The congregation that obtained a sacred Buddha relic wants to place it atop a 66-foot-high temple. (Photo: DIANA BALDRICA / FRESNO BEE FILE)Group asks to have zoning rules waived.
09/18/08
By Russell Clemings
The Fresno Bee (California, USA)
Eight months ago, after negotiating with the Thai government, a Fresno Buddhist congregation brought back a sacred Buddha relic from southeast Asia.
Now, the same group wants Fresno County to waive zoning rules so it can build an oversized temple and store the relic in the top of its spire.
Wat Brahmacariyakaram is asking to erect its 66-foot-high "sacred temple" on Orange Avenue between Malaga and American avenues, just south of Fresno.
Thursday, Mike Sayaseng, the congregation's secretary, told the Fresno County Planning Commission that the temple is designed to be "authentic" and modeled after those in southeast Asian countries.
"I am one of many southeast Asian refugees who settled in the Central Valley after the fall of Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam in 1975," Sayaseng said. "After a quarter of a century has gone by, and after having saved some money, members of our congregation all express a strong desire to see the most beautiful and authentic sacred temple."
Having a sacred temple will permit young Buddhist men to be ordained as monks without going to Los Angeles or the San Francisco Bay Area, the temple says. It will also give the congregation a place for its relic, purported to be a remnant of the Buddha's breastbone.
"It will be permanently enshrined in the spire on top of the roof of our proposed 66-foot-high sacred temple," Sayaseng said. "The sheer height of this sacred temple will discourage anyone from stealing our most revered Buddha's relic."
But county zoning regulations limit structures in agricultural areas like the temple site to 35 feet. Exceptions can be made under narrow conditions, but planner Jonathan Avedian told the commission the temple didn't qualify.
"Although the applicant indicated cultural and religious reasons for the variance, staff was unable to identify extraordinary circumstances or substantial property-right issues" as required, Avedian said.
Avedian's staff report noted at least six other height variances have been granted for religious buildings in the county over the past decade. One was also granted for a 57-foot Buddhist temple near Clinton and Valentine avenues in 1989. But the report said "each application is evaluated on its own merits."
After some discussion, commissioners seemed ready to approve a variance, but for a structure 55 to 57 feet tall, not 66 feet. They unanimously voted to delay their decision until an unspecified later date to give the temple a chance to revise its plans.
The reporter can be reached at rclemings@fresnobee.com or (559) 441-6371.
7 comments:
you want to put a sacred object atop a 66 building that will likely get blown by strong wind and tornados and hurricance?
What's wrong with you?
Maybe those places don't suffere severe weather that this area of U.S. But build the temple in classic Southeast asian and put the relic inside.
By the way, was there a scavenger hunt for the Buddha's bones when died or something? Cause everyone's getting so many parts of him all of the world. His hair etc?
11:29PM ,YOU STUPID!
After seeing how the Thai Buddhist monks protesting over Khmer Phrea Vihear temple in violation of Cambodian sovereignty and I see not thing so sacred about Thai brand of Buddhist religion!
As far as I am concerned there is nothing so sacred about anything from Thailand and the so called a sacred Buddha relic need to be returned back to Thailand and the Buddhist temple can do just fine without the 66ft height tower and the temple doesn't anything fancy to be on top either!
Buddha was a philosopher not God! So don't treat Buddha like God! If the so called South East Asian were to treat Buddha likes God with so much respect for him and probably there wouldn't be no war and border conflict!
Buddha teaching denies of wanting so something to end the suffering and it seems that these South East Asian always want something which contradicting to Buddha teaching!
How do they know that piece of bone is real? Any scientific fact already proven before building million $$ temple? Why relic not sutra books? Please worship the great words of Budha not his bone or his image.
After seeing how the Thai Buddhist monks protesting over Khmer Phrea Vihear temple in violation of Cambodian sovereignty and I see not thing so sacred about Thai brand of Buddhist religion! The so called a sacred Buddha relic need to be returned back to Thailand!
check it out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKk6GgXzoCg
10:10AM, You are very good. I think so.
From reading the comments above, all the writers are neither familiar with Buddhism nor are they technical in term civil engineering.
For one a construction of any kind of building, if it does not pass the local building codes, it will not be granted the building permit.
Secondly, as a civil engineer, we can easily build mentioned structure in any environments.
Having you watch Mavel Buildings show!! : )
Third, please do study more about Buddhism.
: ) Peace!
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