
Only in Lawrence County…
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Joe Freeman must have the patience of Jobe….I live four blocks away and don’t have a horse in this race but I do feel great empathy for him
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Its a shame that a few can ruin it for the whole community..I know Joe Freeman, have for years…a very honest,outstanding guy who wants to help South Point and this is what he gets..I would be ashamed of such behavior from those opposed, should be doing any and all things to keep him and his business there..sure he has had offers from other communities to build..wake up South Point!
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“According to Freeman, the building had a certificate of occupancy for educational use only, which had been secured by the board of education prior to his purchase of the facility. However, Freeman said, he has been told by county building department officials that a certificate of occupancy for assembly was required instead.”
My goodness – isn’t “educational use” by definition “assembly”? IT WAS A SCHOOL – built and used for mandatory public assembly of children – but it’s not good for private group assembly for worship? Give me a break!!
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It seems someone has connections in high places to pull off this Witch Hunt.
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