Citing Traffic Problems, Residents Oppose Buddhist Temple in CA

August 7, 2004

Source: Pasadena Star News

http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/Stories/0,1413,206~22097~2321511,00.html

On August 7, 2004 Pasadena Star News reported, "Rapid development seeking to service the explosion of Asian immigrants in parts of the San Gabriel Valley has pushed area residents to the brink. Hundreds of Rowland Heights residents cried out recently against a proposed Buddhist temple on Fullerton and Pathfinder roads because it represents everything that has gone wrong in their community: stifling traffic, population increases and uncontrolled commercial development... Residents harbor distrust against a proposed development that could change their rural neighborhood into a full-blown tourist attraction. Some of the 840 opposition letters complained about 'burning money' and 'hocus-pocus,' which may expose some lingering misunderstanding and resistance to the Asian community... These concerns mirror the issues residents in neighboring Hacienda Heights faced when the Hsi Lai Temple was built in 1988."