DuPage board’s plan would avoid ban on places of worship

DuPage County is expected to drop a controversial proposal to ban new places of assembly in unincorporated residential areas.

Instead, a county board member is recommending a set of zoning law amendments that would address parking, traffic and density issues caused by “massive” religious facilities.

County board member Grant Eckhoff said it’s rare these days for the county to receive building requests for “little community churches” attended by people who live in a neighborhood. “Now we’ve got churches or religious institutions that are drawing people from all over the area,” he said.

And with those requests come plans to construct “massive” structures that often upset neighbors, Eckhoff said.

Still, Eckhoff and other members of the county board’s development committee on Tuesday said they don’t believe the answer is to prevent places of assembly from opening new facilities in unincorporated residential neighborhoods. Next week, they are planning to formally ask the zoning board of appeals to table its review of that particular idea.

“I am not in favor of banning religious institutions in residential areas,” said Eckhoff, adding that officials should focus on building size, traffic and parking.

When it comes to parking, Eckhoff is suggesting that a religious institution be required to provide one parking space for every two seats in its main worship area. Right now, the county requires one parking space for every four seats.

“That would give us the opportunity to have larger parking lots and take some of the parking off the residential (streets),” Eckhoff said.

Eckhoff also wants greater restrictions on the size of religious buildings. He said that would be possible by reducing the county’s allowable floor area ratio and establishing a criteria for lot coverage.

“When you address the physical size of the building — in addition to the parking — you are going to have smaller religious institutions,” Eckhoff said. “It’s also going to reduce the number of worshippers and make it more of a local religious institution.”

County officials say zoning changes are needed because DuPage’s unincorporated residential areas don’t have the infrastructure needed to support new places of assembly. Existing roads, sewers, and septic and well systems simply weren’t designed for the uses, they argue.

But some complain that the proposed changes to the zoning laws target Muslims who have been trying to establish worship centers throughout the county. In addition to proposals from five Muslim groups, DuPage is expected to review plans for two new churches in the coming months.

Even with Eckhoff’s suggestions, some say the proposed zoning amendments would be “too restrictive.”

“It would make it very difficult for congregations to realistically be able to build in residential areas,” said Amy Lawless Ayala, a lead organizer with DuPage United. The band of local church leaders and social advocacy group heads wants the proposed amendments to be rewritten.

Eckhoff said he simply wants the places of assembly issue resolved and brought to a conclusion.

“It seems like it’s been languishing for a while,” he said. “The petitioners and the neighbors and the neighborhoods around the county need some finality to all of this stuff.”