Plymouth Megachurch Proposal Receives Opposition from Neighbors
Eagle Brook Church, which currently holds services at Wayzata High School, is making plans to build a new house of worship on a plot of farmland in Plymouth.
The Twin Cities megachurch has signed a purchase agreement for a 54-acre site just north of Meadow Ridge Elementary School on Chankahda Trail, formerly County Road 47. But residents in the area have circulated a petition against the building plan.
“A question I have is why here, why this location,” wondered resident Erika Dalager, who lives near the proposed site.
Eagle Brook Church has held services at Wayzata High School since 2018, but wants a permanent campus in Plymouth due to growing attendance. The megachurch currently has 10 locations in Minnesota and will open two more churches soon – one in Minneapolis and another in Maplewood. Across all locations, Eagle Brook reports a combined average weekly in-person attendance of 20,000 people.
Jason Strand, senior pastor at Eagle Brook Church, said attendance at Wayzata High School has grown 32 percent since establishing the temporary campus in 2018.
Online Petition Opposes Eagle Brook Church Plymouth Site
The church began focusing on Plymouth after opposition thwarted a proposal to build a permanent campus in Minnetonka, replacing a vacant retirement home near a wetland west of Interstate Highway 494. Traffic and environmental impacts in that neighborhood were the chief concerns.
Now, Dalager is one of hundreds of people who have signed an online petition opposing the church at the Plymouth site, citing concerns about traffic, the environment and their overall quality of life.
“These are all residential roads. This road was just finished a few months ago, so it’s really not built for a large complex that would be serving thousands of people,” said Dalager, referring to Chankahda Trail.
Plymouth Senior Planner Shawn Drill has heard the concerns.
“We’ve gotten a lot of comments, both for and against the project,” he said.
Drill said the wetlands on the property are federally protected, so any construction would take place on the farmland area. As for traffic, Drill said there’s a study underway that will determine what sort of measures would have to be taken to alleviate resident concerns.
Eagle Brook has not yet submitted a formal application and the sale of the property is contingent upon city approval.
“We are excited to have a permanent campus so we can continue serving this community and helping people grow in the their faith,” said Pastor Strand in a statement.
Eagle Brook Church plans to hold a meeting where people can learn more about its proposal. That meeting will take place Wednesday, Sept. 20, at 6 p.m. at Wayzata High School.
Chankahda Trail along the proposed site
Also See: Plymouth To Consider Redevelopment Plans for Prudential Site
