Concern over an impact on downtown Mandan led to the issuance of a temporary special use permit allowing a non-denominational church to occupy the former Joker's Bar & Grill building.

The Mandan City Commission approved an 18-month special use permit for The Fire Center, affiliated with Kids in Ministry International, to use the building, which was originally Mandan's Knights of Columbus.

Mandan ordinances allow churches to protest liquor establishments from locating within 300 feet of their premises. Becky Fischer, pastor of The Fire Center, provided a letter for the commission indicating the willingness to waive the right of protest if it would help get the special use permit that is required for any church in Mandan.

Commissioner Tim Helbling questioned how the church's patronage will impact downtown parking, and he suggested The Fire Center be required to provide ample parking for a certain number of people.

"I'm also wondering how a church in that location will affect the overall downtown redevelopment," Helbling said. "It seems we're stepping backwards as it is, not filling a niche business role or providing something like casual dining."

As far as parking, the city would need to re-examine its parking ordinances if it were to require the church to provide off-street parking, Mandan business development director Ellen Huber said.

While the church doesn't fit the downtown redevelopment plan, it could generate visitors to the downtown area during evenings and weekends, times when the area isn't so busy, and there wouldn't be competition for parking, Huber added.

"True, it is not fitting in the niche retail, casual dining or some of those type of attractions," Huber said. "It may help that aspect of providing livelihood in the downtown area, not just in the daytime, but at night and weekends, too. It has its pros and cons."

Huber also said that the building has been for sale for quite some time, and its owners would like to move it. Fischer said the building already has been purchased by the church and, while it does need some major renovations, the church has a year-and-a-half lease remaining on its present location.

Bob Olson, identifying himself as an adult team worker, explained that parking shouldn't be a problem. He said the congregation consists of kids ages 6 to 12 who are transported to the church by volunteers in privately owned vans.

"The majority of time, they don't come in cars; the kids come, have a good time," Olson said. "We have about 65 kids, and parking is not a problem. In fact, on Wednesday nights when they come in, you won't even know they're there."

Fischer described The Fire Center as a unique church and more than just a children's ministry. The membership is between 60 and 80, and there is a need to grow. Joker's will allow that, with room for nearly 300 upstairs and down.

"We do plan on bringing conferences in and people come from all over the United States. We'd like to see 200 to 300 for these," Fischer said. "We've driven all over the area, and we think there is plenty of parking during the nights and weekends."

Most of the building's use will come evenings on Wednesdays and possibly Friday and Sunday mornings. The church has three employees, with offices in Bismarck.

"If we move to the new building, we ultimately want a training center there. It wouldn't be very large, perhaps 40 to 50 people moving into the area," Fischer said. "People would be coming from all over the world, and they would be bringing revenue in. It will be a benefit to your city."

In her letter to the city, Fischer said that normally churches will establish an adult ministry and build children's and youth program around that. The Fire Center is establishing itself as a children's and youth church and is building adult ministry around that.

Commissioner Sandra Tibke suggested that the church meet with Mandan's parking board to discuss the situation.

City attorney Malcolm Brown said that the city could issue a special use permit and then revoke it if problems arose. Instead, Brown suggested that the commission consider issuing the special use permit with a sunset included giving it an opportunity to review the situation.

"Granted, they (The Fire Center) has already bought it and has stuck its neck out," Brown said. "But perhaps not knowing what will develop downtown, you could put a sunset on it."

Helbling made the motion to issue the special use permit for 18 months, at which time the commission will re-evaluate the permit.

(Reach reporter Gordon Weixel at 250-8255 or gordon.weixel@;bismarcktribune.com.)