By Clyde Noel

Traffic concerns appear to have created a flap in the rebuilding of the Los Altos area church that an unknown arsonist torched over a year ago.

Los Altos and Los Altos Hills neighbors surrounding the Antiochian Orthodox Church of the Redeemer at 380 Magdalena Ave. say they are worried the planned church building, which is much larger than the one that burned, will clog nearby streets during church events.

Complicating the issue is the church’s location. The property is located in unincorporated Santa Clara County but surrounded by Los Altos and Los Altos Hills residents.

In response to ongoing neighborhood concerns, the County of Santa Clara held an informational meeting at the Los Altos main library Nov. 12.

Representatives from the county, District 5 Supervisor Liz Kniss’ office, the sheriff’s department, the church and the Town of Los Altos Hills joined neighbors in a community discussion to clarify the status and conditions of the church’s building application.

In August, the county planning commission approved Phases I and II of a proposed three-phase rebuilding and expansion projection for the church community over a 10-year span.

Phase I would replace the 4,909-square-foot church, destroyed by arson April 7, 2002, with a 6,891-square-foot structure. Phase II would provide an 11,062-square-foot building for classrooms, meeting rooms, administrative offices and a day-care center.

Phase III, a two-story church hall and banquet facility of 6,790 square feet to replace the existing 1,636-square-foot facility, is the contentious issue. Neighbors are concerned that a structure four times larger would exacerbate already impacted parking and traffic conditions.

Architect John Miller said Phase III is planned to start within 10 years. The application will not come before the county planning commission before February.