By Ryan Ozimek
After a lengthy public meeting June 26, the Planning Commission unanimously denied a proposed expansion of the Los Gatos Christian Church on Hicks Road.
The proposal would have allowed the church to increase its school attendance by 230 students, the building of 10 temporary rooms and a conditional use permit for a 17,500-square-foot youth recreational facility. The current permit allows 540 students.
The key issue that brought out neighboring residents was a fear of increased street traffic near the school on Hicks Road and on nearby streets. Although a detailed traffic study completed in April showed that nearby intersections would see a relatively small increase in traffic, Michael Burke, a neighbor of the church, argued that the survey did not sufficiently analyze the intersection nearest the school at Hicks and Burke roads.
Through his own calculations, Burke claimed, the proposed expansion would result in a 26 percent increase in traffic on Hicks Road.
"If the engineer who conducted the survey was concerned about a 1.5 percent increase in traffic [at the Blossom Hill Road and Camden Avenue intersection], then what would he think of a 26 percent increase?" said Burke.
Burke also suggested that if the commission passed this proposal, it would be unable to stop the proposed expansion of other structures in the neighborhood, including Challenger School. Challenger's proposal for a 43,582-square-foot school on 11.3 acres next to Los Gatos Christian Church comes before the Planning Commission July 24. The proposed elementary school would have an enrollment of of 560 students.
After two hours of public debate, the commission ultimately sided with residents, concurring with Commissioner Kathryn Morgan's motion to deny the application. Morgan cited issues such as increased traffic, added noise and a 1982 expansion rejection by the council as reasons for her vote against the project.
Disappointed by the decision, Dale Evans, a consultant for the church, said, "We'll need to have a meeting with the key people involved with the project to decide whether we want to appeal this vote."
If the church does decide to appeal, it can be sure to find neighboring residents in its way yet again.
"If [the church] appeals, I'll make it a point to be there," Burke stressed.
This article appeared in the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, July 3, 1996.
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