Politics & Government

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.

Annexation and site plan approval for a were delayed for three weeks by the 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.

Find out what's happening in Plainfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"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.

Find out what's happening in Plainfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

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.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here