Lombard-area neighborhood split on proposed mosque

Traffic concerns have homeowners near Lombard divided on whether they should welcome a proposed mosque to their neighborhood.

Several residents on Monday night voiced opposition to Muslim Community Association of the Western Suburbs' plans to build a roughly 43,000-square-foot mosque on nearly 4 acres along the south side of Roosevelt Road, just east of I-355. But other neighbors told DuPage County's zoning board of appeals that they support the project.

The two-story mosque would be named Pin Oak Community Center and serve 25 to 50 families. It would include a 2,629-square-foot prayer hall, classrooms, a gymnasium, a library and an all-purpose area in the basement.

In addition to a conditional-use permit, the group is seeking a height variance for a 50-foot dome, which it says is needed to let people know the mosque is there.

The property, located at the intersection of Roosevelt and Lawler Avenue, is next to two billboards and a cell tower, all of which are taller than the proposed dome.

Nancy Bartosch, president of the Glenbard Homeowners Association, said Muslim Community Association of the Western Suburbs has been working to address various issues raised by neighbors.

“They are trying to accommodate the neighborhood as much as possible,” she said.

For example, anyone leaving the property won't be allowed to make a right turn onto Lawler — they would be able to make only left turns to go north to Roosevelt.

Luay Aboona, a traffic consultant hired by Muslim Community Association of the Western Suburbs, said the group also plans to widen part of Lawler and add dedicated turn lanes at Roosevelt.

“This improvement is not only going to help offset our impact,” Aboona said, “but most of the hours of the day when the mosque is not generating traffic, it would certainly serve the neighborhood and provide a needed relief for the traffic exiting on Roosevelt.”

But Bernadette Kec, who lives across the street along Lawler, questioned whether adding turn lanes is a good idea.

“You are saying it's going to help people get out of Lawler onto Roosevelt,” Kec said. “But I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to get out of my driveway.”

Joe McAleer said the only way to understand what it's like to make a turn from Lawler onto Roosevelt is to attempt it yourself.

“I don't think traffic studies really take any of that into effect,” he said. “It doesn't matter if you add another lane there or not. If you make that intersection even bigger than it is, you're asking for the possibility of more chaos at that intersection.”

Still, Aboona said his traffic analysis shows that most of the activities at the mosque won't cause a significant increase in delays at the intersection.

The public hearing is scheduled to resume May 9. Ultimately, the zoning board will make a recommendation to the county board, and county board members will make the final decision on whether the conditional-use permit and the height variance should be granted.