Sikh group scales back Palatine temple plans

The lack of support from both neighbors and officials apparent, the Sikh Religious Society Temple in Palatine Tuesday withdrew a more grandiose plan to construct an illuminated gold dome towering more than 46 feet above the adjacent residential area.

Instead, the proposed dome at 1280 Winnetka St. will stand at 40 feet tall - the height permitted under village ordinance.

It was a minor victory for the handful of residents who attended the council meeting to voice opposition to the design, but the group remained upset a dome will be allowed to exist at all given the single-family homes that surround the 10-acre temple plot.

"They're nice people. I don't have a problem with the Sikh Temple. I just don't want a huge ... dome in my neighborhood. I'm sorry, I don't want that at all," neighbor John Siegmeier said.

Added Vipul Desai: "I have issues with seeing something of that nature. If I ever move out, how am I going to be able to sell?"

The village doesn't have any say-so in the type of architecture an organization chooses to pursue, according to Village Manager Reid Ottesen.

That restriction prompted another resident to suggest that the ordinance needs to be overhauled.

In addition to not wanting the dome, opponents pointed to a bevy of other aesthetic issues they say the temple needs to address including overgrown weeds, construction debris and pond maintenance.

Councilman Aaron Del Mar said he's received 11 e-mails of complaint.

Representative Sarbar Sarang said the Sikh Religious Society Temple is a well-established, peaceful group that simply wants to beautify the temple.

He said aesthetic issues are being addressed and put responsibility on the village for the unsightly pond, which is covered in algae.

He said aesthetic issues are being addressed and put responsibility on the village for the unsightly pond, which is covered in a green layer of duckweed.

Ottesen responded that the pond is on private property and therefore the temple's responsibility, adding that the Sikhs recently removed aerators to dredge the pond but had to stop because they didn't have an Army Corps of Engineers permit.

"People bought homes in the area knowing there was a temple," said Sarang, pointing out the facility was built more than 30 years ago. "We're trying the educate the community and improve the neighborhood."

Temple President Satwant Singh Attal said the dome would be illuminated no more than 21 times per year to mark special days. The level of light seen from the property line would have to be less than a full moon. The nearest home is about 300 feet away from the proposed dome.