County ruling alters second mosque’s plans

Days after DuPage County Board members rejected a Muslim group’s request for a height variance, another organization hoping to construct a mosque near Lombard removed a minaret from its building plans.

Muslim Community Association of the Western Suburbs is seeking permission from the county to build a roughly 43,000-square-foot mosque on nearly four acres along the south side of Roosevelt Road, just east of I-355.

On Thursday night, the group informed DuPage’s zoning board of appeals that it’s no longer requesting a height variance for an 85-foot minaret. And while a variance for a dome still is being sought, the proposed maximum height of the dome has been reduced from 69 feet to 59 feet.

“As we finalize these designs, we may in high probability see a lower height,” said Talha Ali, president of the group. “But we would like a 59-foot variance just to have that flexibility.”

Mark Daniel, the group’s attorney, said the changes to the plan were made after “reviewing some circumstances relating to the county board’s preferences.”

On Tuesday, Daniel was representing the Muslim Educational and Cultural Center of America when county board members voted 15-2 to deny a height variance request for that group’s proposed mosque along 91st Street near Willowbrook. MECCA sought permission to exceed the county’s height restriction of 36 feet so it could have a 69-foot dome and 79-foot minaret.

Under the circumstances, Daniel said, Muslim Community Association of the Western Suburbs decided to remove a minaret from its proposal.

“If down the road that minaret, which is a rather costly figure, is within the budget, we’ll come in and request an amendment to the conditional use,” Daniel said.

Ali said the dome is needed, in part, to let people know the mosque is there. The property, at the intersection of Roosevelt and Lawler Avenue, is next to two billboards and a cell tower, which are all taller than the proposed dome.

If built, the two-story mosque would include a 2,629-square-foot prayer hall, classrooms, a gymnasium and a library. A basement level would have an all-purpose area, pantry and storage rooms.

Ali said the proposed mosque would be used by 25 to 50 families. Those families, who are mostly from the Lombard area, now go to other facilities to pray.

“We would like to build a facility that we can use for prayers and other related uses,” Ali said.

So far, it’s unclear if anyone is opposed to the project. While nearly 40 people attended the public hearing, no one in the audience was able to make comments. They will get that opportunity when the hearing resumes March 21.

Ultimately, the zoning board will make a recommendation to county board members. The county board makes the final decision on whether the conditional-use permit and height variance should be granted.