Synagogue might come to Henderson neighborhood

By Jeremy Twitchell

Friday, Oct. 3, 2008 | 9:31 p.m.

A property owner wants to convert 10 acres of land in south Henderson into a nine-home subdivision with a Jewish Orthodox synagogue, but neighbors say the proposed synagogue is too big and too close to their homes.

After hearing the two sides make their case at a public hearing Sept. 25, the Henderson Planning Commission delayed action on the request for a month and directed the two sides to meet with each other and city planners to work on a compromise.

Commissioners will revisit the request Oct. 30.

The land in question is on Viento Puntero Drive, a block south of Horizon Ridge Parkway, on the southwest corner of Crimson Sage Avenue. Land owner Ray Koroghli wants to build a custom home for himself and provide eight large home lots for a subdivision that would likely cater to members of the Jewish Orthodox faith.

Members of a local Jewish Orthodox congregation, which meets in a rented storefront, said the synagogue would be the first in Henderson for their faith.

Residents, however, said they didn’t like the look, size, or location of the proposed synagogue, which would be across the street from existing homes.

“My main objective on this building is it’s just way, way too big,” Crimson Sage resident Richard Bailey said. “The aesthetics leave a lot to be desired. It looks more like a doctor’s office or a commercial building than a church.”

Some of the opposing residents said they weren’t against the idea of a synagogue in the subdivision, but rather the proposed design and location of it.

Members of the Jewish Orthodox community and engineer Russell Sillitoe said moving the synagogue away from the corner and farther within the subdivision would not be feasible because the hillside would require more grading for a church. City planning staff confirmed that moving the synagogue would require a number of additional waivers for the project, which is already requesting nine.

Jewish Orthodox community members said one of their beliefs is to walk to the synagogue on Sabbath days (Saturdays) and holy days, so the 50 parking spaces the synagogue would provide would be used only for small meetings on Sunday evening and weekday mornings.

Some of the community members who said they want to move into the proposed subdivision said they understood the neighbors’ concerns.

“Some of the issues they raise are the same issues I would raise for my family: the lighting, the traffic,” congregant Steven Riback said. “We want to be a community-oriented, very family-oriented church and I think that we’ve shown that we’re willing to work with the community.”

Sillitoe said two neighborhood meetings yielded some feedback that was incorporated into the design, and Koroghli and congregation members would be open to another meeting to work out compromises on lighting and landscaping.

“We all along have offered to work with the neighbors to come up with a buffer and landscaping plan that would be attractive to the neighbors,” he said.

Commissioner Joe Belingheri said religious facilities should be a welcome addition to residential neighborhoods.

“It seems to me that most of our churches are in neighborhoods,” he said. “It seems to me that having churches, as well as schools, in our neighborhoods is a healthy part of the Henderson community.”

The commissioners asked both sides to meet in a spirit of compromise.

“Approach this with a willingness to work something out and not just draw a line in the sand that you’re not willing to cross,” Belingheri said.

Jeremy Twitchell can be reached at 990-8928 or jeremy.twitchell@hbcpub.com.