GARDEN GROVE : Buddhist Temple Wins Council OK

The City Council has decided to allow the Chua Duoc Su Buddhist congregation to build a temple in Skylark Estates, a neighborhood of mostly single-family homes on Magnolia Avenue.

Complaints from neighbors have delayed the project for more than a year. Only last month, the Planning Commission rejected the project, despite the congregation’s offer to reduce the temple’s size by about half, to 5,000 square feet.

But on Tuesday, council members unanimously agreed to that plan, saying it will not significantly affect noise and traffic in the neighborhood.

“It meets every criteria for that (type of) project, “ Mayor Frank Kessler said Wednesday. “There is no legitimate reason to deny the project.”

The 40-member Buddhist congregation, made up mostly of Vietnamese immigrants, plans to convert a remodeled farmhouse bought five years ago to an elaborate temple with archways, green roofs and curved eaves.

Partly because of the design, residents have complained that the temple would appear out of place in the neighborhood. It would be 29 feet tall at its highest point.

Temple spokeswoman T.Le said the temple, in fact, will enhance the neighborhood. She said a seven-foot-high wall will be built as a buffer between the temple and nearby residences. More than 80 parking spaces will be installed to prevent congregation members from parking on the streets, she said.

“We have decided to hold all activities indoors,” Lee said. “And we will not use firecrackers or fireworks during religious ceremonies, although we were told it’s legal in Garden Grove.”

Le said that some congregation members do not understand why city permits are necessary to operate a temple.

“In Vietnam, you just need a piece of land,” Le said. “Here in America, you need permits. Some of us don’t understand it.”

Churches and temples are allowed in residential areas, according to David Kennon, the city’s community services director. But since 1992, the city has required religious groups to have a conditional use permit. Public hearings are held before the permit is granted, Kennon said, allowing people who could be affected by the project to voice their opinions.