Columbine Baptist Church forced to rezone land to construct elevator

Members of Columbine Baptist Church take notes during Bible study on March 19 in the Littleton area. George Abbas took over as pastor of the 38-year-old church six months ago, and led it through a rezoning process in order to get an elevator installed on the property. (Anya Semenoff, YourHub)

JEFFERSON COUNTY A strange thing happened when leaders from Columbine Baptist Church tried to get a permit to put in a new elevator: They were were told no because their land was not zoned properly.

Odd as that might sound for an organization that's been active for the past 38 years in a 73-year-old structure at 5660 W. Coal Mine Ave., the small church had to have its land rezoned March 18. Jefferson County also vacated a 10-foot piece of land to allow the church to keep its sign.

The rezoning not only allows the church to build its elevator and complete a minor add-on to the building's entrance, it also protects the building in case something ever happens to the church.

Pastor George Abbas Jr. holds up a Bible during prayer and Bible study on March 19. (Anya Semenoff, YourHub)

"If something devastating happened to the church, we couldn't rebuild it and likely the insurance company wouldn't stand up," Pastor George Abbas said.

The elevator is necessary for the church, Abbas said, because many of its 60 or so members are getting on in years. The suggestion was made and approved prior to Abbas' arrival as pastor in September.

The average age of church members is about 68, but Abbas said they are working to get some younger members.

"We are a small group," Abbas said. "We're working on that and trying to grow."

The seed for the zoning issue was planted about 20 years ago when Jefferson County changed what was allowed in certain zoning designations. According to Jeffco transportation and development director Jeanie Rossillion, the residential designation the church had had allowed for structures such as churches, but that was changed in the early 1990s.

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Columbine Baptist Church forced to rezone land to construct elevator