To applause, the Board of Supervisors June 10 turned away an attempt to stop construction of a church along Highway 227 in Edna Valley.
The decision clears the way for the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship to construct 11,000-square-foot facility.
Neighbor Philip Da Silva had appealed an earlier decision allowing the church, saying he was concerned about traffic on the busy road and potential water runoff problems. A handful of other neighbors also opposed the church.
“I don’t think it’s a matter of if it’s going to be a traffic accident,” said neighbor Joe Rouleau, “I think it’s a matter of when.”
But church leaders have been working for a year to address objections raised to their plans and county staffers said the plan had met all requirements. Supervisors approved in on a 5-0 vote as church members looked on.
This article appears in Jun 12-19, 2008.