Pastor Jose Sanchez of Ministerio Internacional Cristo Vive Church is looking to establish a new church at 10 Wesley Street.
Plans for the church have been in the works for several years, but there have been issues with making sure there is enough parking for the congregation.
Tuesday night, the church was before the Zoning Board of Appeals for an initial public hearing on a special permit for parking relief at an adjacent property the church purchased at 19 Clyde St. The church needs some relief at that site for setbacks for several of the 27 outside tandem parking spaces proposed for the property.
In addition, the church will have 21 overflow tandem parking spaces at an inside garage on the Wesley Street property.
The proposal will go before the Planning Board later in March for a site plan review of the project, as well as a recommendation to the ZBA on the special permit. It will then come back to the ZBA in April for an anticipated vote on the special permit.
“The project has changed over the past three years,” said Tom Curran, representing the church. “The project was originally designed for just this parcel (on Wesley Street).”
However, there was an issue with the city determining that the parking on that parcel would not be sufficient for the anticipated building load from the proposed use, so the church bought the adjacent property for additional parking.
Sanchez said he plans on services on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and possibly a smaller music program for young people on Tuesdays.
Curran noted that although the plan is for tandem parking, there will be three parking valets on duty at all times during services. He added that the interior garage will only be used for parking if all the outside spaces are filled.
John DePriest, the city’s land use permitting director, noted that the fire department is requiring the interior parking garage to be sprinklered.
Sanchez said his vision for the church is based on the time he has spent in the United States, as well as the help he received from people during a two-year battle with cancer and his desire to help others. He said there will be a large focus on helping young people and immigrants in the community.
“My vision is to help with the young kids and draw the community together,” he said.
A number of Sanchez’s congregation and neighbors spoke in favor of what the pastor is attempting to accomplish in Chelsea and in support of the application before the ZBA.
District 1 City Councilor Todd Taylor said he does not have any opposition to the project.
“If I had people calling me up and saying we don’t want this in our neighborhood, I would come here and say that just like I came before you on a previous project and spoke against it,” said Taylor. “I think a lot of people didn’t want to see a church go in here because we wouldn’t get a lot of tax revenue … but let me tell you, you all heard these people tonight, you heard how this church has impacted their lives. I got into public service because I wanted to give back to people and make people’s lives better, you heard what it is.”
Taylor said the church would bring value to the community.
“We could use an injection of goodness, of positivity into the community,” he said. “I live in this neighborhood; there is stuff that goes on in this neighborhood that shouldn’t. I think the police do a very good job, but they are always working hard at it; but it’s not just the supply side, it’s the demand side, too that I think these guys could help with.”
District 7 Councilor Manuel Teshe also spoke in favor of the application, noting that he began attending Sanchez’s church in 2014.
“I would ride my bicycle from Chelsea all the way to Everett, his church,” said Teshe. “His impact was so great that now, I am able to serve as a city councilor in Chelsea. Those are years of work that all sprouted out of having conversations with him.
“Let’s not forget that we are talking about the fact of something so simple like parking, parking that has already been met in terms of numbers, the only issues that we are facing now are the little practicalities with it.”
ZBA Chair Janice Tatarka thanked everyone who appeared to speak during Tuesday night’s public hearing, and noted that they would also have the opportunity to speak before the Planning Board on March 26 and again when it comes back to the ZBA on April 9.
“It was moving, it was orderly, more orderly than I have ever seen with a group this large,” she said.