UPDATE: 11:20 a.m., May 16, 2018
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted to put off hearing arguments for and against the construction of a Hindu temple near Escondido after neighbors complained too few people are aware of the proposed project and haven't had a chance to form an opinion on the matter.
Community members filed an appeal after the county Planning Commission in February approved a major land use permit for the proposed Sringeri Vidya Bharati Foundation temple project. They're concerned that the temple may increase traffic and have a "negative impact on community character."
The temple would be built on 10 acres of a vacant 19-acre plot north of and adjacent to Old San Pasqual Road and south of State Route 78. The land is in an unincorporated area between Escondido and San Diego's San Pasqual Valley.
Some neighbors planned to make their case against the temple's construction at Wednesday's meeting. But the two residents who spoke asked that the board postpone the hearing because they were dissatisfied with the number of people who were made aware of the project through the county's notification protocol. A representative from the temple agreed to postpone the hearing to June 20.
"We believe that the owners, a lot of them, are just being (made) aware of this item," said neighbor Hiram Andrade. "The county's notification was minimal. I know the staff said they did what was required, but there were a lot of people who were not made aware of this project in the area."
County Planning and Development Services officials recommend that supervisors deny the appeal so construction can move forward.
