CHURCH MAY BE LEFT HOMELESS NEIGHBORS SAY FACILITY HAS TOO MUCH TRAFFIC.

Byline: Rachel Uranga Staff Writer

PACOIMA - After more than 50 years in Pacoima, the Paradise Church of God in Christ recently agreed to sell its property to make way for the Vaughn Street Charter High School, something many in the community wanted.

But if the Pentecostal church does not get over some planning hurdles to build a 415-seat, 11,000-square-foot church on property it owns in Sylmar, it could find itself without a place to worship after the school opens in August.

In addition to homeowner objections, a city zoning administrator denied Paradise's first building application, citing increased traffic and disruption of the residential neighborhood near Fellows Avenue and Polk Street.

The Rev. Emmanuel Knight said Paradise has amended its plans by cutting the number of services and events it will hold to satisfy residents' concerns.

``We are not trying to cause a traffic jam. We are there to build a church,'' said Knight, pastor of the church for 25 years. ``It's going to be beautiful. Anything we can do with the community we will do it.''

The church is appealing to the area planning commission, which will hear the case today, and has the support of Councilman Alex Padilla.

``It's not the ideal location, but there is not much else in the way of vacant land,'' said David Gershwin, Padilla's spokesman. ``This is the least disruptive of all nonresidential projects, and at the end of the day, it's a church, it builds positive community.''

Still, many Sylmar homeowners say they'll continue to fight the church, which plans to hold services on Sunday mornings and Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

``Traffic is already terrible. There is no parking on the street,'' said Janice Takomoto, 64, who owns a duplex and three homes, all rental properties, next to the vacant lot at 13187 N. Fellows Ave.

Residents also complain there are two schools within three blocks of the proposed site, Olive Vista Middle School with nearly 900 students and Sylmar Elementary with 1,086 students, which they say already generate traffic.

Knight said his 200-member African-American church has been a refuge in Pacoima for decades, providing a place for homeless to sleep once a week, a hall for the neighboring school to hold graduations and a place for many blacks who have left the area to reunite and reminisce.

Knight has offered to stop holding fund-raising barbecues, discontinue the homeless program and end an arrangement with a local Latino congregation to hold services at the church several times a week.

But Takomoto said she and others would still be opposed to the new church.

``They are just going to bring more people into the community that aren't from here. The pastor is from Los Angeles and they have people coming from Sun Valley, Northridge, Lancaster, Lake View Terrace and Pacoima. How are they going to contribute to this community?''

Rachel Uranga, [phone]

rachel.uranga(at)dailynews.com

IF YOU GO

--The Area Planning Commission will meet at 4:30 p.m. at the Marvin Braude Constituent Center, 6262 Van Nuys Blvd., First Floor Meeting Room, Van Nuys.

CAPTION(S):

photo, box, map

Photo:

New Paradise Church of God in Christ Pastor Emmanuel Knight says his church will do what it can to cut noise and traffic.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer

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IF YOU GO (see text)

Map:

Proposed church

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