Zoning rules exist for a reason.  They keep a neighbor from changing their property in such a way that it devalues the surrounding properties.    With County board elections next week, a reminder is in order.

In 2009,  An Islamic group bought a house, zoned residential, near Army Trail and Smith in West Chicago IL, and began using it for religious services.  The quantity and frequency of traffic became problematic and so the neighbors complained about this illegal use of the property.  The early DuPage County Board meetings found against ICWS use of the property, but, having not finalized it, the saga went on and the final meeting found in favor of ICWS.

At all Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) board meetings from 2009 thru 2012 at which a decision regarding ICWS was made, they voted NO to the ICWS requests.  At one Development meeting they voted YES but the full County Board vote was not taken until 2012, at which point the county board voted NO to the conditional use request.   The NO vote from the county in 2012 should have ended this request forever.

However Continue reading “ISLAMIC CENTER WESTERN SUBURBS (ICWS) – Is the Law the Law?” →