Des Plaines mosque likely to get more parking
A proposed parking lot expansion at the Islamic Community Center of Des Plaines intended to ease parking woes in the neighborhood is a step closer to reality.
Des Plaines aldermen, in an early first reading vote, agreed unanimously Monday with plans to add 81 parking spots to four parcels near the mosque, 480 Potter Road. But a motion to advance approval of a conditional use permit for the parking lot expansion to a second reading — in effect, final approval — was rejected 5-3 by aldermen.
That means the parking lot proposal will be considered by the council one more time, at a meeting Nov. 17.
Mosque officials say the additional parking is much needed for large crowds of worshippers from noon to 3 p.m. on Fridays and from 8 p.m. to midnight during the month of Ramadan.
But some neighbors contend the new lot won't fix congestion problems in the area.
“My question to you is, “What does your home area look like compared to my home area?'” resident Pamela Warford asked aldermen. “You need to know what my community looks like now.”
“If you really think we can make this mosque go away — which I think you would like — it's not going to happen,” responded 6th Ward Alderman Mark Walsten, chairman of the community development committee. “It was there before I was sitting up here. What we're trying to do is help a problem that exists right now in the community. If it was a church, a synagogue, or whatever, we're trying to get it to the point of getting better.”
Alderman Patty Haugeberg, whose 1st Ward includes the mosque, favored the parking lot expansion, but at an earlier council meeting expressed reservations with a related proposal for a locked gate on Ironwood Drive, suggesting that the gate could later be used on a regular basis by worshippers.
Haugeberg said Monday a lock and chain for the gate, intended only for use by emergency vehicles, would be maintained by the fire department. If the lock is tampered with, she said the gate will be eliminated.
As proposed, cars would enter and exit using Potter Road.