SAN DIEGO — The church bells were loud and clear for developers and the pastor of All Peoples Church during a community planning group meeting in Del Cerro on Monday night.
Planners on the Navajo Planning Group, which includes the community of Del Cerro, rejected a proposal to build a 54,476-square-foot church, a 71,010-square-foot parking garage, classrooms, large meeting rooms, and an all-purpose gym on the six acres of vacant land off Interstate 8 at College Avenue project.
“The people in the neighborhood are concerned about how it’s going to affect the congestion and the infrastructure in that neighborhood doesn’t support something that big.,” said one Del Cerro resident who lives in the area and attended the meeting.
During the meeting, volunteer planners voted against the project, citing environmental concerns raised after a review of the environmental impact report.
Pastor Robert Herber from All People's Church disagreed with the planning group's decision, saying that a church would be an asset to the neighborhood.
“A church wants to serve the community and so it’s always sad when people resist a church,” said Herber.
Those against the project say traffic is their biggest concern. A group calling itself, Save Del Cerro has fought against the plans since 2020.
“We also have the freeway which condenses the ability of cars to move around and we have no place for people to make left turns,” said Michael Livingston, who spoke at the meeting and lives in Del Cerro.
However, Herber says church activities will happen on weekends outside of weekday rush hours.
Developers are also planning to install a new traffic signal on College Avenue in front of the church.
“I think it’s a great fit and we are really encouraged by everything we saw,” said Herber.
The city of San Diego approved plans for 24 single-family homes in the neighborhood, but the owners of those properties sold to the church.
“There would’ve been 24 houses that would've blended into the environment,” said Livingston.”
The proposal now heads to the city of San Diego’s Planning Commission. The commission will review the concerns raised by community planners before it goes to a final vote.