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Zoning board denies Hiawatha Church variance for 4155 41st Ave. S.; vote 5-2
Summary
The Minneapolis Zoning Board of Adjustment voted 5-2 on Jan. 15, 2026 to deny Hiawatha Church’s request to increase lot coverage to 67% and impervious surface to 71% at 4155 41st Avenue South; staff had recommended denial after concluding the first legal finding was not met. The church and supporters said the modest addition was required for ADA access and child safety; nearby neighbors opposed the expansion citing shading and neighborhood character.
The Minneapolis Zoning Board of Adjustment on Jan. 15, 2026 denied a variance request by Hiawatha Church to increase lot coverage to 67% and impervious surface to 71% at 4155 41st Avenue South, voting 5-2 after public testimony and extended board discussion.
City planning staff told the board the existing building is legally nonconforming and that the application seeks two variances: raising maximum lot cover to 67% and impervious surface to 71%. Staff noted the property is about 10,168 square feet and the existing structure footprint is approximately 5,545 square feet, and recommended denial because staff concluded the applicant had not met the first legal finding (that the site exhibits unique circumstances not created by the owner).
The application proposes an addition to accommodate an elevator and accessible restrooms and to create secure single-floor classroom space for children. Pastor Chris Wachter, the church’s lead and founding pastor, told the board the congregation bought the building as-is and that the design “included a glass lift at our main entrance and added ADA-compliant bathrooms on the main level because right now we have none,” arguing those changes would allow people with limited mobility to participate.
Supporters said the church serves neighborhood needs. Church member Spencer Peterson said his family depends on the church’s programs and that his 4-year-old son in a wheelchair “cannot participate fully, without the constant help of an adult,” if the building remains inaccessible.
Neighbors and an attorney for nearby residents opposed the expansion. Peter Dugan, who lives north of the property, said the building already exceeds what the lot supports and argued the church should achieve accessibility without increasing the footprint: “The church can and should make its building ADA compliant within its current building footprint,” he told the board. Opponents also raised concerns about additional shading to backyard gardens and increased stormwater runoff.
Board members debated the central legal question that determines many variance cases: whether the property itself has unique physical circumstances that create a practical difficulty. Some members said the building’s age, split-level entrances and tight setbacks make in-place compliance impractical; others said interior reconfiguration could achieve accessibility without granting a variance and cautioned that variances run with the property and could be used for unspecified future changes.
At the roll call the clerk recorded five ayes and two nays; the board minutes show Callahan, Eicholtz, Ingram, Smikharova and Wong voting in favor of denial and Grama Skorsch and Hutchins voting no. The chair told the applicants to consult staff for next steps.
The denial means the church cannot proceed with the proposed addition as presented. Staff and the applicants discussed potential conditions and procedural next steps after the hearing; Chair Perry suggested the church meet with planning staff to review options. The applicants may choose to revise plans, pursue interior renovations that do not increase coverage, or pursue other administrative or legislative remedies available under city procedures.
