DuPage County Board turns down church's zoning request to allow for storage facility
DuPage County Board members turned down a request that would have allowed for a storage facility off Route 83 in Addison Township near Bensenville.
Schaumburg-based 4th Avenue Gospel Church hoped to sell the nearly 5 acres it owns on Route 83 to a developer who planned to build a 108,645-square foot storage facility on the property. The church was seeking a zoning change from residential to business to allow for the three-story storage facility.
The Village of Bensenville filed a formal objection to the proposal, forcing a two-thirds majority vote from the county board to approve the zoning change. The City of Wood Dale and Bensenville School District 2 also objected to the proposal, saying it did not fit in with surrounding uses.
County board members Tuesday voted 9-8 on the proposal.
Church officials said they have been unsuccessful in finding a developer interested in building homes on the property, which is near other residential developments and is surrounded by a park to the north, a home to the west, and schools to the south and east.
"Who would want to build their house on Route 83, and what developer would want to invest a few million dollars to build a few houses at this location?" asked Michael Roth, an attorney representing the developer. "This development is compliant with county codes and county development standards."
County Board member Sheila Rutledge urged board members to vote for the rezoning.
"I have a problem with saddling this owner with that (residential zoning) designation when it's clear that no one is buying this property for a residential development," she said.
Others, however, noted the proposal has drawn the objection of two municipalities and suggested a storage facility would not fit in with the schools and park adjacent to the property.
"The fact that a property can or cannot be sold ... it's not our duty to try to maximize someone's profit," said DuPage County Board member Sam Tornatore.