AIKEN --- The Aiken City Council on Monday voted to remove the obstacles a local church has faced in expanding its York Street location to accommodate its growing congregation.

The council approved to amend on first reading an ordinance regarding the definition of demolition and an ordinance removing the landmark designation of St. Mary Help of Christian Church, with the exception of St. Clair's Chapel.

The council's decision, if approved on second reading, allows St. Mary to present expansion plans to the Design Review Board.

Father James LeBlanc explained to the city council that St. Mary's landmark status "stymied" the church's plans.

The zoning ordinance prohibited the board from considering the complete or partial demolition of a landmark.

The council approved to change the demolition ordinance to the complete or substantial removal of any structure. It still must be approved by the board.

Removing the landmark designation is "simply getting us to a procedural stage so we can go back to the Design Review Board and have a hearing on the merits," he said.

The church is in the downtown overlay district, where all exterior changes must be board-approved.

The 102-year-old church building, with just 300 seats, has an average attendance of 2,100 at five Masses on Saturday and Sunday.

The church's plans call for removing the rectory, colonnade, parish hall and a two-car garage. The plan would add 1,200 seats.

In November, the board voted not to remove the church as a landmark. However, at a December meeting, the planning commission disagreed and voted unanimously to recommend that St. Mary's landmark designation be removed.

"There are only two churches in downtown that have a landmark status," Father LeBlanc said, referring to St. Mary and Friendship Baptist Church. "We just want to level the playing field. We're just trying to get back to the (Design Review) Board and have a hearing."