Plans for new Belmont Bible Church proposal move forward

Plans to build a new Belmont Bible Church in Downers Grove are moving forward now that Village Council has considered the proposal.

Commissioners took time to weigh in on the proposal during the Jan. 5 Village Council meeting, and commissioners were expected to take a final vote on the plan at the Jan. 12 meeting.

Belmont Bible Church, 5430 Belmont Road, is seeking the council’s approval of a rezoning request, annexation and a special- use permit to allow for the construction of a new church and school building at the southwest corner of Belmont Road and Inverness Avenue.

The 2.76-acre property, which is envisioned to become home to a two-story, 32,574 square-foot building, currently occupies five lots, according to village council documents. Parts of the land already have been annexed into the village, but others require council action to allow the project to proceed.

Among the concerns raised about the project are the health status of a honey locust tree located in village’s Inverness Avenue right of way, which some officials described as poor.

The church has proposed two scenarios as it seeks to move forward with constructing right-of-way and site improvements, both of which call for the tree’s removal, officials said.

Commissioner Marge Earl said she believes the church has provided the village with an adequate plan given the circumstances.

“If I thought that this tree was actually going to make it through construction, I would be fighting tooth and nail to save it, but the condition of tree is already suspect,” Earl said.

Several officials said they support the church’s plan to build a new church and school building, but some had reservations about the current state of the honey locust tree and its future.

Commissioner Nicole Walus said she would like more information before the council votes.

The village intends to have a status update on the honey locust tree at the council’s Jan. 12 meeting, officials said.

Some officials also expressed concerns about the tree’s removal prompting an increase in storm water management and drainage issues for neighboring properties.

Commissioner Leslie Sadowski-Fugitt said she is a bit torn over the issue.

“It is difficult for me to lose a tree of this size,” Sadowski-Fugitt said. “Although there will be storm water improvements, we do know from our previous discussions on the storm water utility fee that churches are exempt from it.”

She said that in addition to losing a large tree that can store water, the village is likely adding more impermeable surface to a property that doesn’t contribute revenue to the local storm water fund.

The church asserts that the project will benefit the village and its efforts to reduce storm drainage and runoff impact on neighboring properties, according to village council documents. There are plans to plant 12 new trees along the parkway as part of the project.

The village finds that the church’s plans satisfy compliance to the comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance, officials said.

A vote on the project is expected at the council’s Jan. 12 meeting.