Better parking plan exists for church

It's becoming quite clear to the Libertyville residents at the nexus of Brainerd/Maple/Douglas/Stewart avenues that we, nonchurch residents/homeowners of the neighborhood, just don't rate in the village board's eyes. However, we should. This is one of the oldest and thoroughly walkable neighborhoods in Libertyville, one to two blocks from downtown. Our neighborhood boasts the Butler mansion and another home that is probably the oldest house in town, a "Victorian farmhouse" built in approximately 1850. The "problem in paradise" is the large Presbyterian church in the middle of our neighborhood is trying to expand again, like a large volcano in our midst. However, this volcano selectively chooses the houses it will destroy to facilitate its expansion. The village plan commission has just recommended to the board of trustees that 212 W. Maple, a colorful square-built home circa 1900, be leveled to make way for an asphalt parking lot to help meet the village's parking requirements for the church's upcoming renovation/expansion plan.

Village zoning requires 350 parking spaces service the proposed renovated/expanded church. Leveling this house will only provide some 20-30 additional parking spaces. Added to the three other lots the church owns, the church is still extremely short of the large parking requirement stipulated by the village. The church stated at the village plan commission it intends to make up any shortfall in the future by contracting with the high school for use of additional spaces.

The neighborhood's question is, then why not do so now, so the village can save this beautiful old residence? Our neighborhood research indicates that possibly as many as 11 homes in our immediate neighborhood have been destroyed by the church in approximately the last 50 years of its "volcanic activity." The church destroyed these homes to support its previous expansion periods.

The neighborhood has had enough. We're concerned the neighborhood will not recover from this loss and expanded parking lot hole in its fabric, especially since this new lot will be added to an existing lot. We're also concerned about a related property value decline.

Finally, the neighborhood is not stalemating the church. We have, in fact, made a counterproposal to the church. We have asked the church to build a parking garage on the existing church parking lot directly across the street from the church to meet its parking needs. So far, both the village and the church have completely ignored this request.

The current mayor is an elder of the church. He, and at least one other trustee who is also a member of the church - and probably more trustees who are also members of the church - will not recuse themselves from voting at the upcoming meeting about this matter.

Michael Womack

Libertyville