Despite resident objections, Will County Board members on Feb. 16 approved a special use permit for a Muslim house of worship and religious studies center in Wheatland Township.
Both the county’s planning and zoning commission and land use development committee recommended against approving the special use permit. County staff, however, recommended its approval.
Nearly half of the 20 residents near the proposed center attended the Feb. 16 County Board meeting to voice their concerns. They pointed to existing flooding problems and worried the proposed center — and its planned parking lot — would make flooding issues worse in the neighborhood on Carls Drive near Wolf’s Crossing Road in Wheatland Township.
They also questioned how much traffic the center would generate in their residential neighborhood and how it would impact their rural neighborhood.
“I don’t think this is about flooding,” said board member Edward Kusta, who voted against the special use permit. “I think its about a change of the characteristics of a neighborhood.”
Salahuddin Razi, who purchased the five acres with his relatives for the center, said they were already aware of flooding concerns and said they plan to address residents concerns. He noted that he must still obtain building permits through the county and comply with county ordinances before moving the project forward. He also noted that if it becomes too expensive to fix issues on the property they would not continue.
He added that his goal has always been to “give back to the community” and that he plans to be a good neighbor.
“There has been a lot of bad publicity and we want to say, we could be very good neighbors,” he said.
Worship services would be held on Fridays and prayer services also would be held at the center. Razi expects to use the existing house for prayer services and the existing barn for Friday evening worship services. He expects to remodel both existing buildings on the five acre parcel.
County officials said they would work with both sides to address concerns.
