Wow, this is a pretty interesting issue. I think that I've got to side with the city on it, though. I don't see how a church's First Amendment protection can trump the city's interest in public welfare, zoning and safety. 5,000 people going in and out of a parking lot every day would be a gigantic mess every Sunday regardless of how it was staggered. As Ustwo pointed out, there's a need for police presence to direct traffic, and the city certainly has the right and the duty to make sure that churches don't outgrow the city's ability to provide a safe and organized entrance and exit to the building. There's also the issue of whether or not the neighbors will allow the parking lots needed, the large structure that would be mostly unused 5 days a week, etc.
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