LOS ALAMITOS : City Rejects Church Request to Build Lot

The City Council has rejected a request by the Cottonwood Christian Center to build a gravel parking lot for church use on vacant land at Sausalito and Chestnut streets.

In denying the request last week, officials said the proposed parking lot does not meet the requirements that lots be paved, striped, lighted and accessible to disabled people.

Approving the request would amount to giving the church a special privilege, officials said.

“We welcome the church. We know it does good work,” said Mayor Anthony R. Selvaggi. But “we have to go by our codes. We cannot break our laws.”

Because of its growing membership, the 2,000-member congregation wanted additional parking for 183 cars. Its current parking facility provides for 198 cars, said Gene Pietrini, the church pastor.

Pietrini said they proposed to grade a two-acre vacant lot close to the church, build a six-foot-high perimeter chain link fence and cover the drive areas with gravel.

The additional parking spaces would prevent church members from parking on the streets, which would inconvenience residents, he said.

But City Engineer Jeff Thompson said that a gravel parking lot would be dusty and eventually, dirt, rock and debris will be pulled into the streets, creating street cleaning problems.