Zoning Panel Rejects Proposal to Build Temple

A city zoning panel Tuesday sided with North Hollywood residents and rejected a proposal to build an Orthodox Jewish temple in a neighborhood of single-family houses.

The Adat Yeshurun Valley Sephardic Orthodox congregation will protest the ruling by the Board of Zoning Appeals to the City Council, which has the final say over the project in the 12400 block of Sylvan Street, said Rabbi Amran Gabay.

“We’re very disappointed,” Gabay said.

The congregation of 91 families outgrew its existing synagogue two years ago and bought the vacant lot about a block away for $210,000, hoping to get a conditional use permit for the temple, Gabay said.

But neighbors have argued that the proposed two-story temple would increase traffic on their quiet streets. Some complained that even if most members observe the laws of Orthodox Judaism and walk to the synagogue Saturday mornings, the extra pedestrians would cause dogs to bark and wake up the neighborhood.

In September, the zoning board postponed a decision and told both sides to meet face-to-face to work out a solution that could include reducing the size of the building to allow fewer worshipers.

Representatives of the temple and the homeowners met twice, but were unable to come to an agreement about the size of the building, said Arline DeSanctis, chief field deputy for Councilman Joel Wachs.

The congregation wants a 12,000-square-foot building, and would agree only to reducing the size by 1,000 square feet. Residents want to limit the size to 6,000 square feet.

Faced with the lack of a compromise, the board voted 3 to 2 against the proposed temple.

“Even if this were a Catholic church or a Christian Science reading room, this wouldn’t be the right place for a religious institution,” board Chairwoman Ilene Olansky said.