Church to Fight Building Freeze

Members of a Cypress church are planning to fight on in their quest to build a new church complex despite a moratorium imposed by the City Council.

The council imposed the 10 1/2-month moratorium Monday night on 300 acres of land that includes the 18-acre parcel owned by the Cottonwood Christian Center, despite the pleas of hundreds of churchgoers who packed council chambers.

While members argued that their church is in the business of saving lives and therefore “good business for the city,” the City Council wanted its staff to prepare reports on a commercial town center on the land.

Rev. Mike Wilson said Tuesday that church members will meet next week on the issue.

“We’re still formulating our plans, consulting our attorneys and praying,” Wilson said. “We are ready to go to the mat on this.”

Two years ago, church officials spent $13 million to buy land from six property owners in the area despite warnings from the city that they might encounter resistance to their plans for a 4,700-seat sanctuary and other facilities at the corner of Katella Avenue and Walker Street. The city is interested in seeing a commercial complex built on the land.

“All we have done is taken a timeout so that city staff can study land uses,” Mayor Anna Piercy said. “When the staff has prepared the reports, we will take a look at it again.”