Planned Parenthood says it will expand lot in Aurora

Planned Parenthood's parking lot, quite possibly Aurora's most controversial parking lot, will be expanding by 11 spaces.

Aldermen voted 7 to 3 Tuesday to follow the Planning and Development Committee's recommendation of 11 new spaces, 16 fewer than the clinic said it needed to increase security for its employees and clients.

A dozen abortion opponents, many who claim to spend several hours outside the clinic praying for and counseling the couples and women headed inside, argued they have caused no violence at the site since it opened two years ago and posed no threat.

Eric Scheidler, spokesman for the Chicago-based Pro-Life Action League, said he believes the clinic needed 27 spaces to comply with local zoning and building ordinances. A DuPage County judge will decide Nov. 6 whether a lawsuit against the city of Aurora and Planned Parenthood based on zoning issues will move forward.

"Their parking lot does not comply with the zoning ordinance and the reasons they have given for this construction is false," he said. "The fear-mongering suggestion that the Fox Valley citizens who have been out there peacefully protesting, praying and counseling women, are poised to turn violent is simply outrageous."

Fourth Ward Alderman Rick Lawrence asked his peers to hold the issue for two weeks, until the expected Nov. 6 ruling. Moving forward, he said would be imprudent. But a majority of aldermen voted to move forward Tuesday night.

Ninth Ward Alderman Leroy Keith said he does not believe the impending lawsuit and concerns of the abortion opponent speakers was related to the aldermen's vote on parking spaces.

"I'm not a frequent visitor of Planned Parenthood. I don't conduct surveillance there or watch things going on but I have been by there at times when the lot has been full," he said. "If this facility was a doctor's office, a dental office or anything of that nature and was before us tonight for a request to extend their parking, this would have been approved at the committee of the whole level and been a done deal. Only because of what this facility does to conduct business is why this is here today. That and for no other reason."