On February 6, 2024, the Lake Elsinore Planning Commission voted 4 to 1 to deny the conditional use permit for the Ambassador. Brett recorded this update the next day.
It was our second time before the Commission. At the first hearing, on January 16, the Commission continued the matter and asked us to show how the project would benefit downtown. So we came back with a fuller plan for the ground floor: a 50’s diner open to the public during business hours, a gift shop and historic tours, conference rooms that people in business and education could reserve, and our parking lot available as overflow parking for downtown events. We want the Ambassador to add to the life of Main Street, and we said so.
There was strong opposition in the room. There was stronger support. Dozens of people came out to pray and to speak for the project, including volunteers, local residents, and business owners, and every one of them spoke with faith, integrity, and honor. We were proud of them. Some people in that hall may never set foot in a church, and they heard the gospel that night in the testimonies that came forward. We count that as a victory on a hard night.
The Commission’s decision was a disappointment, and it was not the end. Many of the people in Scripture we admire most faced opposition at moments when their circumstances said they were finished. Moses, Nehemiah, Gideon, and David all stood at crossroads that looked impossible, and in every case God had the last word. We believe that about this, too.
We told our supporters that day what we are still telling you. We want to honor God, our volunteers and donors, our beautiful city, and the leaders of this community, including those who oppose this project. Our desire is to bring something to Lake Elsinore that brings long-term good for everybody.
We filed an appeal of the decision on February 19, and the City Council heard it the following month. That hearing is the subject of our next update.
Will you stand firm with us in prayer while we seek godly counsel on the next steps? The full sequence of hearings is on our press page.
