The Borough Zoning Commission (BZC) has received two development proposals from St Rose of Lima Church. One application proposes an expansion of the church building's main entrance area, and the other proposal specifies the construction of a permanent facility for FAITH Food Pantry at the church's nine-acre campus at 46 Church Hill Road.

BZC members have scheduled separate public hearings on the two applications for their March 8 meeting. BZC members received the applications at their February 8 session and briefly reviewed them.

An expansion of the church's main entrance area will require a site development plan approval, a special permit, and a Village District (VD) zoning certificate. The 46 Church Hill Road site is in a R-1 (Residential) zone. It also is within the BZC's VD overlay zone. Construction work that would be visible from the street there is subject to the provisions of VD overlay zoning, which regulates aesthetics.

Plans on file for the church entrance project indicate that church would build a 1,675 square-foot expansion on its northernmost side. The project is intended to improve the functionality of the structure, including the placement of additional restrooms within the expansion. The current gross area of the church building is 10,710 square feet.

Under the proposal, certain physical changes would be made to the church grounds near the church's main entrance.

The proposed construction of a building for FAITH Food Pantry would require a site development plan approval and a special permit. The proposed 2,100-square-foot structure would be constructed near the Knights of Columbus building on the site. Because the structure would not be visible from the street, it is not subject to the VD zoning regulations.

FAITH Food Pantry is a charitable organization that provides food for the needy. It formerly was located in the basement of St John's Episcopal Church on Washington Avenue in Sandy Hook Center. After that Episcopal church closed, the food pantry moved to industrial space at 31 Pecks Lane, where it is now temporarily located.

The proposed single-story food pantry building would include food storage space and areas for pantry client services.

The Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z), which serves as the borough's planning agency, was scheduled to review the two construction proposals on the night of Thursday, February 16. In such referrals, the P&Z makes recommendations to the BZC on proposed development.