LONGMONT, Colo. -- Lifebridge Christian Church's plans to build a mega-church campus on 315 acres in Longmont drew protests March 12 from residents living near the proposed site.

According to the Greeley Tribune, protesters said plans for the multi-building facility are too large for the residential area.

"I'm scared," said Peter Gries, who bought a home two years ago in the Elms at Meadowvale, next to the land Lifebridge purchased in 2001. "That's the bottom line. I'm scared. I felt safe investing my life savings and I can't just trust the process. I have to stand out here and hold a placard."

Duane Leise hefted signs reading "Protect Our Children" and "Please Stop Mega-Development -- Too Big."

Myrna Sullivan, a nurse, said the church campus would defile her neighborhood's quiet, country atmosphere. Sullivan moved to the Elms from Virginia in August.

"We had been told by a Realtor that there would be a church going in," Sullivan said. "We weren't told that the church would be essentially establishing its own township."

(See related story "Lifebridge Christian wants mega-church campus on 315 acres.")

Protesters are concerned the application will pass easily because people's concept of a church is more simplistic than Lifebridge's actual proposal.

"Churches are considered residential," said Mead trustee Ursula Morgan, who was at the commission meeting. "But this is a huge complex."

The application is scheduled to go before the planning commission on March 18 and the Weld County commissioners after that.

"We want to give it due process, and that means giving hearing for both sides at the same time," Commissioner Dave Long said after the meeting.

Lifebridge opponents are concerned no one will listen to their side. Their commissioner, Glenn Vaad, has recused himself because he is an elder in the church. That fear led them to picket like anti-development activists, something some had never done before.

"Not once," Leise said, "not even during the Vietnam War."