@Yahya : Just to be clear, I don't care what religion it was/is, the owners or otherwise. I'm very NON religious. What matters to me is the impact on the community as a whole and the kids/school area immediately adjacent.
For that matter, I have no idea who lives in the existing structure, if anyone at all - but whatever their religion, if that is in fact a home, who wants a retention pond SIXTEEN FEET from their back door?