Next Wednesday, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors will hold another day of public hearings over a controversially large construction project planned near Walnut Creek.
Sufism Reoriented, a congregation of about 350 members, is seeking to build a 66,000-square-foot sanctuary in the Saranap area, a quiet residential community just outside Walnut Creek City limits.
Just how big is 66,000-square-feet? Well, space-wise, Hearst Castle and the White House are smaller.
But congregation leaders say the building won’t look as big as it sounds, since two-thirds of it will be underground.
“The building will be only fourteen feet from the ground to the edge of the roof. At its highest point, the central dome it will only be 33½ feet above ground. This is fully within County code. The average height, including the domes, will be only 17½ feet. This is a modest height for a house of worship," their website says.