COSTA MESA : More Input Sought on Church Addition

The Planning Commission has asked city planners to talk with neighbors of Christ Lutheran Church before the commission considers a request to add 7,780 square feet of new classrooms and a day-care center to the church school on Victoria Street.

Neighbors of the church told the commission Monday that parents who drop their children off at the school are creating too much noise when they drive on nearby residential streets.

Donald Elmore, who lives near the school, brought a petition signed by 17 neighbors who oppose the planned expansion.

Architect Thomas E. Steinfeld, a member of the church, told the commission he is willing to work with residents. He told Elmore after the meeting that he would like to include the petition in a newsletter to parents, to alert people to the problem.

But Steinfeld also said he had never before heard any complaints about noise generated by people traveling to the church or school.

Elmore said he would like parents to drop their children off at the school’s front entrance on Victoria Street instead of the rear entrance on Congress Street. Traffic going to the Congress Street entrance passes his home, he said.

The school wants to build five new classrooms, two new restrooms and two day-care rooms in a second-floor expansion. The commission is set to hear the request on Feb. 14.

In other action, the commission decided to rehear on Feb. 14 a request to open an alcohol-free pool hall in the Mesa Verde Drive Plaza at 1525 Mesa Verde Drive.

Issa Abdel Ahad presented plans for a 10-table pool hall to be open from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. every day. He had proposed at a December commission meeting to serve alcohol, but commissioners said that might result in noise, loitering, vandalism and other crime problems.

Some neighboring business owners came to the commission meeting to say they oppose a pool hall even without alcohol served. Bookseller Robert A. Michna said six store owners signed a petition opposing the pool hall.