ALISO VIEJO : Mission Viejo Co. Sells Churches Land

After years of searching for sites for new facilities in fast-growing South County, three religious organizations have recently purchased land from the Mission Viejo Co.

Temple Beth El, the Catholic Diocese of Orange and the Mormon Church have all closed escrow on property in the planned community of Aliso Viejo within the last two months, said Mission Viejo Co. spokeswoman Wendy Wetzel. Several other churches are negotiating with the company, Wetzel added.

The Mormon Church’s purchase of a $3 million, 5.5-acre site on Aliso Creek Road just north of Glenwood Drive was the culmination of a exhausting search, particularly along Street of the Golden Lantern and Moulton Parkway, a highway that runs from Dana Point to Irvine, said church spokesman Milton Riggs.

“We found there was absolutely no land available along the Golden Lantern corridor,” Riggs said. “We have tried for years to buy land along there and could find none. The county has allowed developers to go in there with maximum densities for commercial and residential uses, but no land for such things as churches and recreational uses.”

For Temple Beth El, a Reform Judaism congregation, the purchase is the end of a five-year search. The 280-family congregation drawn from throughout the South County bought a 3.38-acre parcel at the corner of Aliso Creek Road and Laguna Hills Drive in Pacific Park II for about $1.8 million, said spokeswoman Jo Ann Simon. Its financial partner was Farmers & Merchants Bank, Simon said.

The Diocese of Orange purchased a parcel on Laguna Hills Drive, just west of Aliso Creek Road, Wetzel said. Details of the purchase were not available.

Because of land prices in the South County, which Riggs put at between $500,000 to $700,000 an acre, many congregations have been forced to meet in such places as schools, warehouses or bowling alleys. A recent survey conducted by the Affiliation of Concerned Religious Communities showed that 80% of the county’s church congregations have under 800 members and the vast majority under 200 members.

Wetzel said all religious organizations are treated the same, despite their size.

“It is true that most small congregations must start out renting, just like families,” Wetzel said.