Court grants injunction to Anchor Stone Christian Church over zoning dispute with City Council
A federal court has ordered the City of Santa Ana to stop enforcing land-use restrictions that prevent Anchor Stone Christian Church from holding worship services and renovating its property on Daimler Street. The ruling, issued April 7, 2025, by Judge John W. Holcomb of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, grants a preliminary injunction in favor of the church after the city denied its application to use the building for religious assembly.
The church argued that the city\’s decision violated federal religious freedom laws, including the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) and the First Amendment. The court found that the church is likely to succeed on the merits of its claims and that Santa Ana’s zoning decisions unjustly burdened the church’s religious exercise.
The dispute centers on a property purchased in 2022 by Anchor Stone Christian Church, a congregation that serves Chinese and Taiwanese-American worshippers in Santa Ana. The church sought to convert a vacant office building into a place of worship but was blocked after city officials said religious use was incompatible with the area\’s “Flex-3” industrial designation.
The court found that the city treated religious assembly less favorably than nonreligious uses, such as museums, art galleries, and daycares, which are allowed without a conditional use permit (CUP). It noted that while Compass Bible Church, located across the street, was granted a CUP by the city in a similar zoning context, Anchor Stone was denied based on vague concerns about noise, traffic, and land-use compatibility.
Santa Ana officials maintained that religious services conflicted with the city’s General Plan goals for the area, which prioritize industrial and office development. However, the court determined these justifications were inconsistently applied and did not amount to a compelling reason to restrict the church’s religious activities.
In addition to questioning the city\’s zoning rationale, the court criticized comments made by city planning and council members, who reacted negatively to the church’s invocation of RLUIPA during public hearings. One councilmember said he was “offended” by references to the law, calling them an attempt to “circumvent local laws.”
Judge Holcomb concluded that the church had demonstrated a likelihood of success on claims that the city violated both the Equal Terms and Substantial Burden provisions of RLUIPA, as well as the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment. The court found that the denial of the CUP forced the church to conduct services in another city and burdened its mission to serve the local community.
The preliminary injunction allows Anchor Stone to resume worship at its Daimler Street property and proceed with planned renovations while the litigation continues. A final ruling on the case will follow further proceedings, and the city may still appeal the injunction.