Santa Monica : Church Construction OKd
The City Council approved construction of a Jehovah’s Witnesses church in the city’s Sunset Park area.
The mayor and one council member said the large turnout in favor of the church--more than 100 supporters attended Tuesday night’s council meeting--helped sway their votes. The vote was 5 to 1, with Councilman David Finkel absent.
The project was technically denied by the city Planning Commission in October because the commission cast only three votes in favor of the plan, instead of the mandatory four.
The structure, to be built at 2119 Virginia Ave., will replace the Jehovah’s Witnesses building on Pico Boulevard, which will probably be sold, a church attorney said.
A small number of people opposing the church said it would create greater traffic congestion on narrow Virginia Avenue. Supporters, however, said it would not create significant traffic and would be a good neighbor.
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