Hearing on plans for mosque in Naperville draws crowd
A dozen people representing more than 2,000 residents from neighboring subdivisions told the Naperville Planning and Zoning Commission Wednesday that a mosque and ancillary buildings proposed for the city’s southwest side is too massive for its 13.6-acre site.
The Islamic Center of Naperville has owned the land at 3540 248th Ave. for 10 years and is ready to build a domed mosque, school, multipurpose hall with an 84-foot minaret, gymnasium and expanded worship area.
ICN officials say they would like to break ground this year on the complex, which would be built to complement the three masjids in Naperville on 75th Street, Ogden Avenue and Olesen Drive.
With 454 people unable to voice their opinions at Wednesday’s meeting for lack of time, the commission continued the hearing to March 3.
The meeting started with a series of Naperville faith leaders expressing their support for the Islamic Center and its mosque plans.
Among them was Bernie Newman, an executive committee member of the Naperville Interfaith Leaders Association, who said he and fellow Congregation Beth Shalom members are in full support of ICN’s plans.
The local Jewish community has had a true friend and interfaith partner in the Islamic Center and its growth should not be impeded, he said.
“We have come together at times of celebration, at times of education, and at times of stress and challenge,” Newman said. “We have found joy together, learning together and support in solidarity together.”
Longtime Naperville resident Patricia Shanower said her church, Community United Methodist, has worked with ICN on its health fairs to provide medical services to those without insurance.
“I think it has been a marvelous partnership between Muslims and Christians and should grow from year to year as people seek to take advantage of all that is offered,” she said.
Les Pierce said Hope United Church of Christ sold the property to the center when it became clear growth at his church was not occurring as planned. No one objected when Hope UCC bought the land for a house of worship and ICN should be able to do the same.
But those in opposition said the center’s plans are far more extensive than just building a church or mosque.
Tara McDonald said when built out, the facility will have 120,000 square feet of space and 901 parking spaces.
She likened it to the size of the Costco at 75th Street and Route 59, which has 200 fewer parking places.
“The size of the ICN plans is too large for this parcel of land,” McDonald said.
Beyond that, the two entrances onto the property are on the same street, whereas other large houses of worship in south Naperville are located on a corner with entrances from two streets, she said.
While the center plans to provide traffic control officers during peak hours and
the city’s proposed 248th Avenue improvements may help, those “can’t change the fact that this plot of land will still be located with only one road to access,” McDonald said.
Steve Lohman said neighbors are concerned about traffic congestion on roads that feed into 248th Avenue since the mosque facility will draw congregants from Naperville, Aurora, Oswego, Montgomery and Plainfield.
ICN has said 60% of traffic will come from the north and west, Lohman said, which would overcrowd 95th Street and the two-lane roads crossing Canadian National railroad tracks.
Questions were raised
about the proximity of the mosque facility’s north entrance to the Tall Grass Greenway Trail and the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists who use the pathway.
Lohman said the traffic lights proposed at Honey Locust Drive and south entrance will increase congestion and cause motorists to cut through neighborhoods.
Overall, Jeremy Sentman said, the project is a detriment to public health, safety and welfare of the surrounding community and should be denied.
City staff said prior to the Feb. 3 meeting, about 700 names in support of ICN proposal and about 2,200 in opposition were received, a
record number of responses to any plan reviewed by the Planning and Zoning Commission. By this week, the city had another 8,200 names in favor and 150 against.
Commission Chairman Bruce Hanson said the total number of names for or against something is not a measure commission members use in making a recommendation to the City Council.
Commissioners have a deep understanding of the city, its codes and the petition, he said. “We weigh everything in that context and make recommendations accordingly,” Hanson said.