The County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to amend a community plan to make way for a 90,000 square-foot church facility in 4S Ranch despite opposition from thousands of the site’s neighbors.
The Chinese Bible Church is planned for a 9-acre piece of land near Four Gee Road and Camino Del Sur that was once zoned for residential development. The board voted 5-0 to amend the Santa Fe Valley Community Plan so that the church could be built there.
The facility will feature five buildings, be open 16 to 18 hours per day every day of the week and will feature a 417-space parking lot.
The local planning commission opposed the project, and nearly 5,500 neighbors signed a petition to for the board to reject the project. Among their concerns are noise, pollution, traffic, and the fact that fire threats have forced the evacuation of the one-way-in-one-way-out community twice in the last 10 years.
“They are supposed to be our voice and its very, very disappointing and overturn the zoning of our master plan community,” resident Patty Anders said. "It was very apparent to us that their minds were made up before they heard our public testimony."
Church spokesperson Winnie Soo Hoo told NBC 7, "I understand how neighbors feel. We will work hard to prove we are good neighbors. We are looking forward to providing community services such as health seminars and Bible camps."
Hoo said the church is still working to raise the funds necessary to build all of its buildings and says it could take 10 years to complete.
