DuPage rejects massive church proposal

Plans to construct a massive church complex on the border between West Chicago and Winfield were denied Tuesday by the DuPage County Board.

Wheaton-based Church of the Resurrection wanted to build a 1,500-seat sanctuary, a smaller chapel, administrative offices and a retreat center for 24 overnight visitors on 21 acres off Purnell Road near Cantigny Drive.

The project was rejected by a 14-3 vote.

Many neighbors objected to the size and scope of the project, focusing their complaints on traffic issues and stormwater concerns. In the end, board members agreed the project was too big for the parcel.

The board also voted not to reconsider the proposal, which means church officials will have to go through the entire submission process if they want to try again.

Church lawyers tried to have the issue tabled to avoid the denial, but were unsuccessful. Church attorney Scott Pointner argued the county transportation department's request two days ago for traffic study data was an insufficient amount of time to gather the information.

Board members Linda Kurzawa, James Zay and Dirk Enger were the most outspoken critics of the proposal. They all represent District 6, where the project would have been built.

Each said they spent months listening to both sides before reaching their decision and no extra time was needed to sway them.

"I met with residents back in 2007 on this and the errors that were brought up now in the proposal were brought up then," Zay said. "They've got a lot of problems here. It doesn't fit the neighborhood."

Church officials were offering property owners $3.3 million for the parcel, about $1 million more than what the forest preserve offered about five years ago, board members said.

While the majority of the WestWin neighborhood opposed the project, some spoke in favor of the plan.

"This is just a case where people do not like change and don't like to see undeveloped property being developed," said WestWin resident Gregory DeJong. "Churches make good neighbors."

In addition to board members and neighbors opposing the plan, Winfield Township officials joined the chorus of naysayers.

Highway Commissioner Joe Jedlovec said he wasn't against the church, "I'm against the traffic. Purnell Road is only 20 feet wide and a mile long between bad intersections at Winfield Road and Gary's Mill Road. I haven't seen anything that addresses safety."