Source: The Washington Post

On February 2, 2000, The Washington Post published an article on the Maryland-National Capitol Park and Planning Commission, which regulates the physical growth and development in Montgomery and Prince George counties. In the 1990s, the Commission has had to handle many disputes between developers wanting to build houses of worship and residents complaining of a potential for problems which would detract from the overall community. Recently, the Planning Board voted to allow the Hindu Center of Metropolitan Washington to build a 17,500-square-foot temple on 3.3 acres in the town of Adelphi, MD. Residents, who complained of potential traffic, noise, and lighting problems, were rebutted after the vote by Board Chairman Elizabeth M. Hewlett: "Churches are permitted in rural residential zones by right." Michele La Rocca, the temple's attorney, held an impromptu town hall meeting during a break to ease the residents' concerns: "We are trying to build a church while at the same time be good neighbors in the community."