JRNY Church is seeking Limerick Township approval to build a 10,288-square-foot addition to its Neiffer Road property, relocating classrooms and bathrooms from the basement to the main floor to improve accessibility.
At a conditional use hearing on Tuesday, October 20, the Limerick Township Board of Supervisors heard testimony from JRNY Church of PA Inc. and its consultants on the proposal for the roughly 5.5-acre property at the southeastern corner of Neiffer Road and Highland Road.
Township Solicitor Rebecca Geiser explained that the sanctuary would remain at its existing 212 seats, while parking would increase from 66 to 105 spaces. The application requests conditional use approval under the township's zoning ordinance to permit a place of worship.
Geiser emphasized that the hearing concerned conditional use approval rather than the project's separate land development review. Plans for the building addition and associated site improvements have already been submitted to the township and revised in response to feedback from its consultants and planning commission.
Church Plans and Services
Pastor Steve Defrain testified that the JRNY Church acquired the property in 2007 and began holding services in September 2008 before closing during the COVID-19 pandemic. The congregation subsequently expanded at its Phoenixville location, which currently holds four services each Sunday.
Defrain said the Neiffer Road site would initially hold two Sunday services, with the possibility of increasing to four over time. The church would continue operating its Phoenixville location while shifting some members to Limerick.
The sermon would be broadcast from Phoenixville, but the Limerick location would have its own live music and children's classes. Parents would check children into age-appropriate rooms, with programs serving children through eighth grade.
Defrain said the church primarily plans Sunday services, with staff working at the site during the week and additional services possible around Christmas. He said there are no plans for a daycare, a playground, or permanent recreational facilities.
The renovation is intended to improve accessibility, including accommodating people with disabilities. The church's attorney emphasized that the expansion would not increase the sanctuary's seating capacity.
Site and Parking Design
Project engineer Brian Madsen of Schock Group said the addition would be built along the northern side of the existing building, with new parking to the north and an additional driveway connection on the eastern side to improve circulation. At the request of the township fire marshal, the plan also includes a grass-paved emergency access connecting to Highland Road.
Although the township's ordinance requires only 53 parking spaces, the church proposes 105 to accommodate demand that previously resulted in visitors parking on grass during busy services.
Madsen said the proposed septic system, located in the southeastern portion of the property, remains under review by the county health department. A new well would be located on the northern side of the addition.
He said the proposed addition would be one story and was expected to remain well below the township's 35.5-foot height limit, although specific height calculations were not yet available.
To manage traffic, Madsen said a no-left-turn sign would direct arriving drivers past the new parking area to the existing lot on the far side of the building, where the church's main entrance would be located. Vehicles would circulate counterclockwise through that lot before continuing to the new parking area if necessary.
Traffic Study
Traffic engineer Frank Tavani said he conducted traffic counts on a typical Sunday from 7 a.m. to approximately 2 p.m. in July. His analysis considered a scenario involving up to four services to account for possible future growth.
Tavani said the Institute of Transportation Engineers estimates that a 212-seat church would generate approximately 120 peak-hour vehicle trips. For his analysis, he used a more conservative estimate of 106 vehicles arriving and 106 departing during the peak hour.
He testified that the projected traffic conditions and vehicle queues were acceptable, that the crash analysis raised no significant concerns, and that no additional turn lanes would be necessary.
Board President Connie Lawson questioned whether traffic counts conducted in July might underestimate typical conditions because of summer vacations. Tavani acknowledged that possibility but said the study's conservative assumptions accounted for potential differences.
Board Questions and Next Steps
Supervisor Patrick Morroney questioned the proposed one-way circulation, saying his experience in emergency traffic planning suggested a different flow might reduce congestion.
Tavani explained that the design was intended to minimize left turns near Highland Road and avoid traffic backups. He said the church's plan to have staff directing vehicles during services would provide additional assistance, particularly as the location begins operating.
He also noted most churchgoers would become familiar with the property's layout and naturally head toward the main entrance rather than immediately turning into the new parking area.
Lawson said she wanted to reserve the right to ask additional questions, noting that she had not reviewed the traffic study before the meeting.
No residents requested party status or offered public comment on the application.
The board did not vote on the proposal. Geiser said she would prepare a written decision for the supervisors to consider at a later meeting.
