Where is it that today’s youth can...

Where is it that today’s youth can develop morality, character and

patriotism in our secular society?

Not on the beaches of Orange County, not with the music of

entertainers, not in the silver screen theaters and not in the

shopping malls. These places, however, are where our youth are being

drawn, and these have become their present training ground.

For this society to create an alternative, we must support all

places of worship. Every church, synagogue or temple produces the

core ingredients of morality, character and patriotism.

Out current crop of youth are finding fewer choices. Our

“shopping-mall society” wears paper thin for basic moral development.

Leaving our youth to develop their deep thinking while listening to

or watching today’s entertainment celebrities guarantees mediocrity.

Holy places have become the last bastion of developing and

pointing today’s youth in the right direction. Attacks on churches

are attacks against what our Founding Fathers sacrificed their

fortunes and lives for. We therefore must stand up for the needs of

the entire community and not of a vocal few with an agenda that does

not offer any alternative for what the church provides our youth.

The NIMBY attitude pushes children away from the very resource

they so desperately need to develop into great people. In our

troubled times, churches have become the safe harbor for youth who

look for stability in their young lives.

Continue to let St. Andrew’s do what it does best -- be an

alternative to the lifestyles we have seen too many of our youth

embrace.

DAN and NANCY

WORTHINGTON

Costa Mesa

I live on the Balboa Peninsula, in a highly desirable

neighborhood. Often people in our area are curious about the land-use

zoning policies of the city and how they affect the growth of

traffic. In that the present church cannot accommodate the present

parking, under what circumstances can the City Council entertain the

idea of approving a new 21,000-square-feet expansion?

Earlier last spring, Michael Toerge, a planning commissioner,

heard this item and did the simple math: 1,387 occupants (without the

choir) on the present busy Sundays. Now, divide that by three people

thought to be in every car (this is per the city’s outdated parking

standard). The simple math is 462 parking spaces. The church parking

lot today has 250 spaces. The excess cars are, today, already in the

neighborhood and in the school parking lot.

I certainly do not think a change of the residential zoning, a

conditional-use permit and a general-plan amendment are required to

allow St. Andrew’s to expand. With that intense a use in my

neighborhood, I would be outraged.

I implore members of the City Council: Please see the simple facts

of urban growth in our great city, and don’t turn it into Santa

Monica. Do what is overwhelmingly right and protect the neighborhoods

for good by denying this expansion. Threatening your approval of this

outlandish expansion and telling the two neighborhoods that they must

accept some growth is no way to treat residents.

Thank you in advance for your vote of denial.

JOE RESKO

Balboa Peninsula

I am familiar with a few of the technical details of the St.

Andrew’s issue. However, the basic logic of the situation is that

this is a community-based neighborhood church. I remember City

Council staffers saying that they had no category for a neighborhood

church. For those people and council members who may believe that

there is no new information: This community-based church was

originally dedicated after its receipt of land from a Cliff Haven

resident -- a little more than 2 acres. Most everyone knows that, in

the 1980s, the church purchased the houses across the street from the

church to expand.

In 1982, it had already grown to proportions far greater than a

simple neighborhood church. For 22 years, the neighbors have been

subjected to traffic, noise and parking problems -- and enough is

enough. To make the issue worse, faced with another St. Andrew’s

expansion, the planning commission referred the church to the

Newport-Mesa Unified School District for more parking. What were they

thinking? The church is too big.

Please, members of the council, hear the neighbors and deny this

expansion. I don’t live in Cliff Haven or Newport Heights. I live on

the peninsula. But who among us would want this intrusive expansion

in our neighborhood? We residents will reward a public official 1,000

times over who has the confidence to reject unusually high growth

requiring a general-plan amendment. It’s only obvious.

LELAND CRUMBLY

Balboa Peninsula

Members of the Newport Beach City Council should consider the

following when they vote on the youth and family center at St.

Andrew’s Presbyterian Church.

First, many cities, in an effort to provide a youth center, have

had to subsidize the building of such a facility and in some

instances finance its operation. Even in those cities where private

financing or nonprofit organizations have contributed to establish a

youth center, cities have often had to help financially to build or

operate these centers. St. Andrew’s is offering to totally fund and

operate this youth center at no cost to the city.

Second, outside of our schools, our youth have sparse facilities

where they can “hang out” in a positive environment. Also, they want

to be a contributing part of our community and seek acceptance from

its residents. We must not convey a message to them of indifference

or, worse yet, “we don’t want you here.” In the Bible, Jesus told his

disciples, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for

to such belongs the kingdom of Heaven.”

JOHN HEADLAND

Newport Beach

I am writing to ask the City Council for its support for the St.

Andrew’s youth and family center.

Society is always asking what it can do for our youngsters to make

them better people and good, productive citizens? Answer: Give them a

wholesome environment in which to interact, one that stresses good

morals and values and encourages individuals to be the best they can

be. St. Andrew’s has always done that, and the addition of a new

youth and family center will further enhance that function.

The new parking facility that has been proposed will create an

additional 150 parking spaces, which will alleviate parking

congestion off-site.

St. Andrew’s has done everything possible to address the concerns

of a radical “anti” minority, who continue to fight for no expansion.

Some of the “anti” signs I see posted are on properties six, eight

and 10 blocks from the church, which would be unable to evaluate any

changes in the church activities. Apparently these individuals are

anti-church and anti-youth. What else can be assumed?

Please vote yes for St. Andrew’s and yes for our youth. Our

country needs individuals with strong morals and good values, and St.

Andrew’s will help achieve those goals.

WAYNE BUXTON

Huntington Beach

Our young people need safe and positive places where they can

gather for recreation, nurturing and relaxation, especially during

the after-school hours. The present facilities at St. Andrew’s are

inadequate to meet the needs of its approximately 300 active

students. A new center would better serve the youth from Ensign

Intermediate School and Newport Harbor High School. This proposal

does not promote significant new uses at the church. It is not

expansion. We are proposing better facilities for the services we

already provide.

The proposed parking facility would increase parking spaces by

60%, adding 150 new spaces. This subterranean parking structure would

be the most aesthetically pleasing solution to the community.

St. Andrew’s has tried to be sensitive to the concerns of nearby

residents and has agreed to be governed by limitations on church

operations that help ensure peace in the adjacent residential

community.

DONALD and JANET

WARNER

Huntington Beach