Five years

ago Pastor Ronald Foster and his congregation began to make their dream

of building a church nestled in the heart of the Hudson Subdivision a

reality.

The Old Landmark

Church of God in Christ has put over $500,000 into the project so far.

Unfortunately, the construction was started without a building permit

in hand.

R. T. Strong,

then a Fulton Fire Chief who has since passed away, was given the responsibility

of attaining the building permit.

A check for

$765 was written out and deposited in the City of Fairburn's account.

When problems of parking in the Lightening district arose, it was discovered

that the permit which had been applied for but never approved did not

exist.

"We assumed

that he already had the permit." Pastor Foster explained when asked

why work began on the church prematurely.

The Pastor

and a dozen or so of his flock attended the City Council's Monday night

meeting in hopes of appealing their case. They were told by Mayor Betty

Hannah that "the Council does not override the Board of Appeals."

The Board turned

down the church's request for a varaiance last week. The church's building

is more than 23 feet too close to the road.

At this point,

the only option The Old Landmark Church has left open is to file a petition

known as a "writ of certiorari" according to city attorney Brad

Sears.

The church

has 30 days to do so before any other action is taken. They are currently

seeking the advice of a lawyer in this matter.