The Oakdale Planning Commission unanimously approved a conditional use permit Thursday for the Ethiopian Evangelical Church in Minnesota to establish a place of worship at the former LA Fitness location at 7360 33rd Street North.

The church, currently located in St. Paul with about 700 congregants, plans to renovate the 45,000-square-foot building to accommodate up to 915 people in the main assembly hall. The facility will include office space, Sunday school classrooms, a gym, kitchen and gathering areas. All renovation work will be limited to the building's interior, with no exterior expansions planned.

The commission approved the permit with one condition requiring wayfinding signage at the intersection of 33rd Street North and Hemingway Avenue North. The signage aims to direct traffic away from the problematic intersection of Hemingway Avenue and 34th Street, where no left turn lane exists for westbound traffic.

Attorney Chuck Blair, representing the church, said the primary traffic impact will occur during Sunday morning services, with minimal weekday activity limited to religious classes of 40-50 students and occasional events. The site's 300 existing parking spaces exceed the required 247 spaces for the proposed use.

Planning staff recommended approval after determining the application met all conditional use permit criteria. The church must obtain a separate sign permit for any exterior signage changes through the city.