Battle over Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church in Mandeville heads back to court
Rendering of proposed new Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church. The First Circuit Court of Appeal has been asked to intervene in the contentious battle over construction of the church in Old Mandeville. (Photo by Architect's rendering)
By on January 02, 2013
The First Circuit Court of Appeal has been asked to intervene in the contentious battle over construction of a Catholic Church in Old Mandeville. Attorneys for Our Lady of the Lake have appealed a ruling by 22nd Judicial District Court Judge Will Crain that essentially upheld the Mandeville Zoning Commission's decision to disallow construction of a new place of worship across Lafitte Street from the existing church. The next step in the legal process is for the appellate court to set deadlines for briefs to be filed.
"The Archdiocese is currently pursuing the avenues available to us in order to get clarification on the ruling," Archbishop Gregory Aymond said in a statement released by the Archdiocese of New Orleans Wednesday. "We are eager to discuss future options that will give attention to the growth of Our Lady of the Lake parish."
Meanwhile, the church last month submitted new construction plans to Mandeville government for a church with fewer seats than what was originally outlined in the proposal that is being appealed before the First Circuit. The latest plan, which keeps the same architectural style and amount of square footage as the original proposal, was not accepted by the city's planning department because of the pending appeal, Planning Director Louisette Kidd said.
Plans for the new church became a divisive issue immediately after being announced in the spring of 2010. Opponents fear the new $13 million, 16,715-square-foot Gothic Revival church would create drainage, traffic and parking problems in the lakefront community and would not fit in with surrounding buildings. Supporters said the existing 465-seat church can't accommodate the congregation, which church officials say has nearly 3,000 families and is the largest in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. For some Masses, OLL uses a multipurpose building that houses a gymnasium. The church has been a part of the Mandeville community for 160 years.
In October 2011, the Zoning Board denied the church's request for a special permit to build its new place of worship. On Nov. 4, 2011, OLL appealed the board's decision, and in April of this year argued before Crain that the church project was in step with all city zoning ordinances and that the board did not have the discretion to deny the permit. Crain, who was subsequently elected to the state's First Circuit Court of Appeal in Baton Rouge, took the matter under advisement before ruling in favor of the city's zoning board in October of last year.
In December, the church resubmitted construction plans to the city that kept the same basic design for the sanctuary, but reduced seating for 850-900. Original plans called for the new church to seat 1,028 people. Kidd said that under the advice of legal counsel the plan will not move forward through the city's planning process because of the pending appeal.
"The Archdiocese is currently pursuing the avenues available to us in order to get clarification on the ruling," Archbishop Gregory Aymond said in a statement released by the Archdiocese of New Orleans Wednesday. "We are eager to discuss future options that will give attention to the growth of Our Lady of the Lake parish."
Meanwhile, the church last month submitted new construction plans to Mandeville government for a church with fewer seats than what was originally outlined in the proposal that is being appealed before the First Circuit. The latest plan, which keeps the same architectural style and amount of square footage as the original proposal, was not accepted by the city's planning department because of the pending appeal, Planning Director Louisette Kidd said.
Plans for the new church became a divisive issue immediately after being announced in the spring of 2010. Opponents fear the new $13 million, 16,715-square-foot Gothic Revival church would create drainage, traffic and parking problems in the lakefront community and would not fit in with surrounding buildings. Supporters said the existing 465-seat church can't accommodate the congregation, which church officials say has nearly 3,000 families and is the largest in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. For some Masses, OLL uses a multipurpose building that houses a gymnasium. The church has been a part of the Mandeville community for 160 years.
In October 2011, the Zoning Board denied the church's request for a special permit to build its new place of worship. On Nov. 4, 2011, OLL appealed the board's decision, and in April of this year argued before Crain that the church project was in step with all city zoning ordinances and that the board did not have the discretion to deny the permit. Crain, who was subsequently elected to the state's First Circuit Court of Appeal in Baton Rouge, took the matter under advisement before ruling in favor of the city's zoning board in October of last year.
In December, the church resubmitted construction plans to the city that kept the same basic design for the sanctuary, but reduced seating for 850-900. Original plans called for the new church to seat 1,028 people. Kidd said that under the advice of legal counsel the plan will not move forward through the city's planning process because of the pending appeal.
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