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Pastor asks council for temporary RV accommodation at church property
Summary
During public comment, Gary Martin, pastor of Sanctuary Apostolic Church, asked the council to allow a temporarily‑parked RV to remain on church property to house a parishioner during home renovations and referenced federal reasonable‑accommodation protections for religious property use.
Gary Martin, pastor of Sanctuary Apostolic Church, addressed the Muskogee City Council during public comment on April 27 seeking a temporary accommodation to allow an RV to remain on church property at 2802 South Cherokee Street while his son finishes remodeling a nearby home.
Martin said the RV has been on the property for about 12 years for ministry purposes and that the congregation has not received citations. He asked the city not to enforce code in a way he called discriminatory following a neighbor complaint, and he framed the request as a temporary, not permanent, accommodation for housing while renovations are completed.
"My name is Gary Martin. We have owned the property...for 14 years...We're asking the city to do the right thing before it becomes anything bigger than it really needs to be," Martin said.
The comment referenced federal reasonable‑accommodation requirements for religious uses; city staff did not take immediate action during the meeting, and no council motion addressing the RV was recorded in open session. The item remained a public comment, and any future action would require a formal agenda item or staff follow up.
Why it matters: The request raises questions about code enforcement consistency, temporary housing accommodations and reasonable‑accommodation obligations when religious institutions host housing in support of ministry activities.
The council continued with its agenda after public comment and did not vote on the RV request at this meeting.
