Mega-Church in Ag Reserve – Status Jun 2025
Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve (≈93,000 acres, rural zoning quantity of 1 house per 25 acres, ~75% under permanent easement) is strictly protected from development — including mega‑churches — to preserve farmland and open space (montgomerycountymd.gov).
Proposed Mega-Churches in the Ag Reserve
- Early 2000s: Bethel World Outreach Ministries (Silver Spring) purchased 119 acres in Germantown within the Reserve and sought permits (water, sewer) to build a large church. The Council denied sewer access and passed ordinances limiting institutional development in the Reserve zone (washingtonpost.com).
- 2013 settlement: County paid $1.25 million in easement purchase, restricting Bethel’s site to residential use; Bethel relocated to Silver Spring (washingtonpost.com).
Current Reality
- No active mega‑church developments: There are no approved or pending major church projects in the Ag Reserve.
- Strong zoning protections remain: The zoning code prohibits adequate water/sewer services and caps impervious surfaces (to ~15% of lot area), blocking large institutional uses (washingtonpost.com).
- Preservation priority: Montgomery County and allied groups (e.g. Montgomery Countryside Alliance) continue actively safeguarding farmland, landscapes, and prime soils for agriculture (montgomerycountymd.gov).
Summary
- Historically, mega‑church proposals have been blocked or redirected out of the Reserve.
- No present mega‑church proposals are proceeding there.
- Zoning and easement protections remain robust, making future megachurch development in the Ag Reserve extremely unlikely.
