AMHERST – Declining business for a local motorcycle dealer may prove to be a blessing in disguise for a local church looking to grow.
KTM North America Inc. on Milan Avenue has been in talks with officials of The Fresh Wind Church about leasing some empty building space for the church, which presently meets in space in a Baumhart Road industrial park.
Amherst City Council will consider changing the city’s industrial zoning codes to allow churches when it resumes regular meetings in September following its August recess, according to Council President John Dietrich.
“We’re just assigning it now, so we’ll probably discuss it at our first meeting Sept. 7,” Dietrich said.
The measure could take three readings, which would cover three meetings.
“I don’t anticipate it being passed on emergency,’’ he said. “We don’t normally do that to give the public more time for input.”
The city Zoning Board rejected an initial request to allow the church to use vacant space at the dealership, citing existing zoning statutes under which churches are not classified as a permitted use.
“We are running out of space where we’re at and have been looking around,” the church’s Bill Meyers said. “We tend to like big, open spaces but are not really looking at anything fancy. We’d rather spend money where it’s needed in the community.”
The church averages 120 people each week, but saw more than 180 for Easter services, Pastor Tim Holt said.
“We are in negotiation with KTM. We’re growing and need a space where we can all be comfortable together,’’ Holt said. “We hope it’s coming, but I really don’t want to comment too much, to put any untoward pressure on Council.”
The KTM space would give the church a lunchroom and two bathrooms.
Robert Pearce, vice president of operations for KTM, said the business has discussed the matter with city officials.
“We thought we had to ask for a variance in zoning, but that was incorrect,’’ Pearce said. “We really need to ask for a change in zoning.”
The city Planning Commission and Zoning Board both have asked Council to amend existing zoning codes to add churches as permitted uses under the city’s I-1 industrial zoning, said Tammy Paterson, who works with Amherst Building Inspector Tim Reynolds.
“They have no problem with a church being in an industrial zone,” she said.
Declining business at the motorcycle and ATV dealer led to talks with the church.
“Our business has dropped off about 40 percent in the past 18 to 24 months,” Pearce said.
The drop in sales led to the business consolidating customer service, a 50,000-piece parts center and other facets of its operations into one of two buildings. Attempts to sell one building were futile, as were efforts to lease it to an in-dustrial tenant.
“The only interest we had was from the church,” Pearce said.
Both sides are considering a year-to-year lease, with the eventual goal being that KTM’s business bounces back and the space would revert to the dealership, Pearce said.
“We’re a good fit for him,” Holt said. “We’re only going to bring in some chairs to set up (for services).”
Active in the community, the church recently gave away 120 backpacks to Lorain and Vermilion-on-the-Lake school kids, and also helped to provide clothing for children heading back to classes, according to Holt.

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