SOUTH ABINGTON TWP. — Officials rejected plans to convert a recently closed church into a health facility following opposition from residents.
The township’s zoning hearing board Wednesday night denied the Wright Center for Community Health’s request for a variance zoning permit to operate a medical and dental office in the former Chinchilla United Methodist Church on Church Road. The variance would have allowed the health center to operate the facility as a business in a residential zone.
The proposed office would provide outpatient medical, dental and psychiatric primary and whole person care, employing physicians, a dentist, psychiatrists and other licensed practitioners, according to the center’s application to the township.
It would operate Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., have ample off-street parking and access from Layton Road. In addition, the character and identity of the existing neighborhood would not change and the proposed use would not adversely affect the health, safety or welfare of nearby residents, the application states.
Ernest Sposto, the attorney representing the Wright Center during the hearing, said the center would install fencing around the property and not change the current lighting.
He said the building’s current configuration makes it unfeasible to use as a residence, adding there are no plans to expand it.
“The variance is necessary to enable the reasonable use of the property,” Sposto said.
Susan Savitski, an engineer at Colwell-Naegele Associates, said a traffic study of the intersection of Layton Road and Church Street found the sight distance and traffic delay were in line with PennDOT requirements and there was no significant traffic impact.
The church, which was dedicated in 1962, closed in December. Abington Christian Academy, an elementary school, also operated in the building but moved to Peckville Assembly of God late last year.
The building was listed for sale earlier this year and the application stated the Wright Center would purchase the building. The organization operates a primary care center at the Abington Shopping Center on Northern Boulevard in the township.
Susan Savitski, an engineer at Colwell-Naegele Associates, discusses the traffic study conducted as part of The Wright Center for Community Health’s request for a variance zoning permit to operate a medical and dental office in the former Chinchilla United Methodist Church Wednesday, July 30, 2025. (Christine Lee/Staff Photo)
People gather prior to the start of the South Abington Twp. zoning hearing board meeting Wednesday, July 30, 2025. The board denied The Wright Center for Community Health’s request or a variance zoning permit to operate a medical and dental office in the former Chinchilla United Methodist Church. (Christine Lee/Staff Photo)
The former Chinchilla United Methodist Church pictured Friday, May 16, 2025. The Wright Center for Community Health wants to purchase the former church, which closed late last year, and turn it into a medical and dental office. (Christine Lee/Staff Photo)
Dr. William Dempsey, the center’s medical director, said the center has been interested in buying a property and looked at several others before noticing the church, believing it to be an ideal site. The center has leased the space in the shopping center since 2010.
He said the building would offer the same services as those at the current facility, which serves 40 to 50 patients a day, according to Wright Center officials.
Savitski said she didn’t anticipate any more traffic to the building than what existed when the school was open.
Dr. Jignesh Sheth, the Wright Center’s senior vice president and enterprise chief operations and strategy officer, said after the meeting they won’t purchase the building because the sale was contingent upon receiving approval for the variance.
Residents voiced concerns about the impact the medical facility would have on the neighborhood. More than 30 people showed up at Wednesday’s hearing, many of whom questioned the traffic study, asking why roads in the surrounding neighborhoods weren’t analyzed — pointing out vehicles could access the proposed facility from other streets. They also shared concerns about safety with the potential increase in vehicles in the neighborhood throughout the day.
Resident Darlene Kinel said the current traffic configuration makes the neighborhood hard to drive in at times. She gave the board a petition signed by her neighbors opposing the plans.
“We don’t want that in our neighborhood,” Kinel said.
But resident Jim Maria expressed support for the project, saying it is a reasonable use of the property based on the Wright Center’s plans for it. He said he was concerned about the property if the variance wasn’t granted.
Sposto pointed out prior to the vote that nursing homes, assisted living facilities and group homes are permitted uses in the property’s current zoning.
“This is a use that’s going to improve the quality of life of the residents,” Sposto said.
Board Chair Paul Lockett said after the hearing that residents’ concerns about traffic figured into their decision to deny the request.
“It’s not the right fit for the neighborhood,” he said. “It’s a family neighborhood.”
Sheth said following the hearing that the center listens to the needs of the community. He said staff are happy with the current location and if another is found, they will look at it.
“We provide family care services which are always going to be needed in the region. We also don’t want to be going to a place or location or a community where we are not welcome, and unfortunately that’s what they said and we are happy with the decision,” Sheth said. “We stand with the community. We will continue serving them. We will continue to do the best we can as clinicians.”