BONSALL —— Plans to develop a Buddhist meditation center in a rural neighborhood will come back to the Bonsall Community Sponsor Group for more review Tuesday —— and possibly a vote, officials said Friday.

A handful of Buddhist monks are seeking a major-use permit from the county that would pave the way for the Dai Dang Meditation Center at 6326 Camino del Rey —— land that is now designated for agricultural use. The property is southeast of Highway 76, in a neighborhood not far from the San Luis Rey Downs Training Center.

As part of the application process, the meditation center's proponents must make their case to the Bonsall sponsor group, an advisory panel that provides land-use recommendations to the county.

Sponsor group Vice Chairman Chuck Davis said Friday that he thinks "there's an 80 percent chance" the panel will vote on the controversial project at the meeting.

In May 2004, the sponsor group heard the conceptual plans for the meditation center and voted unanimously to deny the monks' application as it appeared then.

The panel cited strong community opposition to the project and concerns about the resulting traffic impact on Highway 76 and Camino del Rey. Sponsor group members also said the size, scale and style of the temple did not fit with Bonsall's rural character.

Proponents of the meditation center said Friday that they look forward to talking to the panel about the latest plans. The sponsor group will meet at 7 p.m. at the Bonsall Community Center, 31505 Old River Road.

"What we expect from this meeting is to at least have an opportunity to talk to the community about what we want to do, why are we at this site, and what we can bring to the community," said Frank Hoang, a consultant to the monks. "People come to Bonsall for quiet and to focus. That's what meditation is about. We can teach meditation."

The meditation center would include a 6,196-square-foot main hall, a 7,664-square-foot meditation hall, an 8,936-square-foot, two-story dormitory for the monks, Hoang said Friday.

The tallest building would be 46 feet, 4 inches, according to information listed on the sponsor group's agenda.

Bonsall resident Mike Hulhizer, who lives less than a quarter of a mile from the site of the proposed center, opposes the monks' plans.

"It's the size of the buildings —— the height. It's the amount of people that will be coming through here to get to their site," Hulhizer said. "Those are among the things that I object to."

Bonsall resident Tricia Thomson said Friday that she is in favor of the monks getting the permit so they can build the center.

"It'll bring a lot of love and peace into the community," Thomson said. "Housing generates more traffic than this center would generate."

Once the application is processed, the county Planning Commission will make a decision on the permit, according to Eric Gibson, deputy director of the county Department of Planning and Land Use.

The commission will consider input from the county Department of Planning and Land Use, the Bonsall Community Sponsor Group, and the Bonsall Design Review Board.

If the Planning Commission's decision is appealed, the matter would go to the county Board of Supervisors.

Contact staff writer Lorell Fleming at (760) 731-5798 or lfleming@nctimes.com.