A Minnesota city council has rejected a proposed satellite campus for one of the state’s largest multisite megachurches, citing concerns over traffic and potential plans for affordable housing developments.
Eagle Brook Church, an Evangelical congregation with 12 physical locations statewide, applied in September for a rezoning and conditional use permit to build a new location in Plymouth for their Wayzata campus, which presently meets at a high school.
Eagle Brook’s plan for the property was to build a 64,000-square-foot building with seating for 1,500 people and a parking lot with 685 spaces.
At their meeting Tuesday evening, the Plymouth City Council voted 6-1 to approve a motion on “findings of fact” for denying the permit application, with the final vote of denial expected at their January meeting.
During the meeting, Councilman Jim Wallis read a statement opposing the church’s permit application, believing that the property should be used for building more affordable housing. He cited a comprehensive plan from 2020 aimed at creating more such housing.
“The Eagle Brook Church proposal does not address nor meet the comprehensive plan objectives, nor does it satisfy the requirements of the conditional use permit for which it seeks,” Wallis continued.
“The potential for higher residential density represents an opportunity to address our affordable housing goals in Northwest Plymouth.”
The council opened the floor for public comment from residents, with many expressing a range of opposition and some supporting the project.
One resident addressed the city council, saying there would be traffic problems stemming from the multiple worship services and pointed to similar issues with other Eagle Brook campuses.
Another resident and a member of Eagle Brook spoke in favor of the permit, saying that the proposed “high-density housing” would carry its own negative impact on traffic.
A local critic of the plan opposed “the teachings of Eagle Brook Church,” calling them “non-inclusive” and implored the council to “vote based on what is best for all of our citizens.”
Another resident, who said she valued “diversity” and the “progressive” values of Plymouth, spoke with concern about what Eagle Brook teaches about “sexuality identity,” “gender identity” and “sexual orientation,” saying she finds it “harmful.”
One resident who lived near the proposed site said he changed his views on the plan from opposition to support after reviewing it. He then cautioned about the declining value of his property if more affordable housing is added.
At an earlier planning commission public hearing, 15 people spoke in favor of the church project, while 19 spoke against it. The planning commission had unanimously voted to recommend the permit.
In March 2022, Eagle Brook Church announced it would drop a plan to build a satellite campus in Minnetonka that would have been 60,000 square feet and included 1,200 seats. The project faced similar objections from locals.
“Although we would have loved to become a part of the community, we have made the difficult decision to not pursue the development at this time,” Eagle Brook Expansion Director Steph Hauber said in a statement.
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