Armenian Church Fights Cambridge Zoning Regulations on Two Fronts

The current court case concerning the construction of the Armenian Holy Trinity Church on Brattle St. may establish the limits of local communities' authority in applying zoning regulations to religious and educational institutions.

This authority is the particular aspect of the case which is being investigated by the law firm of Ropes, Gray, Best, Coolidge, and Rugg, which handles legal matters for the University.

According to a member of the firm, the Armenian Church is pursuing two courses in attempting to secure permission for a structure which violates the Cambridge zoning regulation for building height by approximately 30 feet.

If the lawyers for the Church, working on a different aspect of the problem than is Ropes, Gray, Best, Coolidge, and Rugg, can establish a "hardship case," it may be able to by-pass the Cambridge ruling under a clause that allows exceptions in cases when other residents of the area would not be unduly inconvenienced.

The Church will also appeal, however, on the grounds that the state law prohibiting religious or educational construction can be interpreted to mean that the community also cannot make such groups conform to building regulations in an area.

Local residents protesting the proposed church are reportedly more concerned with the architects' plan for a 57-foot height of the main building than with the 90-foot spire.