SAN CLEMENTE : Church Lighthouse Compromise Urged

The City Council last week approved plans for construction of a 14,000-square-foot church and preschool but said church officials must compromise with neighbors who object to plans for a 31-foot lighthouse that would be used as the church’s steeple.

The council voted 5 to 0 to allow construction of the First Baptist Church at the corner of Via Sargo and Calle Frontera but stopped short of approving the lighthouse, which would exceed the city’s 25-foot height limit.

The council will not consider the church’s request for the lighthouse until next month in order to give First Baptist officials and neighbors time to try to work out a compromise.

“I have no problem with the project,” said Councilman Truman Benedict. “But I do have a problem with two groups who are probably going to be neighbors for the rest of their lives not being able to work things out. Hopefully, a good-faith partnership can be achieved between the two groups and some friendly solution can be reached.”

The Rev. Mike Fabarez, pastor at First Baptist Church, told the council that the lighthouse is crucial to the church’s design and added that the main reason for moving to the new location is better visibility.

“We wanted to do something to increase visibility that would be aesthetically pleasing to the community, so we proposed the lighthouse,” Fabarez said. “We feel that the lighthouse would be a pleasing way to establish our goal.”

But members of the Highland Light Homeowners Assn. said the lighthouse is too high and would obstruct their view and lower their property values.

“The church is not what we’re against,” said Bob McKinley, president of the association. “It’s the lighthouse structure that we object to. I was under the impression that people knew where a church was. I didn’t know that it had to be advertised.”

McKinley said the homeowners are willing to work with the church on alternate proposals, including the possibility of a shorter lighthouse.

But after the meeting, Fabarez said he was not optimistic that a solution could be reached.

“We made our compromise when we brought it down from 33 feet to 31 feet,” Fabarez said. “I think we’ve played our last card. I don’t see that they’re willing to budge so it may very well end up being the council’s decision.”

The council will reconsider the matter at its first meeting in March.