Mount Airy Center

From the DACA newsletter:
Residents of Mount Airy Road and the nearby communities
are dismayed by the application for a change in use
of the residence at 869 Mount Airy Road. The property was
purchased in September 2016 by the Wilberforce Foundation
which has already changed the use of the property
without securing the required certification from the
county’s Office of Planning and Zoning.
In 2017 the Wilberforce Foundation changed the
property owner’s name to the Mount Airy Center. The
Center has applied to the County for certification to change
the function of the property from Residential to Institutional
for Religious Purposes. The walk-out basement has been
converted to living quarters for six interns, young college
graduates, who will stay for a seven-month program of
discipleship. The goal is to train people in the principles of
Jesus. They will travel at least half the time to other states
to participate in religious activities and also travel overseas.
The first floor will contain meeting space with a
sanctuary of 35 seats. The upstairs bedrooms have been
converted to offices where staff members work a normal
work day. The owner installed a basketball and tennis court
and expanded the parking lot to accommodate 26 cars.
Their application for a change in use does not mention the
barn on the property although the neighbors report that it
has already been used for large private events since the
purchase of the property.
The neighbors are united in their concern for the nature
of its institutional use in their residential neighborhood.
They have asked for DACA’s help in raising awareness and
supporting the community. DACA sent a letter to County
Executive Steve Schuh and to the Office of Planning and
Zoning and, after the election, to the new County Executive,
Steuart Pittman. The letter is on page 4 of the DACA newsletter.