San Diego narrowly approves large church building project

The city council last week voted 5-4 to allow All Peoples Church to build a new, 900-seat sanctuary with other ministry facilities on a six-acre site on the city’s east side. The project has faced some local opposition and the church earlier filed a federal lawsuit over the city council’s initial rejection of its plan last year. Last week, councilman Stephen Wilburn said he voted against the project because the location is in a residential area, and it was previously zoned for housing.

All Peoples Church began planning its construction of what it calls “The Light Project” in 2018. In addition to its sanctuary, the church will include 12 classrooms, a multipurpose youth space, more than 360 parking spaces, a prayer room, and an outdoor fellowship space.

What does the church believe? Pastor Robert Herber founded the nondenominational church in 2008 with his wife and a group of friends. The church describes itself as a multiethnic and multigenerational church that now has 20 locations around the world. The church’s parent organization, the Antioch Movement of Churches, in 2022 commissioned the church as an independent church-planting movement. According to the church's website, All Peoples believes God has revealed Himself in three Persons, Jesus is the Messiah, the Bible is the word of God, and salvation is only available through Christ.

What is the history of the project? All Peoples Church in 2018 began hosting public engagement meetings to discuss the proposed building with the surrounding community. According to the church, they received positive initial input before some area residents organized in opposition to the project. The city planning commission in September 2023 voted unanimously in favor of the church, one month after the local Navajo Community Planners voted against the plan.

In January 2024, the San Diego City Council voted 6-2 to deny the project following an hours-long hearing. The church afterward sued, alleging the city council discriminated against it by having a different standard for building a religious facility as opposed to a facility for secular assemblies. The city has a history of discriminating against faith-based institutions, said Dan Dalton, the lead attorney for the church in the case. The church defended its decision to pursue legal action, saying it sought every other option to receive approval for the facility and that the lawsuit wasn’t meant as retribution or revenge. 

Dig deeper: Read my report about Fort Worth approving a church’s plan to build a shelter for human trafficking survivors.