New Construction at Gloria Dei Church Approved

The Gloria Dei Lutheran Church remodel is shown here in an architectural rendering. Image: Courtesy city of Dana Point

By Andrea Swayne

The Dana Point Planning Commission voted unanimously on Monday to approve conditional use and site development permits for the demolition of one building, construction of four new structures and parking lot changes at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church.

The permit for the church, located at 33501 Stonehill Drive, includes plans to demolish the existing Fellowship Hall, convert the current sanctuary to administration offices, construct a new sanctuary, preschool, gymnasium, elevator tower, a carillon tower (bell tower) and a columbarium (a cemetery wall that would inter the cremated remains of church members).

The project will increase seating in the sanctuary from 192 to 331 and parking spaces from 104 to 146.

Four members of the public spoke against portions of the projectthe columbarium and carillon towercalling them undesirable due to the possibility of the bells creating unwelcome noise and the cemetery wall having negative effects on quality of life and home property values.

They also had a problem with receiving the public notice from the city only a few days before the meeting and the use of the unfamiliar words columbarium and carillon tower.

Parag Gondhalekar, whose house is situated near the border of the churchs 3.4-acre campus, said without those two elements, he would be in support of the project and called the use of the words as sneaky.

If it had been made clear (the words mean bell tower and structure with niches that hold funeral urns) more residents would have come to this meeting, he said.

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New Construction at Gloria Dei Church Approved