NORTH HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- The North Huntingdon Township Zoning Board decided the fate of a so-called church Tuesday evening, finding that it's not a church, it's a business.

Neighbors hadn't paid much attention to John Ondrik's house in a rural part of in North Huntingdon until this summer when some said they found large condom boxes and used tissues on the curb.

John Ondrik said his house serves as a church, but neighbors said it's a swingers club. The zoning board's ruling determined that the house is operating as a business in an area zoned as residential only.

North Huntingdon officials presented to board members results of an Internet search that they said revealed a Web site known as Swinger Palace and a MySpace picture of Ondrik and his wife, who claimed their church was not only a sex club, but the best one in town.

"There is quite a bit of evidence to suggest that it is something other than a church," said Keith Evers, a North Huntington zoning officer.

The zoning board reviewed the Internet evidence that boasted big parties where women got in free. The board's members also heard from Ondrik himself about the Church of Spiritual Humanism.

"My house is a church. You know, this sex club stuff I'm really tired of hearing about. This was like their last straw. The whole key is they're trying to take my property," Ondrik told Action News last month.

WTAE Channel 4's Jon Greiner reported the Zoning Board found that the business owned by John and Kim Ondrik is called Swinger's Palace, a place for adults to meet and have sex. The facility usually opens at midnight on Saturdays and customers who must be 21 pay to attend.

"Somebody to go to church at 12 o'clock Saturday night, no children admitted, what church is that? Uh huh, no," said Juanita Ciancio, a neighbor.

Running a swinger's club isn't illegal, but classifying the club as a church to get around taxes and zoning is illegal.

"It was a swinger's club from the get go and no matter what they tried to call it, he called it a church only because he wanted to escape taxes. And, I'm happy for that. He left a lot of dirt behind," said Bob Marincic, a neighbor.

Neighbors intensified their effort to get rid of the business after they claimed they found used condoms along the road and accused the Ondriks of dumping raw sewage outside the house.

"We're all taxpayers and we work hard and it's about time they have to be held accountable, you know, for running a business in a residential area," said Mary Jane Cordis, a neighbor.

Neither John or Kim Ondrik attended the Zoning Board hearing and WTAE Channel 4's attempts to reach them for comment were not successful.

Unless they appeal, the township can move to shut down their business. The Ondriks have 30 days to take an appeal if they choose to the court of common pleas.

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