Abortion foes turn to Aurora board of appeals

Foes of Aurora's new Planned Parenthood facility have appealed to the city's building code board of appeals and zoning board of appeals.

The appeals come nearly one month after the city granted the far east side clinic a final certificate of occupancy.

According to the appeal, filed Monday by the Thomas More Society, clinic opponents allege Aurora officials continue to refuse to apply the correct zoning ordinance to the facility.

"Planned Parenthood has made a mockery of Aurora's developmental process," stated society attorney Peter Breen in a written statement issued Tuesday.

The controversial clinic opened in October after an independent review found no legal basis for denying it an occupancy permit.

The city had launched the review in response to criticism that Planned Parenthood misrepresented itself in building applications. It applied as Gemini Office Development, a subsidiary.

After the center opened, some opponents and Fox Valley Families Against Planned Parenthood filed an appeal, arguing the clinic did not receive the proper approvals from the city.

They said it did not obtain a required special-use permit and therefore shouldn't be allowed to operate.

Lance Malina, Aurora's special council, addressed the latest filing Tuesday afternoon calling it a nonissue.

"I think the Fox Valley Families group is preserving its right to raise its same arguments in respect to the issuance of the final occupancy permit," Malina said. "But doesn't cause any new issues for us at this point."

Ultimately, he said, the appeal may get "wrapped into" the current nine-count lawsuit the group filed against the city last year.

Both parties are awaiting a status hearing date for that case in DuPage County.