PARKING PRESSURE GROWS AT CHURCH EXPANSION PLANS TO ADDRESS ISSUE.

Byline: Heather MacDonald Staff Writer

NEWHALL - Peggy Downs doesn't even bother to try to find a space in Our Lady of Perpetual Help's parking lot anymore.

``It's an impossible situation that has been bad for a long time,'' Downs said while on her way to Sunday morning Mass. ``If you can manage to get into the lot, you can't pull out onto Lyons Avenue without risking your life.''

So instead, Downs parks at the Ralphs shopping center at Orchard Village Road and Lyons Avenue, and walks a half block to church, along with many other worshippers.

``I don't like to do that, and I imagine the business owners aren't real happy about it,'' Down said. ``But its just less of a hassle.''

Like most everything else in Santa Clarita, Our Lady of Perpetual Help is bursting at the seams after growing exponentially over the last several years. And in turn, nearby residents are concerned that the church's growth will alter their neighborhood and way of life.

``We need more space,'' said the Rev. Norm Supancheck, adding that nearby stores often complain to church officials about parishioners like Downs parking in the shopping center lot. ``It's just that simple.''

About 6,200 families belong to the church, which is one of Santa Clarita's largest Roman Catholic parishes. Priests celebrate 11 Masses every weekend to accommodate the Newhall and Valencia residents.

A church committee is working on a master plan that will map the church's planned expansion, which will surely include more parking, Supancheck said.

``We're not sure yet what's best for the church or the community,'' Supancheck said, adding that the plan is expected to take at least another year to complete.

After the master plan is complete, city planning officials will analyze it and be asked to sign off on any major changes to the church or surrounding areas.

``It's not that I don't want the church to build another parking lot, because the church has been a good neighbor, but I just don't want to see the character of the neighborhood changed,'' said Tom Donovan, who has lived on Arcadia Street since 1989.

Over the last several years, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles has purchased several adjoining homes, planning to tear them all down eventually, Supancheck said. One has already been demolished, and the vacant lot is fenced off.

At the last City Council meeting, Donovan and several of his neighbors asked that the church be required to involve its neighbors in the expansion plans and not be allowed to tear down any more homes.

``We're certainly willing to work with our neighbors,'' Supancheck said. ``We don't want to put in anything that would be an eyesore.''

Of the four homes the church owns, two are occupied by its staff, one is empty and the last one is being rented. The church has no plans to evict its tenants, Supancheck said.

``We're very conscious of our neighbors' concerns,'' Supancheck said. ``We want to improve the neighborhood.''

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A shortage of parking is especially acute on Sunday mornings at Our Lady of Perpetual Help church in Newhall. Some parishioners park at nearby businesses and walk to services.

Shaun Dyer/Special to the Daily News