Plan For Daycare At Christian Science Church Met With Skepticism

Evanston IL

15 March, 2021

6:00 PM

Description

EVANSTON, IL — Dozens of Evanston residents have mobilized in opposition to a proposal to demolish a former church across the street from Willard Elementary School and replace it with a daycare center. During a five-hour Plan Commission meeting last week, residents who live around the site of Second Church of Christ, Scientist, located at 2715 Hurd Ave., near the Wilmette border in Evanston's 6th Ward, expressed concerns about the proposal from Kensington School CEO Charles Marlas. Marlas has applied to build a two-story, nearly 20,000-square-foot building with a playground on the roof. It would have about 163 students and 23 staff, according to a memo from city staff. City approval for the plan is required, as its design exceeds the maximum height for the residential zoning district by 4 feet and the permitted proportion of impervious surface by nearly 25 percentage points. It also requires city permission for planned open parking. The 75-year-old Christian Science church at 2715 Hurd Ave. in Evanston was listed for sale in 2018 with an asking price of $1.8 million. For the third time in two years, residents who live near the corner of Hurd Avenue and Park Place are pushing to block plans by the Second Church of Christ, Scientist to sell its building.(Google Maps) The Hurd Street property has been owned by the Christian Science church since 1946, according to a brief on behalf of the church. Two recent deals to sell the property to other churches were scuttled by opposition from the community thanks to the city's "harmful interpretation" of its zoning ordinance and "illegal application" of the special use permit process, according to attorney John Mauck, who specializes in religious freedom. In the first case, the Church of God was set to purchase the site and continue its use as a church, which Mauck said should not have required a special use permit, despite claims by city staff. "Because of neighborhood opposition — perhaps caused by the unspoken fear of a predominantly black church — the Church of God pulled out of the deal," Mauck suggested. Later that year, the church went under contract to sell the site to another buyer, the Salvation Army, who also proposed using the site as a church. Mauck said city staff again wrongly required the church to apply for a new special use permit for a new congregation in an existing church. He said nearby residents were concerned that the church might attract poor or unhoused people, and the Salvation Army backed out of the deal in November 2019. The property is located in the Central Street Corridor Overlay District, where city code requires religious institutions to obtain a special use permit. Mauck disagreed with the legality of the requirement and warned taxpayers could be on the hook for damages and legal fees if the church is forced to sell for a lesser value. A rendering shows plans for a proposed Kensington School location at 2715 Hurd Ave. in Evanston. (via City of Evanston) Ahead of last week's plan commission meeting, more than 100 Evanston residents signed on to a letter to Plan Commission Chair Peter Isaac arguing the project is unsuitably large and would create safety hazards for children and traffic hardships. The letter warned the building would "dwarf any residential structure on the block, be visible from all directions, entirely obstruct" views from nearby homes and create a "canyon appearance." And while the Kensington School officials say they have identified a market demand for a daycare center in the north Evanston area, the residents' joint letter noted its cost is out of reach of many working families. "This facility, with its tuition well above average for Evanston day care operations," the group said, "will not materially address the needs of Evanston low income population desirous of such services." Currently, the school operates locations in Arlington Heights, Elmhurst, Geneva, Glenview, Highlands, Hinsdale, La Grange, Naperville, South Naperville, St. Charles, Western Springs and Wheaton, according to its website. Evanston's Design and Project Review Committee, which is made up of city staff, voted 8-1 to recommend approval of the proposal to the Plan Commission. Community Development Director Johanna Nyden, the committee's chair, was the lone vote against. Following several hours of comments and questions from residents, last week's Plan Commission meeting was continued until April 14. Watch: Full March 10, 2021, Evanston Plan Commission meeting »