An Iowa zoning board has denied a request from Hope City Church to relocate its original campus to a former bank building, a decision church leaders say could jeopardize their ability to continue serving a downtown community through a range of ministry and outreach programs.
The Waterloo Board of Adjustment voted unanimously last week against issuing a special-use permit that would have allowed the multisite congregation, which has approximately 3,600 members, to move its Waterloo campus into a former Wells Fargo facility.
Church leaders argue that the proposed relocation was intended to preserve the congregation’s presence in downtown Waterloo while providing additional space for both worship services and community ministries.
Quovadis Marshall, lead pastor of Hope City Church, told The Christian Post that maintaining a strong ministry footprint in the city center was a major reason behind the proposed move.
“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.”
Marshall said the church remains deeply invested in Waterloo and continues to carry out much of its ministry work there.
“Marshall noted that he and his church ‘conduct the vast majority of our outreach activities in Waterloo, including at our Cedar Valley Dream Center.’”
According to the pastor, those efforts include providing meals for people in need, operating addiction recovery initiatives and assisting individuals experiencing homelessness throughout the area.
“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.
Marshall also emphasized that the church’s current facility is no longer sufficient to meet the needs of its congregation and ministries.
“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.”
Under local zoning regulations, churches, schools, museums and other assembly-related uses may operate through a special-use permit process that requires both a recommendation from the Planning and Zoning Commission and approval by the Board of Adjustment.
The Planning and Zoning Commission previously recommended approval of Hope City’s request, although the vote reflected a divided commission, with three members voting in favor, two opposed, two abstaining and two absent.
City officials, however, ultimately determined that the proposal did not align with broader planning objectives.
Waterloo City Planner Aric Schroeder told The Christian Post that the permit application was denied because it conflicted with goals outlined in several community development plans as well as provisions contained in the city’s zoning ordinance.
