New Hearing Date for Private School in Brick Church Not Yet Set, Residents Hire Attorney

Fellowship Chapel, the site of a proposed school, at 170 Duchess Lane, Brick, N.J. (Photo: Shorebeat)

After a hearing on the application of the Fellowship Church of Brick, intending to lease property to be used by a group known as the Liberty School Association, was adjourned Wednesday night, officials could not immediately decide on a new date for the proceedings.

The controversial application was set to be heard by the township’s zoning board this week, however the hearing could not move forward because of defects in the public notices sent to neighboring residents and published in legacy print newspapers, as required by law. Property owners within 200-feet of the church property must be formally notified, and the notice must also be published in print, however it was not immediately known what the specific defect of the notice was.

The church is seeking permission for its premises to be used as a private school. While the Liberty School Association has already been entangled in legal squabbles over its previous locations, many neighbors have expressed less concern over the group itself and more over the underlying repercussions of allowing the school to operate on a property surrounded by residential homes. An approval by the board would be permanent, and could theoretically lead to a future application to expand the school use, even if the property were to be sold.

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Fellowship Chapel, the site of a proposed school, at 170 Duchess Lane, Brick, N.J. (Photo: Shorebeat)

A group of residents have retained noted land use attorney Edward Liston, who frequently represents objectors to development applications, to put forth a case against approval. Because of the complexities of the parties involved, the new hearing would need to be scheduled on a date when attorneys for both sides – as well as the board’s own attorney – are available, as well as witnesses such as engineers, architects and traffic specialists. The hearing must also be held on a night when the hall at Civic Plaza is open since it can accommodate what is expected to be a large turnout of residents.

The board has two potential meeting dates in June – the 10th or 24th – but the board’s calendar is otherwise full until August. Pam O’Neill, the board secretary, said she expected to have more information on a new date next week.