Iowa megachurch warns property permit denial could impact ministry in at-risk community
An Iowa city has rejected a request from a multisite megachurch to relocate its original campus to a former bank building. Church leaders say the decision could ultimately force the congregation to leave the neighborhood it has served for years.
The Waterloo Board of Adjustment voted 4-0 last week to reject a special-use permit for Hope City Church, a congregation of about 3,600 members, that would have allowed it to move into a former Wells Fargo building.
Quovadis Marshall, lead pastor of Hope City, told The Christian Post that he hoped to relocate the church's main campus to the former bank to maintain a strong presence in downtown Waterloo.
“Our current downtown location served as our initial and only campus,” he said. “We ran out of room and had to look into the neighboring city to find a space big enough for our growing congregation. After completing that renovation, we turned our Waterloo campus into a satellite campus.”
A native of Waterloo, Marshall noted that he and his church “conduct the vast majority of our outreach activities in Waterloo, including at our Cedar Valley Dream Center.”
Those efforts include feeding thousands of people in need each year, operating addiction recovery programs and serving the local homeless population, according to Marshall..
“The bank building would have allowed us to stay downtown and continue to provide these services, as well as keep our Waterloo Campus in the heartbeat of activity in our city,” he said.
“Our current building is over 100 years old, it no longer serves our congregation and community well, and we are running out of space with the growth of all that campus is doing. These are the reasons that we need to move.”
Marshall told CP that while “we support our city and officials,” he believes the board's decision “was short-sighted considering that vital role our church plays in the health, growth and stability of downtown Waterloo.”
“In addition to that, and as important, our Waterloo campus sees up to 1,000 people walk through its doors,” he added. “Our current Sunday attendance is 400, plus our ministry to students, small groups that meet in the building, as well as the hundreds of volunteers who are in and out of the building.”
“We believe that these same people would be a reliable economic engine for the small businesses in the surrounding neighborhood.”
Under Waterloo's zoning rules, religious facilities, along with similar assembly uses such as schools and museums, can obtain a special-use permit if the proposal is recommended by the Waterloo Planning and Zoning Commission and approved by the Board of Adjustment.
The Planning and Zoning Commission previously voted to recommend approval of the permit request, with three commissioners voting in favor, two opposed, two abstaining and two absent.
Waterloo City Planner Aric Schroeder told CP that officials rejected the request because it conflicted with the broader goals outlined in several local development plans, as well as provisions of the city's zoning ordinance.
Schroeder provided CP with a copy of the staff report on the church’s special permit request, which concluded in part that Hope City taking over the bank property would interfere with the City of Waterloo Downtown Master Plan, which was approved in 2000 and “prioritizes redevelopment of riverfront sites from one-story buildings to multi-story, mixed-use development options.”
“The reuse of the previous Wells Fargo Bank building as a religious facility would not be in conformance with the Riverfront Renaissance Plan, which aims to promote economic development along the riverfront, for redevelopment of riverfront sites in Downtown Waterloo into retail, service, and other related downtown businesses,” the report continued.
“The proposed Special Permit would not appear to have a negative impact upon vehicular or pedestrian traffic conditions in the area, but the proposed use would appear to be deficient on parking, which could lead to traffic issues.”
“Hope City Church is a valued member of the community and has many positive programs and actions that help the City overall,” said Schroeder. “It is sometimes a tough decision for the vote for a positive program, but perhaps in the wrong location based on highest and best land use and specifics of the various plans and ordinances in place to help guide development efforts.”
Although Hope City could appeal the Board of Adjustment decision through the Iowa court systems, Marshall told CP that “the unanimous decision of the board and the reasons given, we do not believe that an appeal in this matter would be advantageous to our cause.”
“We are wrestling with the very real reality that we may need to leave the east side of Waterloo and look for a building opportunity on the west side of town,” Marshall said.
He warned that such a move could have consequences for a community already facing significant challenges.
“The east side of Waterloo is an official food desert, and a move would negatively affect that at-risk community. We remain hopeful that conversations with the city can yield a favorable outcome for our continued presence on Waterloo's east side.”
