By Ken Williams | Editor

After a lively discussion about the proposed Morris Cerullo International Legacy Center in Mission Valley, the Hillcrest Town Council on Tuesday night voted 25-1, with two residents abstaining, to author a letter of opposition to the massive multi-use project.

Cerullo, 84, is a controversial televangelist based out of San Diego who is seeking city approval to build eight buildings totaling 315,000 square feet on 18.1 prime acres at 875 Hotel Circle South just off Interstate 8. The project would require the demolition of the Mission Valley Resort Hotel and other buildings that house local businesses. The Legacy Center’s location would not only impact traffic in Mission Valley but would also affect Bachman Place leading up the canyon to the Hospital District, Mission Hills and Hillcrest.

The city’s Planning Department is collecting the public’s input through Friday, Jan. 15, on the project’s Environmental Impact Review (EIR). To make comments, visit bit.ly/1XQvuJo.

Hillcrest resident Eddie Reynoso, who operates the San Diego LGBT Visitors Center in Hillcrest, made a motion to oppose the project based on the ministry’s anti-equality stances; environmental impact; and impact on traffic, transportation and bicycling routes. Steven Marin seconded the motion, which was then approved.

The letter will be sent to San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, the full City Council and the Mission Valley Planning Group, which currently holds the fate of the Legacy Center project.

The project will return to the planning group’s Design Advisory Board as an agenda action item for the meeting at 3:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 1, at the Mission Valley Library, 2123 Fenton Parkway. Then it will go before the full planning group at its meeting at noon Wednesday, Feb. 3, also at the library.

San Diego Uptown News has also learned that the San Diego LGBT Community Center is mounting a social media campaign against the Legacy Center. The Center will be urging concerned citizens to attend the Feb. 6 meeting of the Mission Valley Planning Group.

Should the Mission Valley Planning Group approve the project, it would then advance to San Diego’s Planning Department. The City Council would then have to give the final blessing before groundbreaking could take place.

To read full coverage by Mission Valley News, visit bit.ly/1l7pVUH and bit.ly/1l7q4rd.

—Ken Williams is editor of Uptown News and Mission Valley News and can be reached at [email protected] or at 619-961-1952. Follow him on Twitter at KenSanDiego, Instagram account at KenSD or Facebook at KenWilliamsSanDiego.