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Running Head: Zoning for Church Owned Real Estate

Innovation and Empowerment: SNU-Tulsa Research Journal, Volume 4, Issue 1

Zoning for Church Owned Real Estate:

A Comparison of Donated and Purchased Properties

J. R. Petrie,

Southern Nazarene University – Tulsa

OL T 75

Abstract

This study examined zoning decisions for the past ten years comparing approval and the denial

of first time zoning request for two types of property owned by the church. The hypothesis was

based on staff hours and administrative costs required to obtain desirable zoning codes for

property purchased vs. property donated. A study was conducted to determine practicality of

properties acquired in the last 10 years consisting of ten purchased properties and ten donated

properties. A survey was then distributed to each of the participants concerning zoning for those

properties.

Results showed that there was a marked difference in acquisition costs when all factors

were considered. Although donated properties had a higher cost related to zoning there was still

an advantage to acquiring these properties; however, management would now have a much better

approach for viewing the cost vs. utility of the properties. These data can help in making

decisions in regard to future acquisitions.

Zoning for Church Owned Real Estate 17


Introduction and Statement of Purpose

Introduction and Statement of the Topic

People come and people go, we are born and

we die, structures wither and decay and the cycle of

life continues as it has since the beginning of life on

Earth. However, the land we stand on remains a

relatively constant, it cannot be destroyed, it cannot

be move, and no two parcels are the same because

they are in different locations. As humans, we only

use the land for a given period. There have been

only two ways to gain ownership of land, by

conquest or by “Deed”. Not many of us are in a

position to conquer land so we will discuss the

“Deed”. When we own land it is by “Deed”.

However, we actually just own the right to use the

land.

A deed essentially gives the owner a

“Bundle of Rights” of those we will only discuss

two of them, the right of occupancy and use of the

land and the right to bequeath (give away) or

transfer ownership to another person or

organization.

Persons and families would often live on or

use their property for long periods, sometimes for

generations. When the owner of the property

recognizes that he or she were going to die and they

had no family to bequeath the property to, they

often will donate or bequeath the property to the

church.

At one time, people could use their land for

anything they wanted; however, as people moved

closer and closer together, one person’s rights

would interfere with the others. Hence, zoning

became necessary to regulate property usage. If you

want to change the zoning code or usage, you could

request a zoning change.

God’s Shining Light Church located on the

north side of 11th

Street East of Mingo Ave in Tulsa

Oklahoma needed an additional 15,000 square feet

of classroom space and 200 apartments. This

expansion was critical to the mission of the church

and its goals. The church’s mission statement

includes a commitment to give recovering people a

vision and education that will allow them to be

productive citizens in their community. The church

has been extremely successful in providing training

and employment for hundreds of people wanting to

turn their life around.

Statement of Purpose

The purpose of this research was to

understand, define and write procedures for the

application and best use of governmental zoning

laws as they apply to church owned property in the

Tulsa Oklahoma area. Often a church would acquire

property as a donation or inheritance. Typically, the

property has migrated for any of many reasons from

its original use or zoning. The product of this

research was a comprehensive procedure that the

church administrator could use to obtain the best

and most productive use of their newly acquired

property. Often this required rezoning the property.

Making application and obtaining zoning changes

requires an intimate knowledge of the legal and

administrative procedures required by local, county

and state governments.

Organizational Context

This research was intended to be an easy-

to-understand overview of planning and zoning

within City and County. Included in it are frequently

asked questions, definitions and illustrations of

zoning terms and regulations, and information

about the application and public hearing processes.

It is meant to be a tool of general information for

the public and must not be used as a substitute for

the entire text when exact regulations and detailed

information are necessary.

The Comprehensive Plan and Zoning

Ordinance

The Comprehensive Plan exists as public

policy. It expresses the existing and projected

development patterns of the community. The zoning



ordinance and related land development regulations

and codes implement the comprehensive plan. All

are tools. Together they represent a guide for the

public to direct land use away from incompatible or

unsuitable locations and promote a viable and livable

community. The goal of the Comprehensive Plan

was to encourage development high standards and

quality-of-life expectations to protect the public

from nuisance and potential harm.

(TMAPC 2009.) The purpose of zoning and

the Zoning Code, was to "promote health,

safety and public welfare; conserve the

value of buildings and encourage the most

appropriate use of land; and promote the

development of the community in

accordance with a comprehensive plan."

The primary objective of zoning, in the

beginning and in its simplest form, was to

separate commercial and industrial uses

from residential uses. Mixed use

developments can be permitted through a

Planned Unit Development (PUD), which

was a regulation that overlays the

underlying zoning (TMAPC, 2009).

(TMAPC 2009.) Zoning has been best

defined as the division of a city into districts

for regulating land use. These districts are

established by ordinances within the city

limits and by resolution outside of the city

limits, and are shown on a zoning map. The

official zoning map for the City of Tulsa

and the unincorporated areas of Tulsa

County are maintained by the Indian

Council of Governments (INCOG). Each

zoning district allows certain uses and

requires that various conditions are met

before a property can be developed

(TMAPC, 2009).

Setting of the problem

More often than not, for a property donated

to the church the zoning code would not be

compatible for use by the church. In an effort to

determine the most appropriate and best use of the

property, a zoning change may be required. It would

then become the responsibility of the church to

obtain the proper zoning code. Any zoning code

changes require an understanding of the law and the

administrative procedures associated with zoning

codes.

Zoning by its very nature relates to “Usage”.

Determining the most appropriate, most productive

and best use of land (real state) is both a legal and

pragmatic decision. Sometimes it is necessary for

the existing buildings and structures to be

completely removed, however, at other times

renovated to modern standards. Turn an old motel

into modern apartment complex. Turn an old house

into a professional offices etc.

History and background

(TMAPC 2009.) The City of Tulsa first

established zoning in 1923. Initially, Tulsa was

divided into only three zoning districts:

Residential, Commercial and Industrial.

Today, 29 separate zoning districts govern

land use development in the City, and 24 in the

County (see Definition of Terms for list and

summary). It was clear that as development

increased, a need arose for more

sophisticated land use regulations (TMAPC,

2009).

(TMAPC 2009.) Zoning in the

unincorporated area of Tulsa County first

began in 1953 with the creation of the Tulsa

Metropolitan Area Planning Commission

(TMAPC). The TMAPC had extraterritorial

zoning powers that extended five miles

beyond the Tulsa City limits, into the

unincorporated portions of Tulsa and Osage

Counties. At that time, the Tulsa City

Commission made zoning decisions in that

five-mile perimeter area. The State of

Oklahoma repealed such extraterritorial

zoning jurisdiction in 1980, and Tulsa

County adopted a Zoning Code for the



unincorporated areas of the County later

that year. Today, the Tulsa County Board

of Commissioners makes zoning decisions

for the unincorporated areas in Tulsa County

(TMAPC, 2009).

Historically, 11th

Street was the original

Route 66 going through the City of Tulsa. In 1965,

the Hi-Way 66 Drive-in was built on what was the

Church site. The theatre was later renamed the 11th

Street Drive-in and was in operation until 1982.

The facility was severely damaged by a tornado in

1974. It had two screens with a 560-car capacity

(Pebworthy, 2011).

Scope of the problem

God’s Shining Light Church has been located

on the north side of 11th

Street East of Mingo Ave

in Tulsa Oklahoma. The church’s mission statement

includes a commitment to give recovering people a

vision and education that will allow them to be

productive citizens in their community. The church

has been extremely successful in providing training,

employment, and housing for hundreds of people

committed to turn their lives around. The church

has many properties including several acres of land

at the 11th

Street location, the property originally

occupied by the 11th

St Drive-in Theater. This land

developed into a project will become a turnkey

project from concept to occupancy.

Significance of this Project

The significance of this Project is giving

back to the community; Wings of Freedom (WOF)

gives back to the community by providing the

foundation for a successful recovery. They plant the

seed of success in the lives of their residents and

watch them grow into successful and productive

citizens within the community. The difference

between Wings of Freedom (WOF) and other sober

living houses is the belief that true recovery, and the

joy that accompanies it, can only be realized

through Jesus Christ. Residents will spend time in

Bible study, prayer and worship, and will attend

Christ centered 12 step services as a part of their

weekly affairs. WOF believe sobriety will always

be lacking when practiced outside a fruitful and

abounding relationship with Jesus Christ. You do

not have to be a Christian to reside in their program,

but you will be asked to abide by Christ-centered

policies and procedures and to have an open mind.

WOF encourage setting aside old habits,

relationships and neighborhoods that produce

unproductive lifestyle choices, and introduce

residents to new, healthy, and productive lifestyle

choices. WOF accomplishes this through Biblical

teaching, staff example, peer support system,

employment and modern housing away from

disruptive influences.

Mission Statement

“The Church’s purpose was to shine the

LIGHT of GODS LOVE in a darkened world

bringing faith; hope and healing to a lost and

hurting world, setting the captives free one life at a

time. They do this by working with ex-offenders

who are trying to work their way into society”

(Pebworthy, 2009). Figure 1 shows the structure of

the ministry.

Figure 1. God’s Shining Light ministry’s company

structure may be seen in this schematic.

Definitions of terms



Accessory use or structure - A use or structure on

the same lot with and of a nature customarily

incidental and subordinate to the principal use or

structure.

All-weather material - A hard surface, dust-free

material capable during ordinary use of

withstanding without substantial deterioration

normal weather conditions. Gravel, rock or

screenings alone, without use of a petroleum or

cement binder, does not meet the definition of an

all-weather, dust-free material.

BOA- Board of Adjustments

Dwelling Unit (DU) - A residential structure, either

as a separate and detached single-family unit or as

an attached (apartment or townhouse) unit.

Floor area ratio (FAR) - The total floor area of a

building or buildings divided by the total lot area.

See applicable zoning districts for specific

requirements.

Land area - The area of a lot plus one-half or 30

feet, whichever is less, of the right-of-way of any

abutting street to which the lot has access,

Land coverage - The land area of a lot covered by a

building or buildings, except structural parking.

Special exception - Special exceptions are uses

permitted in a particular zoning district with BOA

approval. These uses are specified in the Zoning

Code, and only those noted may be considered as

special exceptions in a particular category.

The BOA will often impose conditions which must

be met in order for a special exception to be

approved. For example, a mobile home in an RS-3

Residential district is not allowed by right, but if the

request is in harmony with the physical facts of the

area, the use may be allowed by the BOA for a

period of one year. The main difference between a

variance and a special exception is that a variance

requires that a "hardship" (other than an economic

or self-imposed one) be proven, and special

exception are specifically designated in the Zoning

Code.

Variance - Variances affect bulk and area

requirements of the Zoning Code, such as setbacks,

height limitations and floor area ratio. For example,

a property owner may want to build a carport that

would encroach into the required front yard. The

BOA must approve a variance in order for him to

build. The County BOA can also approve use

variances. This process permits special use of land

without a change in zoning and is used only in

special instances and circumstances. Further, this

practice is prohibited in cities by Oklahoma

Statutes.

Zoning Code - Official text adopted by the City

Council (City of Tulsa) and the County

Commission (Tulsa County) that serves as a

development guide.

Use Unit Matrix - The Use Unit Matrix provides

land use information at a glance. Zoning districts

are listed across the top of the page and use units

are listed along the left side of the page. One can

determine whether a certain type of land use is

allowed in each of the zoning districts by reading

across the page. If a space is blank under a specific

zoning district, that particular use unit is not

allowed. If an "X" is found, it is a use by right; if an

"E" is found, it is a use by special exception. In the

case of the CO-Corridor district, site plan approval

is required for any and all uses that can be

considered for approval.

Zoning District List and Summary

Below are the zoning districts established in the

City of Tulsa and Tulsa County Zoning Codes. If a

particular district is used only in one or the other, it

is indicated as such in parentheses. A summary of

the purpose and intent of each zoning district

follows this list.

1) Agriculture Districts

2) Residential Districts



3) Parking Districts

4) Office Districts

5) Commercial Districts

6) Corridor District

7) Scientific Research and Development

District

8) Industrial Districts Heavy

9) Historic Preservation District

10) Planned Unit Development Supplemental

District

11) Floodway District

Review of Literature

The purpose of this assignment was to

review the procedures used by different government

agencies to assign zoning codes and enforce zoning

rules. The literature research was conducted by

reviewing peer reviewed internet (Ebsco) data bases

and Tulsa county zoning data. The literature

research confirmed the idea that church owned

property can be rezoned for the best use of the land.

Zoning was discussed in all of the research that was

conducted. The research also showed the effects

that regulations have had on faith-based

organizations in their attempts to maximize the

value of their property.

Constitutionality of Zoning

Bettman (1924) wrote: “Zoning is the

regulation by districts of building

development and

uses of property” (p.124). Bettman’s observations

in 1924 are very much in place today in our current

use of property and zoning regulations. Various

reestablished conditions must be met before a parcel

can be developed or modified most often defined as

the division or sectioning of a town or city. These

sections or districts are established by legal

ordinances within the city limits and are shown on a

zoning map. The official zoning map for the city

and the unincorporated areas of the county are

maintained by Indian Council of Governments.

(INCOG).

Bettman (1924, pp. 134-135) wrote, “Zoning

may, perhaps, be an unfortunate

designation, in what may produce an impression of

large, more or less concentric areas. As a matter of

practice, the "zones" or districts are usually of all

sorts of irregular shapes, and of sizes varying from

one side.” Both the United States and Europe

practice various forms of zoning, primarily for the

same reasons. The entire community benefits from a

policy of “best use of the land” as determined

through zoning practices.

At one time, people could use their land for

anything they wanted; however, as people moved

closer and closer together, one person’s rights

would interfere with the others. Hence, zoning

became necessary to regulate property usage. If one

wanted to change the zoning code or usage, one

could request a zoning change (Beals, 1986).

Persons and families would often live on or

use their property for long periods, sometimes for

generations. When the owner of the property

recognizes that he or she were going to die and they

had no family to bequeath the property to, they

often will donate or bequeath the property to the

church. Their bundle of rights gives them the right

to bequeath their property to anyone they choose.

Clowney (2007) seemed to think that zoning

boards were especially concern

over land use by churches; sometimes thinking that

churches already exerted too much influence.

This study looked at one aspect of that kind of

“zoning difficulty” for donated properties.



For appropriate and best use development of

land, The City and The County of Tulsa both use

the “Use Unit” concept. This concept is designed

and based on groupings of individual uses having

similar function. By using this Use Unit method of

organization, the local planning commission can

consider the location and regulation of various land

uses and determine best locations for churches.

The City of Tulsa convenes a public hearing

and weighs the needs of the applicant against the

goals of the zoning code. Unlike previous studies on

this topic, the research examines the treatment of

churches on a decision-by-decision level. To

compile the data for this project our staff studied

every zoning exemption application filed with the

Tulsa Board of Adjustment (TBA) over a ten-year

period, tracking the type of relief sought, the parties

involved, and the TBA's decision.

This study contributes to the ongoing

discussion over the regulation of religious land uses

by answering two questions. First, to what extent

does the TBA treat churches differently than secular

applicants? Second, are there disparities between

the fates of small religious sects and mainstream

denominations in applications for zoning

exemptions?

The research casts some doubts upon the

dominant narrative, which suggests that churches

have been routinely victimized by local zoning

boards. Instead, this comment shows that Tulsa

religious institutions, both large and small, face

little discrimination from municipal land use

regulations. This finding also calls into question the

wisdom of recent calls for federal involvement in

local land use decisions. (Clowney, 2007). Giertz

(1977) suggested “that the necessity of and for

zoning is driven by outside or external forces

created by improper or inappropriate usage of the

land. The effectively of zoning is therefore

measured or reflected in the increase of property

values after appropriate zoning” (pp. 812-815).

Giertz’s observations seem to be as relevant today

as they were when this article was written. However

we still have pseudo monopolies today in many

areas. Often these monopolies are benevolent and

serve the greater good.

Giertz (1977, p. 567) further wrote, “As in

many public choice situations, this same person

might well desire to violate (through some type of

variance) this same zoning ordinance once it is in

place.”

An example of this is when a land developer

requests a large track of land by zoned for a specific

residential housing use and then adds shopping

areas or recreational parks.

How The Zoning Code is applied in Tulsa

Oklahoma

If an owner wants to develop a piece of

property it is referred to as a "use by right".

He may do so with a minimal amount of effort.

Pollak (1994, p. 124) wrote, “Communities need to

rethinking zoning to accommodate the new

requirements in family housing.” As the size and

makeup of the family changes and their income

levels fluctuate, it is no longer practical for large

single family homes on acreage. In today’s real

estate market and economic turndown, many young

families are moving in with their parents. College

students are also staying at home for several years

after graduation.

Pollak (1994) observed that in the suburbs, families

who have made substantial financial commitments

to home ownership sometimes find themselves

unable to keep them.

The real estate market is changing daily.

With the present banking and credit squeeze many

families find that they cannot even refinance to

restructure their loans.



God’s Shinning Light Church has acquired

many of these large older homes and renovated

them into profit centers both as multi-family

dwellings and professional offices. This is a

classical example of where zoning change is

required for the best use of the property.

“Tulsa” (2009) defines a “PUD Planned Unit

Development District”. It allows the developer

design flexibility within a unified development

project.

The PUD provides a vehicle by which

compatible entities can coexist side by side to

obtain the best use of the land. By converting single

family units into multiple family units especially for

the elderly, provide for both best utilization of the

property it also provides economical housing. Price

(2001) wrote several articles on “The importance of

Religious Land Use “ which discussed land use for

properties that might be donated.

Zoning defines land usage, occupancy,

density, construction type, parking spaces, etc. This

zoning poilcy can affect every property owner in

most large cities.

Churches are allowed in Tulsa Oklahoma

in the following districts: OH, OM, OMH, CH, CS,

CG, and CBD. (See Definition of Terms for

explanation of abbreviations). Parking and drainage

are some of the most difficult subjects in the

rezoning effort.

Price (2001) observed land use regulation is

beneficial for the health, safety, and welfare of the

community; however, zoning can be an obstacle to

the free exercise of religion.

Exceptions often need to be made to some

zoning requirements to provide for gatherings such

as for churches and other civic activities. Also

provisions are required for the size and type of

buildings, parking, playgrounds and height of

steeples or other elevated structures.

In conclusion, zoning is a very big part of

our lives and affects all the real estate that we own

or use. The existing government agencies have

procedures in place that makes it easy to rezone

property to obtain the best use and or valve.

Summary of Literature review

The subject of zoning has been around for a

long time and has affected communities in many

different ways. There is always a trade-off between

the involved parties, the home owners, the business

owners, and land speculators, residential vs.

industrial and so on. Fortunately the people who

wrote and approve the laws provided for a process

to change the zoning code as usages of the property

changed. The result of the literature research

showed that church owned property has been a

concern for several decades. In today’s market it is

often more practical to donate a property to the

church rather than try to sell the property on the

open market. The results of our research have

established the relative cost advantages or

disadvantages of donated vs. purchased properties.

Methods

Hypothesis

The research question and the basic purpose

of this study was to analyze the cost and difficulty

to obtain desirable zoning change from the Tulsa

Board of Adjustment (TBA) for church owned

property based on the origin of the property

“purchased or donated”. Church owned property

were often donated to the church and were zoned

for other purposes. This study examined zoning

decisions for the past five years comparing approval

and the denial of first time zoning request for both

types of property owned by church. The hypothesis

was based on staff hours and administrative cost

required to obtain desirable zoning codes for

property purchased vs. property donated. The

intended outcome and objective of this study was to

show that it was more difficult to obtain desirable

zoning codes for donated property. The alternate



hypothesis in words states that there was a

significant difference in difficulty, staff hours, cost

and attitudes between purchased (µp) and donated

(µd) property. Ha: µp ≠ µd

Design

The research design employed in this study

was a “Descriptive Research” method to measure

the difference in desirable results.

The dependent variable. The dependent

variable was a combination of difficulty, hours, cost

and attitude.

The independent variable. The

independent variable was the method of

acquisition of the property; whether it was

purchased or was donated to the church.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to describe

systematically the facts and characteristics of a

given population or area of interest, factually and

accurately. The end goal was to make

recommendations for change on the basis of the

data observed.

Characteristics of Descriptive Research

(BADM 4423, 2010) 1. Descriptive

research was used in the literal sense of

describing situations or events. It was the

accumulation of a database that was solely

descriptive—it does not necessarily seek to

explain relationships, test hypotheses, or

make predictions, although research aimed

at these more powerful purposes may

incorporate descriptive methods.

2. Aimed at collecting detailed factual

information that describes existing

phenomena.

3. Aimed at identifying problems or current

conditions and/or practices that could be

improved.

A needs analysis study fits here.

One collects data to determine if conditions

are ripe for change. For the needs analysis

study, hypothesis was tested difference

between donated and purchased; however

two groups (µd & µp) were used and data

were collected, generally, only once.

Data mining procedures are generally

descriptive in nature. In the exploratory

stage of data mining, hypotheses are sought

which then are later tested in the

confirmatory stage (BADM 4423, 2010)

Properties

The properties involved in this study were

all real estate acquired by God’s Shining Light

Church in the last (10) ten years in Tulsa County,

Oklahoma. The primary criteria determined for

properties were that they had been purchased or

donated and intended for use by the church.

The variables were measured in the form of a

research questionnaire submitted to the church

accounting and administrative staff. (See appendix)

Questions included consisted of the cost, staff

hours, satisfaction of property and usage

environment. There were twenty questions on the

survey with (5) Likert Scale inquires. Low scores

indicated that the participant was generally satisfied

with the effort or task. A high score represented

that they were not satisfied with the process and the

results.

Participants

The questionnaires were completed by

administrative staff and accountants at God’

Shining light church who were involved in the

acquisition of the target properties. For the 20

properties there were fifteen different people

involved with the closing and associated duties.

Instrumentation



The N for the survey was 20 which was the

number of properties acquired in the last 10 years.

This number consisted of ten purchased properties

and ten donated properties. The survey, one for

each property, was then distributed via e-mail with

cover letters to each of the participants. In order to

prevent biased responses, the participants were not

informed that the primary research was focused on

the aspect of purchased vs. donated and then the

samples were divided into two sample groups. The

completed surveys were collected, analyzed, and

subjected to a two sample independent t test to

determine the final results.

Procedure

To start the process a subject was selected

and then what variable would be examined. This

was followed by determination of a testing method

and the type of question to be asked or data

gathered. The next phase was to design the forms

for collecting the data and forms for calculating the

data for the setup procedure. Once the data were

gathered and tested for usability the data was

entered into STATISTICA (StatSoft, Inc, 2011) for

calculation and print out.

Data Analysis

The level of significance was .05 and a two

sample independent t was used to test the

hypothesis.

Descriptive analysis

For each of the variables, a mean and

standard deviation was determined from the survey

data. (See attached worksheet) The data were then

entered into the STATISTICA program in order to

produce graphs. A histogram was constructed to

reflect the scores and to evaluate the two groups.

Face validity was used and is explained under the

instrumentation section.

Inferential analysis

The alternative hypothesis was that there

would be a significant difference between the two

sample scores (Ha: µp ≠ µd). The null hypothesis

stated that the separate group scores would not

show a significant difference (Ho: µp = µd).

Limitations and Constraints

There were a plethora of reasons why a

person may not be able to reach the conclusions of

this study. Since this was a prototype experiment

and there were no previous studies of this type

available, the conclusion to this study should be

considered tentative until more studies can be

completed. Efforts were made to test validity and

reliability; however, due to the number of available

properties and time constraints, limitations and

constraints were placed on all. The first part of the

questionnaire deals with hard facts; dollars & hours.

The second half deals with more abstract opinions

and feelings.

Summary of Results

This study examined zoning decisions for

the past ten years comparing approval and the

denial of first time zoning request for both types of

property owned by church. The hypothesis was

based on staff hours and administrative cost




show that donated property was more difficult to

obtain desirable zoning codes. The alternate



and attitudes between purchased and donated

property.










for other purposes

To describe systematically the facts and

characteristics of a given population or area of

interest, factually and accurately the end goal was to

make recommendations for change on the basis of

the data observed.

Descriptive research was used in the literal

sense of describing situations or events. It was the

accumulation of a database that was solely

descriptive—it does not necessarily seek to explain

relationships, test hypotheses, or make predictions,

although research aimed at these more powerful

purposes may incorporate descriptive methods. The

descriptive information for the types of properties

may be found in Table 1.

Table 1

Descriptive Statistical Information

Inferential Data Analysis

The alternative hypothesis was that there

would be a significant difference between the two

sample scores (Ha: µp ≠ µd). The null hypothesis

stated that the separate group scores would not

show a significant difference (Ho: µp = µd). The

critical value at the .05 level of significance with 18

degrees of freedom was +/- 2.101. The actual value

of t was 7.93, resulting in the rejection of the null

hypothesis. It was concluded that the purchased

properties cost less than the donated properties in

obtaining desirable zoning.

The process of gathering the data required

for this study opened many doors and initiated a

dialog with very important government agencies. It

also made the process of acquiring real estate easier

to understand and implement. The first significant

tangible result was establishing categories for the

survey which resulted in a much better

understanding of the task. Figure 2 shows part of

the financial analysis that was part of the survey.

Figure 2. Financial analyses were also counted as

part of the survey results, as additional evidences of

the difficulty in zoning.

The average results of the individual

variables provided a dynamic picture of the process

and may be viewed in Figure 3, again highlighting

the difference of the independent t test.



Figure 3. Histograms of the total difficulty scores

between purchased and donated properties.

Exploratory Statistical Analyses

I wanted to see which questions (see

Appendix A for survey) most separated the

purchased versus donated properties. A feature

selection and root cause analysis produced the

importance plot of Figure 4. Questions 14, 15, and

12 seemed most predictive.

Figure 4. Importance plot that reveals possible

predictive relationships for purchased versus

donated.

I then conducted an ANOVA analysis in Figure 5 to

see if the relationships would be revealed.

Figure 5. This graph shows the possible

relationships among the questions. Donated

properties had higher scores than purchased

properties, indicating more difficulties in closing,

timeliness and efficiency in zoning.

These results go a long way of training

property managers on what to look for and the

hidden cost of what seems like a valuable asset.

Figure 6 shows a mean with error plot of the total

scores. The 95% confidence intervals do not even

overlap.



Figure 6. The confidence intervals are widely

separated between purchased and donated

properties in terms of overall difficulty in obtaining

zoning.

The feasibility of this type of analysis has

been proven to be an extremely valuable and easy to

use tool or instrument for making informed

decisions with regard to the acquisitions of property

for church use.

Discussions and Conclusions

General Discussions and Conclusions








for other purposes

Strengths and Weaknesses of the study

This study examined zoning decisions for

the past five years comparing approval and the

denial of first time zoning request for both types of

property owned by church. The hypothesis was

based on staff hours and administrative cost




show that donated property was more difficult to

obtain desirable zoning codes. The alternate



and attitudes between purchased and donated

property.

Recommendations

Questions included consisted of the cost,

staff hours, satisfaction of property and usage

environment. There were twenty questions on the

survey with (5) Likert Scale inquires. Low scores

indicated that the participant was generally satisfied

with the effort or task. A high score represented

that they were not satisfied with the process and the

results.

Suggestions for Future Research

Everything involved in planning and

executing this project must be documented so that

someone else could replicate this project. To start

the process a subject was selected and then what

variable would be examined. This was followed by

determination of a testing method and the type of

question to be asked or data gathered. The next

phase was to design the forms for collecting the

data and forms for calculating the data for the setup

procedure. Then systematically for a given

population or area of interest describe the facts and

characteristics factually and accurately. The end

goal was to make recommendations for change on

the basis of the data observed



References

BADM 4423 (2010). Applied research and reporting, BADM 4423. Bethany, OK. SNU Published paper.

Bettman, A. (1924). Constitutionality of

zoning. Harvard Law Review, 37(7), 42-67.

Retrieved from EBSCOhost. 9 July 2011.

Beals, R. A. (1986) Fundamentals of Real Estate.

Professional Real Estate Publishers, Tulsa,

Oklahoma.

Clowney, S. (2007). An empirical look at churches

in the zoning process. Yale Law Journal,

116(4), 859-868. Retrieved from

EBSCOhost EBSCO. Web. 21 July 2011.

Giertz, J. (1977). A note on zoning and monopoly.

Growth & Change, 8(1), 50. Retrieved from

EBSCOhost. Journal of the American

Planning Association 60.4 (1994): 521.

Academic Search Premier. 10 July 2011.

Pollak, P. (1994). Rethinking zoning to

accommodate the elderly in single family

housing. Journal of the American Planning

Association, 60(4), 521. Retrieved from

EBSCOhost. 16 July 2011

Price, D. N. (2001). The constitutional standard for

zoning cases under the Texas Religious

Freedom Restoration Act. Texas Journal on

Civil Liberties & Civil Rights, 6(2), 365.

Retrieved from EBSCOhost. 19 July 2011

StatSoft, Inc. (2011). WebSTATISTICA (data

analysis software system), version 9.

www.statsoft.com.

Smilde, R. (2008, May). Lifelong Learners in

Music; Research into Musicians’

Biographical Learning. International

Journal of Community Music, 1(2), 243-252.

doi:10.1386/.1.2.243/

Retrieved from EBSCOhost

Taylor, A., & Hallam, S. (2008, June).

Understanding what it means for older

students to learn basic musical skills on a

keyboard instrument. Music Education

Research, 10(2), 285-306. doi:10.1080/

Retrieved from EBSCOhost

Tulsa Metropolitan Area Planning Commission

(TMAPC) (2009) A citizen’s guide to planning and

zoning. www.tmapc.org

http://www.tmapc.org/



Appendix A,

Questionnaire and Survey. Zoning for church owned property

1. Address of acquired property?________________________________________________

2. Date of Closing (Acquired property)?_____________________________________________

3. Purchased? ________________________ or donated ?____________________________

4. Date zoning decision was received?_________________________________________

5. Date zoning was applied for? _____________________(elapsed days_____________)

6. Costs, legal?_____________________________________________ ($____________)

7. Costs , Administrative (Closing)? __________________________($_____________)

8 Costs, staff hours.?________________________________________($____________)

9. Costs, Utilities (Occupancy)? _______________________________($_____________)

10. Costs, Renovation (Occupancy)?______________________________($k___________)

Section one equals 6 data points questions 5 thru 10, (Scale to 100 maximum)

SECTION TWO

11. Obtaining an updated abstract from the attorney or title company was easy and on time.

Strongly Agree_____Agree_____Neutral______Disagree_____Strongly Disagree_______

12. Closing agent had all the documents to closed the transaction in an efficient manor

Strongly Agree_____Agree_____Neutral______Disagree_____ Strongly Disagree_______

13. Probate proceedings were swift and without difficulties and did not delay the closing.



Strongly Agree______Agree_____Neutral______Disagree_____ Strongly Disagree_______

14. Mortgage companies, bank and other financial institutions provided required info on time.


15. Zoning code request was processed in an efficient and timely manor.


Section two equal 500 points, 5 questions times 100 points each. Each question is worth 20 pts.

Lowest score could be 100, highest score could be 500.

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