The Prince George’s County Council granted a long-sought approval for sewer service Tuesday to a group seeking to build a church and school in West Laurel.

The council was ordered to reconsider the change, which it had previously denied, by a federal judge in December.

“I feel grateful,” said Michael Oxentenko, pastor of Reaching Hearts International. “I feel grateful for the decision, and I hope our future church will be a blessing to the county.”

The Spencerville-based Seventh-Day Adventist organization, has wanted to build a new facility in West Laurel since 2002, but was denied permission from the County Council to extend sewer service to the property due to concerns that the project would pollute a nearby reservoir. The church sued the county for religious discrimination in 2005 and won a $3.7 million judgment in 2008.

The council was ordered to reconsider the church’s application, which was resubmitted in August 2010. The council denied the request again in July 2011, and was threatened with contempt for violating the earlier order.

Responding to the threat, in September the council approved part of the church’s request, pertaining to 3.6 acres of the 17-acre property, but denied the rest.

U.S. District Judge Roger Titus ruled in December that granting some of the request wasn’t good enough and ordered the council to reconsider it once again, warning that another denial could lead to a trial to determine if discriminatory practices were being continued.

The resolution Tuesday granted the appropriate sewer category change to the remainder of the property.

Oxentenko said he bore no ill-will toward the council, but that Reaching Hearts may still seek damages from the county, such as reimbursement of its legal fees.

The council voted 7-1 to reconsider the category change. Councilwoman Ingrid Turner (D-Dist. 4) of Bowie was not present.

Councilwoman Mary Lehman (D-Dist. 1) of Laurel, the vote against, said she remained concerned about the environmental impact.

In the past, residents have raised concerns that storm runoff from the project could pollute the nearby Rocky Gorge Reservoir.

Lehman also said she was disappointed that the church did not respond to efforts to reach a compromise with residents of West Laurel but declined to comment further.

Oxentenko said he wasn’t sure what Lehman was talking about concerning compromise efforts.

With the appropriate category change, Reaching Hearts can now continue with the design and planning process for the site, but does not have a specific plan that’s ready for submission to the Planning Board, said Robert Antonetti, an attorney for the church.

“We need to go back and absorb everything that’s happened today,” Antonetti said.

dleaderman@gazette.net