Skepticism greets temple plans

June Casagrande

NEWPORT BEACH -- A polished presentation was met with skepticism and

even hostility as about 30 neighbors of a proposed Mormon temple listened

to reasons why its towering steeple and 24-hour lighting shouldn’t

concern them.

Fears that the ultraconservative minority religion could draw the

hostilities of rowdy youths only added fuel to the fire.

The meeting with the Bonita Canyon Homeowners Assn. Wednesday was one

in a series of face-to-face pitches by the Church of Jesus Christ of

Latter-day Saints with the people they hope will be the new neighbors of

their 17,500-square-foot temple proposed to be built near the

intersection of Bonita Canyon Drive and MacArthur Boulevard.

But a slide show that superimposed images of the 91-foot steeple

protruding from the 35-foot high temple roof shown from various angles

and neighborhoods did little to convince the small crowd that their views

and property values on their million-dollar homes won’t suffer.

“All your values will go up,” said church representative Joseph

Bentley, citing data that homes near houses of worship tend to

appreciate.

But some who attended the meeting in the stake center chapel weren’t

buying it.

“That steeple is what I’m going to see when I’m looking out my

window,” resident David Wolf said. “You can’t tell me that it won’t

affect my value.”

Wolf also said he was worried that the temple could draw hollers and

other hostilities from teenagers in passing cars.

Some present said the church’s existing stake center at 2150 Bonita

Canyon Drive has been a good neighbor, but worried about the soft lights

that will cast against the building 24 hours a day.

“We really, truly want to be good neighbors,” said Bentley, one of

three presenters working to assure the residents that the narrowness of

the 8-foot-wide steeple, the muted lighting and off-white color of the

proposed building were all designed to make the facility an asset instead

of an intrusion to the neighborhood.

City Councilman Steve Bromberg asked a series of carefully considered

questions about the height of the steeple and need to keep the lights on

round the clock.

“This is the first you’ve told us about the 24-hour lighting,” said

Bromberg, who previously met with church representatives in preparation

for the eventual vote by the council.

Because the steeple, which will reach about 12 stories high, exceeds

the 50-foot height limitations for the area, the church needs to get the

approval of the Planning Commission, probably sometime in February,

before the City Council gets the final vote on the project.

If church planners succeed, the temple -- the first and only one in

Orange County -- is estimated to be completed in spring 2003.