Indian-Americans clash with cowboy town over proposed center

NORCO, Calif. (AP) — The Southern California city of Norco markets itself as "Horsetown USA," and it's not unusual for cowboy hat-wearing residents to head out for lunch or run errands on horseback in its Old West-styled downtown.

Local leaders celebrate that rural, equestrian lifestyle and are protective of it. Those who build must ensure their property includes Western architectural features such as a metal roof or overhang.

But some Indian-Americans are questioning the sincerity of that standard after the City Council rejected a proposal for a hilltop Hindu cultural center on a hilltop partly on grounds that the large, domed building wouldn't fit in. They think the decision – which came after residents urged the city to keep its culture and questioned why proponents chose the site – is discriminatory.

Dr. Krupali Tejura, a radiation oncologist who grew up in nearby Corona and works at an area hospital, got involved in the debate because she was offended by those who argued the center didn't fit.

"How does a community or a city decide it doesn't fit in with their lifestyle? How far does this go?" she asked.

Mayor Kevin Bash rejected that assertion.

"We turn down a lot of businesses. If they don't want to have a Western theme, guess what? They don't get built," he said, adding the center also was too big for such a steep lot and there were drainage concerns.