Pritts answers questions on church at hearing
William D. Pritts answered questions for about three and half hours about his Church of Universal Love and Music in Acme, but will have to wait at least another month to find out if the county zoning hearing board will grant the special exception he needs to run it. Wednesday’s hearing, which was rescheduled from Dec. 22, was continued to March 17 at 1:30 p.m. after Pritts answered questions from his attorney, an assistant county solicitor, some board members and a handful of people who live near the 147-acre church.
However, he faces more questions and cross-examinations before the board will decide whether to grant him the exception he needs to continue holding the weekend-long concerts that have angered his neighbors.
Pritts testified that he would no longer let bands perform until 4 a.m., promising to “pull the plug” at midnight or 1 a.m.
His outdoor church, which consists of a stage, canopy and trailers for a care taker and performers all surrounded by a sloping hillsides that form a natural amphitheater, is located along Bear Rock Road in Bullskin Township.
He said there is no fence around the site and it can hold 200 to 500 people.
The property, located across the street from his home, is zoned agricultural-rural (A-1) and the exception he has requested is for a semi-public religious in nature use.
He said he applied for the exception in September 2004, but the church has operated as a non-profit organization since October 2002 and now has about 200 members.
Pritts has been holding concerts at the site since at least 2002.
The county office of zoning, planning and community development cited Pritts at least twice for zoning violations relating to the festivals, which he argues “advance religion through music.”
Hearings also scheduled Wednesday on Pritts’s appeal of two citations were continued to June 22 at 10 a.m.
Responding to a question from board chairman Mark Morrison, Pritts’ attorney Thomas A. Bowlen said the citations were upheld in county court and have been appealed all the way to the state Supreme Court.
Morrison said it was best to try to delay the hearings on the citation appeals until the higher court issues a decision.
Bowlen and assistant county solicitor Sheryl R. Heid agreed to waive a requirement in state law that says the zoning hearing board hearings cannot be continued for more than 45 days.
During the hearing into the special exception, some of the questions focused on the “donations” Pritts said festivalgoers are asked to pay as they enter.
He said he operates a cattle feed mill for a living, but the church runs on donations and has lost money for last three years.
Church members pay fees to join, Pritts said.
He said vendors sell food and beverages during festivals. Alcohol is not sold, but attendees may bring their own alcoholic beverages. People are also permitted to camp at the site throughout the weekend events.
Even though no festivals have been scheduled for this year yet, they would start 4 p.m. on Fridays and noon on Saturdays and Sundays. They would end at 2 p.m. on Sundays.
Under cross-examination from Heid, Pritts said he decided to end concerts at midnight or 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays this year to be a good neighbor.
“The reason I didn’t before is because I didn’t have to,” Pritts said. Now, “I want to.”
He said the sound from bands would not exceed 100 decibels and will not be heard far beyond the perimeter of his property.
Among the township residents who spoke during the hearing was township Supervisor John B. Coughenour.
He said Pritts has been hosting concerts for four and half years without a special exception.
“How can he continue to do this? It’s wrong,” Coughenour said. “We (supervisors) constantly get complaints about what goes on there.”
Morrison said he was not able to answer Coughenour’s question.