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After almost eight years of waiting because of building plan denials and court cases, Reaching Hearts International, a Seventh-day Adventist Church, is finally cleared to build a church on its West Laurel property.

On Nov. 4, U.S. District Judge Roger W. Titus upheld a $3.7 million April verdict where a jury ruled that the county discriminated against the church in denying its application for water and sewage services. Titus cited several examples of the county's discrimination against RHI. The same day the County Council rejected the church's building application, it approved a housing application at an adjacent property, and 26 other water and sewer applications.

The church sued the county and the County Council in 2005 for religious discrimination when the County Council repeatedly blocked its efforts to build a church in West Laurel.

"We've had a difficulty journey but we've harbored no ill will," Head Pastor Michael Oxentenko said. "We never wanted to do anything but work together for the future. We want goodwill and we want to do what we can to foster goodwill."

Oxentenko said the location was chosen because many of the church's 500 members live in the area.

"It's a beautiful place for this church, and we want a beautiful church," he said. "It will be a real treasure in the community."

In 2002, Reaching Hearts bought 17 acres of land at 6100 Brooklyn Bridge Road, near the Rocky Gorge Reservoir, for $800,000 in order to build a new church because its current Spencerville location was too small. The church planned to build a sanctuary with a 1,500 seating capacity and school in the West Laurel location.

Dennis Cook, West Laurel Civic Association zoning officer, said the WLCA opposed the construction because of its proximity to the reservoir.

"Our basic concern is it's an inappropriate use of the land given the proximity to a major source of drinking water," he said.

He said that although churches can be good neighbors, he sees no difference in having a shopping center built on the land, considering its effects on the water and the different usage of the property.

"Any 400 car parking lot draining oil into our water, I'm sorry but that's not a very good idea," he said. "Anything other than private homes to the zoning is a different use."

The County Council rejected RHI's proposal at a July 2003 meeting because of concerns the facility would negatively affect the water quality and be "out of character with the surrounding large-lot residential development."

Ward B. Coe III, RHI's lawyer, is happy to see the process end.

"It was a great success, and it was unfortunate they had to do that," he said. "The county never offered anything in settlement and never were they willing to work with the church in any way."

Although Coe said the county will probably appeal the decision with the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, he is not worried.

"We should be in pretty good shape," he said. "It causes more delay, that's all."

County Councilman Thomas E. Dernoga (D-Dist. 1) of Laurel is hopeful on the appeal.

"My impression is the judge allowed a lot of hearsay evidence on the motives, that should make for a very strong appeal for the county," Dernoga said.

E-mail Timmy Gelles at tgelles@gazette.net.