FOUNTAIN VALLEY : Council OKs Church Use of School Site

After months of delay, the First Chinese Baptist Church will finally get to move into its new home.

The City Council Tuesday denied an appeal filed by a resident and ruled that the church can operate at 16835 Brookhurst St., a former private school.

Council members unanimously supported the Planning Commission’s April 27 approval of a special city permit to allow the church to occupy the site.

The church plans to hold worship services, Bible study and prayer meetings as well as offer programs for youth groups and English as a second language classes. The church will also remodel the interiors of existing buildings and construct a new parking lot.

Resident Alex Gilbert, who filed the appeal, also filed a lawsuit last year alleging that the city violated environmental review procedures for the church proposal.

Last year, church officials applied for city permission to move the growing congregation to Brookhurst Street because of its need for a larger facility.

But after planning commissioners gave approval, another resident sought to overturn that decision and filed an appeal to the council.

At a hearing last September, the council upheld the Planning Commission’s decision to give the church approval to move to the site. Following that decision, Gilbert filed the lawsuit.

In January, the lawsuit was dismissed by a Superior Court judge after church officials agreed to relinquish the approved city permit and reapply for permission to move their church to the four-acre property.

Mayor John J. Collins said exhaustive traffic and environmental studies for the church proposal have been conducted and that the project meets city and state codes.

Gilbert, who lives near the proposed church site, told council members that he objected to the church approval for a number of reasons. Gilbert said he believes an environmental impact report was necessary instead of the less extensive environmental review process that was done.

Some residents of the area told the council Tuesday that traffic would increase and pose a danger to children if church members use residential streets.

Collins said there will be no access into the neighborhood from the church parking lot. Access into the church parking lot will be provided only from Brookhurst Street.

Residents who live on nearby Mariposa Avenue also expressed a desire to close that street to limit traffic because motorists use the street as a short cut.