LONGMONT - City Council members agreed Tuesday night to annex 350 acres to the city so that a church can develop a community that will include a $25 million sports arena, luxury homes, retail space and a mega-church.

Members of the century-old LifeBridge Christian Church were thrilled by the 6-1 vote, but dozens of opponents said the vote gives too much to the church and too little to taxpayers.

Opponents had urged the council to put the issue before voters, saying Longmont would be spending millions of dollars to improve roads near Colorado 119 and Union Reservoir to build a fire station and bring water to the development.

They also are worried that the church's tax-exempt status could mean that a big chunk of the acreage would never pay property or use taxes, and that it could be a drain on the city to the tune of $1 million a year or more.

"It stirs the issue of church and state," Richard Juday said.

Opponents presented 800 signatures asking for the matter to be brought before voters.

The public hearing grew contentious but never out of control. Opponents by and large said the church has been a good neighbor and that its 4,000 members very well might need a new building.

But they voiced concern that the development would be its own separate community attached to Longmont in name only.

Council members rejected a motion by Councilwoman Karen Benker to put the matter before voters. Councilman Marty Block pointed to a 6-pound notebook before him, saying, "This is the book of stuff you need to understand this issue," implying that it is unreasonable to expect residents to become experts on the matter.

Benker was the sole dissenting vote on the annexation question.

"I don't like the separateness," she said, noting that the church's development arm, Corporation for Community Christian Connections, plans a "cradle-to-grave" development, including an assisted-living center and recreation center.

She said she didn't get a straight answer from city staff about what parts of the project would be tax-exempt.

Opponents noted that a Florida judge recently ruled that everything in a similar development there, including the Christian-themed amusement park, was exempt from taxes.

Proponents, sensing that the vote would likely go their way, were less passionate and less detailed in their statements, most simply saying that the church has been a good neighbor and that the development will be good for Longmont.

Church members said the intention is that full taxes will be paid on everything that is not directly related to the church.