No decision yet on controversial South Barrington church plan
A suburban religious group will have to wait at least a few more weeks to learn if South Barrington’s plan commission will back its controversial proposal to build a church and school in town.
The commission, which advises the village board on development issues, held the second installment of a public hearing about the construction plans Monday night but didn’t reach a decision, officials said. After a presentation of the proposal and some public comments, the hearing was continued until Sept. 23.
Schaumburg-based Fourth Avenue Gospel, a group owned and operated by a congregation of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, wants to develop a 34-acre site at Bartlett Road and Route 59.
Fourth Avenue needs the village board to amend an existing development plan for the land for the project to progress. First, though, the plan commission must recommend the board either approve or deny the plans.
Fourth Avenue bought the property — often called Area N — from the South Barrington Park District at a February auction for $2.3 million.
Many area residents have publicly opposed the project, citing ecological impact, traffic and other issues. Some have criticized the church's practices, too.
Fourth Avenue Gospel won an auction for the land in May 2023, too. But the park district board canceled a scheduled real estate closing and halted the sale because of community opposition to the process and other factors.
Ahead of the second auction, Fourth Avenue created a limited liability company called Area N Development to bid on the land. The group deliberately didn’t come forward as the buyer until after the sale was finalized, a representative has said.
Eight residents sued the park district in March to stop the project, claiming the auction that led to the sale was illegal. The plaintiffs maintain the park district still owns the property.
The plaintiffs filed a motion to voluntarily dismiss their claims earlier this month but now intend to move forward with the case, one told the Daily Herald in an email.
A court hearing is set for Sept. 30.
The question of who owns the property must be resolved before the plan commission and village board can move forward, Mayor Paula McCombie said in an email Tuesday.