Readers Respond -- A few readers support church’s plea

The Planning Commission’s voting down the proposed tent in disregard

of the city’s own planning staff’s recommendation is a mistake of great

magnitude (“Commission rejects church tent request,” Feb. 27). For 12

years, I lived a few hundred feet from Calvary Church Newport Mesa. It

was a wonderful neighbor and will continue to be one at its new location.

Any new structure has to improve the view of that weed-infested vacant

lot.

The benefit of this church to the city far outweighs the short-term

perceived blight of a new temporary building. I think the Planning

Commission should attend a few services to see what changes this church

has made in Costa Mesa residents’ lives. With a comment like “I can’t see

how it can be good for the people of Costa Mesa,” Commissioner Eleanor

Egan apparently is more concerned with visual aspects of real property,

rather than with the heart and soul of the fine people in our city.

STEVE BAUGH

Newport Beach

I read with interest the Costa Mesa Planning Commission decision to

deny Calvary Church’s request to erect a temporary structure on their

property on Newport Boulevard. I attended that commission meeting as an

observer and was able to not only hear the arguments, but to see the

architectural rendering of the proposed structure as well.

To call that structure a “tent” is a total misrepresentation of the

facts. Their proposed building is an 8-inch thick, fully enclosed,

sprinklered, 8,000-square-foot structure, not a portable carwash canopy.

Anyone looking at the rendering of this building and hearing Tim Celek

and Dan Steward speak to its design specifications must clearly

understand that their proposed structure is no tent. To continue to refer

to it as such is, in my opinion, misleading at best.

Celek made quite clear the fact that the site for the proposed

structure is set back in excess of 130 feet from Newport Boulevard, is

nearly 360 feet from its nearest residential neighbor and is 15 feet

lower at its apex than the already-approved main sanctuary. That does not

sound obtrusive to me. Surely, with the enhancement of some attractive

landscaping, this short-term structure can’t possibly be detrimental to

the overall look of that stretch of the boulevard.

I understand that, when completed, the church’s new campus will be the

major complex along Newport Boulevard, from Fair Drive to 19th Street

modern, attractive and fully integrated into the community in both style

and substance. They are making a great contribution to the city and

people of Costa Mesa, and I believe it is in the best interest of

everyone to let them get on with it.

As long-term residents and business owners in Newport-Mesa, my wife

and I have observed the growth of Calvary Church and its impact on our

community. We know of their efforts to bring educational assistance to

schoolchildren on the Westside, of the annual Halloween event that serves

several hundred local families and their consistent efforts to be good

neighbors. Who can deny that a dynamic, relevant and community-oriented

church is anything but a huge boon to any city?

I thought Perry Valentine, from the Planning Department, gave a very

comprehensive statement in recommending approval of this structure, and I

agree with Commissioner Bill Perkins’ assessment that the commission made

“a terrible mistake” in not doing so. Fortunately, this is one mistake

that can probably be rectified.

I hope the City Council members are willing to look at this situation

with their own, fresh eyes. I urge them to look at the facts, not get

hung up on a word and welcome this temporary addition into the fabric of

our community.

TERRY MOORE

Newport Beach

The Planning Commission denial of a temporary use permit request by

Calvary Church Newport-Mesa was somewhat puzzling. I was in attendance at

that meeting and listened to the planning staff strongly recommend the

“sprung structure” as fully compatible with surrounding areas and

enhancing the area, not detracting from it in anyway.

The church had myriad information, color samples and a very impressive

rendering of how the “sprung structure” would look when erected. It is

apparent that these buildings are well within code and when designed with

a soft color, such as that proposed by Steward and Celek, will present a

very pleasing integrated design for the new campus desired by the church.

The project, while just finishing the first phase, when fully

completed will be a jewel in Costa Mesa’s community of major projects.

The management of the church’s real estate holdings and their ability to

market their properties is not in the scope of a Planning Commission’s

commission. I would hope their mission would be to enable the city and

the church to reach a workable solution to the temporary needs their

client, the church and its congregation find they are trying to solve.

Compromise and adjustments incorporated with good taste and reasonable

time frames for completion are recommended as guidelines for

consideration.

The ability of Calvary Church to grow while at the same time serving

the community with a number of outreach programs is greatly stifled by

restricting their worship area to the very size they currently have on

the old property. The logistics of having services at one location while

the children and other programs are taking place at another location

confines the level of service and restricts the interaction of the

fellowship.

I would hope the church would appeal the commission’s decision and

work toward a compatible solution.

ANDY ROSS

Orange

* EDITOR’S NOTE: Andy Ross is a member of Calvary Church Newport

Mesa.