Goodyear approves churches in residential zoning

The Goodyear City Council voted unanimously Feb. 26 to approve a zoning ordinance amendment allowing churches to be built in any zoning area.

Previously, churches required commercial zoning before they were allowed in an area. Monday’s approval will enable churches in all zoning districts.

Christian Williams, interim planning manager for the city of Goodyear, believes the amendment will comply with long-established federal and state law.

“We need to keep in mind the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act or RLUIPA and the Arizona Free Exercise of Religion Act, Arizona FERA, and the First Amendment provide a lot of guidance on how these uses are to be treated in an equitable manner,” Williams said.

According to the Church Law Office, a nonprofit organization dedicated to litigating discriminatory church practices, federal law protects what is considered a church and where.

“Federal law explicitly protects churches and other religious institutions and individuals from unduly burdensome or discriminatory land use and zoning regulations,” it writes on its website. “After learning that local land use and zoning regulations often placed burdens on religious congregations’ ability to practice their faith in violation of the U.S. Constitution, Congress enacted the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000.”

Previously, consideration was implemented in local municipalities for residential traffic and noise. However, staff believes church leaders can help corral noisy churchgoers during outdoor events.

“The areas of traffic and noise staff believes can be very well managed administratively through the administrative process such as when we receive a TI looking at do they conform with parking and then utilizing our existing special use process for any of those outdoor type events,” Williams said.

Councilmember Wally Campbell believes in her community; the churches and residential areas add to the charm of Goodyear neighborhoods.

“King Church is right across the street from our community park,” she said. “And, of course, Compass Church is right by there. They fit in so well anyway. So, I'm very happy to think that we're finally confirming the state law and federal law and letting the churches decide where they need to go and let them go where they want to go.”