Grande Park Residents Fear Traffic from Proposed Mormon Church on Ridge Rd.
Village engineers have been directed to consider a full entrance/exit off Ridge Road that would prevent traffic from going through the subdivision.
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Annexation and site plan approval for a new Mormon church were delayed for three weeks by the Plainfield Village Board Monday so concerns about traffic disturbing a neighboring subdivision can be resolved.
Residents packed the village board room, half of whom were from the Tall Pines Homeowners Association in the Grande Park subdivision and more than 50 of whom were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
While concerned about the parking lot size and illumination from on-site light fixtures, residents were chiefly worried about traffic using their subdivision to enter and exit the church for the twice-Sunday services and other events at the five-acre, 21,000-square-foot building on Ridge Road near Grande Park Boulevard.
"I'm grateful it's a church and not an apartment building or a liquor store," resident Patty Keenan said, but, "I have a 9-year-old daughter, and I don't want to be afraid for her to play outside on Sunday at noon."
The issue may be easily resolved if the village agrees to abandon its requirement that northbound left-hand turns be prohibited because Ridge Road is one day to be the Wikaduke Trail, a cross-county route passing through Will, Kane, DuPage and Kendall counties.
Because traffic would go at a higher rate of speed on that road, the number of turn lanes and curb cuts would have to be limited, village officials said. That said, Wikaduke is still conceptual and it could be decades before any construction begins.
In light of that, Trustee Paul Fay said the easiest solution would be to allow a full-access entrance/exit on Ridge Road so there'd be no reason for church members to go into the subdivision. If Wikaduke moves forward, the village can deal then with road changes that will be needed to accommodate it, he said.
Village engineers were directed to look at the viability of Fay's idea and to come back to the Nov. 2 meeting with a recommendation.
Architect Ed Kodet said he believed the extra time would allow them to work out solutions for other resident concerns, such as increasing the landscaping buffer between the parking lot and nearby homes, using downcast lighting, and having lights go off at a time that's mutally agreeable to the church and the residents.
"I can think of no other client that takes such pride in its facilities," Kodet said. "They feel a sensitivity of keeping their church maintained. Any element of the church is meant to be there for a long time."
The church will have enough seating for 270 to 300 members at Sunday services, and will also have religious education groups meeting at night. Other than funerals, weddings and other traditional church uses, the church will be mostly unoccupied, he said.
"Most churches I've seen are good neighbors in most neighborhoods," Trustee Bill Lamb said. "I think it can work out well. ... We've got three weeks to study it and come up with options."
The only variance requested by the church is a 70-foot steeple for the top of the building, which would exceed the village limit by 25 feet. No complaints were raised about making an exception to the rule.
Marilyn
9:36 am on Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Gee, I like how they consider that neighborhood with a couple of days traffic, but they're not concerned with the mess they have made with turning Feeney Drive into a Freeway by-pass!
Peggy Kling
10:47 am on Tuesday, October 18, 2011
As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I am excited at the prospect of having a chapel in Plainfield; however, I understand the concerns of the local homeowners. We will be great neighbors and I'm sure the opposite is also true. I feel confident that a solution can be worked out that will be beneficial to church members and the local neighbors. Peggy Kling
Tony
11:13 am on Tuesday, October 18, 2011
If it were a shopping center they would welcome it with open arms, I live across the street from a very large church and its not any problem and a church seems to make a neighborhood complete, much like a school does. When people purchase homes they seem to look for schools ,stores and churches, they are important.
Brandie Holmes
7:30 pm on Tuesday, October 18, 2011
The safety of children should always come first. If the only way to get to the church is through a subdivision where is the emergency exit that I'm sure is required by code in Plainfield? Maybe a different site would be better suited for this building. Churches can make wonderful neighbors and very bad neighbors too.
Brandie Holmes
9:39 pm on Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Mr./Mrs.Conscience,
It doesn't matter what the doctrine of the church is. We are humans and it doesn't matter what your belief is, we make mistakes. Those families have every right to expect the peaceful neighborhood they bought into. There needs to be another entrance/exit for safety if nothing else. This is why towns have ordinances and building codes.
Brandie Holmes
7:52 am on Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Mr./Ms Conscience, I can't imagine having more than one husband at a time! NASCAR and football would put me over the edge! LOL
Karen Sorensen
8:14 pm on Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Please refrain from making personal attacks in your comments. These issues can be debated without calling into question something that you do not know to be true and doing so in a mean-spirited way. However, the last comment I removed did have a valid point. I incorrectly identified the church. It should be The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. My apologies for that. I posted the story at 2 a.m. and I'm afraid I was more than a little tired...
#1
9:51 pm on Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Not sure I follow you. No personal attacks were made & no mean spirit was conveyed. Just a an invitation to go to church. Unless of course the invite to go to church was considered.......uh oh.
Jane Enviere
10:33 pm on Tuesday, October 18, 2011
@Brandie - when you buy a home in a largely undeveloped area, you can't expect it to stay that way forever. Therefore any perceived "...right to expect the peaceful neighborhood they bought into" isn't actually a right at all. Land will be developed and you may not like what goes up -- for any number of reasons. If you want to be fairly certain your neighborhood looks the same way it did when you bought into it, don't head for newly developed areas with lots of open land.
Jay
11:58 pm on Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Well said Jane. What is the problem with people? Really.....a church, which will bring a few extra cars on Sunday. Really......that's going to be a safety issue for your children? Here's an idea.....take them to church on Sunday, to whatever religion you prefer, so then they won't be out riding their bikes when all those cars come speeding up to the church to get a spot in the front row.
Brandie Holmes
7:47 am on Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Ms. Enviere,
My concern was the thought of not having an emergency exit. God forbid that one should take place you would have an entire subdivision along with 300 people from a church trying to exit at the same time. Past experience says that's a recipe for disaster.
Mr./Ms JFR Really?....As far as a 3rd H.S. state codes dictate another exit. That's where the problem is, not a church be it morman, christian or pagan, but a safe environment for all parties.
Chloe
7:21 am on Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Really???? Grande Park wasn't concerned about what kind of traffic a third high school would have brought 24/7.
Jane Enviere
8:54 am on Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Hmm...what does an emergency exit have to do with your previously stated concerns for maintaining a "peaceful neighborhood"? Peaceful does not denote concerns about safety. It's more like not wanting your status quo disrupted.
Brandie Holmes
10:36 am on Wednesday, October 19, 2011
I should of stated that one of my concerns would be the safety issue. That would be the safety of all concerned. Having the status quo disrupted? Unless you have ever had a grandchild hit by car in front of their home because someone was late getting to the place they needed to go, you have no idea what that pain feels like. And yes this was the only way in/out and not one of the homeowners that lived there either. I might add a subdivision that's been there for over 50 years. We are all humans and with that come mistakes that might be avoided if a few changes are made. The "peaceful neighborhood" left that day for everyone because no one had thought about a few safety issue until someone got hurt!! I thank God everyday my Grandson lived but he will never walk again thanks to the misjudgments by many!
Jay
3:23 pm on Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Brandie, maybe the misjudgement was letting the kid play in the street.
Brandie Holmes
5:52 pm on Wednesday, October 19, 2011
What a piece of "work" you are, I'll consider the source in this case.
Who said he was in the street? He was on the sidewalk and this is what happens when you loose control of your vehicle.
Mom of 2
6:57 pm on Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Jay, your comment was uncalled for. Brandie is sharing her personal experience (and a diffilcult one). Try a little compassion now and then. It goes a long way and people would look forward to reading your comments.
Candy
2:52 pm on Sunday, October 23, 2011
A few cars? Have you read the traffic study? There will be traffic on Wednesdays, Sundays, Easter, Christmas, church anniversary dates, weddings, and funerals. Not to mention two conference days during the year with approx. 800 parishioners expected to visit. There is only one two lane road nearby and the rest of them are narrow one lane streets. So unless you live in the neighborhood, don't judge!