4S Ranch haters of proposed Chinese Bible Church of San Diego school project sound off
Opponents of a proposed new church between 4S Ranch and Santa Fe Valley expressed frustrations following the first of two informational sessions, held Wednesday night, and plan to be back Sunday for more.
(Photo: Open house attendees mingled outside the 4S Ranch Library during Wednesday night's event .)
A second open house is set for 2-4 p.m. this Sunday at the Chinese Bible Church of San Diego’s current location, 12335 World Trade Drive, Suite 2 in Carmel Mountain Ranch.
Several residents at the Wednesday meeting said they expected a “sit-down” discussion to ask church officials about specific details, but instead experienced a standing-room-only social gathering, not conducive to fact finding, said Tony Cesario.
Cesario, a Santa Fe Valley resident and member of the Mega Project Abatement Coalition, said the proposed Chinese Bible Church is not the right fit for the rural zoning where it would be constructed in Santa Fe Valley.
“It seems the project is much larger than they (the church) needs,” Cesario said. “We (residents) will be impacted by noise, congestion, traffic and much more.”
The intensity of the use is out of proportion with what the subarea was planned for, said Cesario, along with Dr. Gerald Kent, who also attended Wednesday’s meeting.
Kent pointed out that the traffic, which he describes as having the potential of being “nightmarish,” will be one of the major problems facing the community, if the facility is built.
The men have helped collect an estimated 2,000-signature petition which will likely be forwarded to the San Dieguito Planning Group and the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, they said.
According to Ron Harper, the church’s development manager, plans for the new church have been temporarily put on hold while the church tries to resolve misconceptions about the facility.
Wednesday night was about clearing up misinformation, said church pastors.
“We truly believe we will be good neighbors,” said Kai Tang, one of the pastors. “We want to listen to their concerns and let them know we can be the facility the community can use.”
The new church is expected to be built in two phases at 16919 Four Gee Road, west of 4S Ranch and across from Rancho Santa Fe Fire Station No. 2 in Santa Fe Valley.
The first part of the project will be roughly 70,000 square feet in scope with 110,000 square feet for the second phase.
The new facility would ultimately have seating for 1,500 congregants, two multi-purpose buildings, three classroom buildings, two 57-foot towers, a cafe and a bookstore.
Those who attend the current church, about 720 worshipers, at World Trade Drive in Carmel Mountain Ranch and Westview High School, would become worshipers at the new facility.
Those opposing the project have worries that the church could quickly become a “mega-church,” much like Maranatha Chapel, which ultimately grew to 7,000 members at its Coastwood Road facility on the border of Rancho Bernardo and 4S Ranch.
Church leaders said Wednesday that they see no indication that their membership would ever equal “mega-church” proportions.
Coalition information can be obtained at www.4ssfvmpac.org, while details about the new church facility can be read at www.proposedchurch.com.
