Committee recommends sewer approval for Spencerville church rebuilding after 2024 fire

The Transportation and Environment Committee recommended approval on July 13 of a water-and-sewer category change request for three parcels (totaling about 8.9 acres) on New Hampshire Avenue in Spencerville to serve a rebuilt Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Mr. Levchenko said the prior church suffered a significant fire in 2024 and the rebuilt place of worship would be served by an abutting gravity sewer main along New Hampshire Avenue. Because the site abuts a gravity main and the master plan supports the use, staff and the executive recommended approval rather than applying the separate private institutional facility policy. "This one's an easy one because it conforms to the master plan, so I'll support it," the chair said.

Committee members signaled support and staff will include a recommendation for approval in the July 28 resolution to the council. The transcript shows no contested objections on the record for this item.