An audience of over 160 people attended the Apr. 9 county ZBA petition hearing to hear and question stipulated details. Photo by Gregory Harutunian/for Chronicle Media

Marengo religious order expansion draws ire.

The latest skirmish between impacted residents of Harmony Hills Estates and the Fraternite of Notre Dame over the order’s petition for a conditional use permit to expand its operations took place with thinly-veiled discord between the parties, during the Apr. 9 McHenry County Zoning Board of Appeals meeting.

More than 160 people from the rural area near Marengo filled joint conference rooms in the county’s Administration Building ostensibly to learn about, and then question specific details about the order’s intentions in seeking a zoning change from an agricultural assignment.

Ultimately, both sides came away empty-handed following the public comment forum at the hearing, which the board continued until Apr. 29.

‘Basically, we are here to get a footprint for the project, at 10002 Harmony Hills Road, and the residents were asking for details that we don’t have yet,” said attorney Tom Zanck, representing the Order, founded in 1977, at Frenou, France. “There are architect plat drawings and concepts, and they have an absolute right for some of it, such as the school.”

At issue is a permit petition to allow the construction of a barn with a commercial kitchen, a winery, and a brewery. It also seeks the capability to build and operate a school with an attached dormitory for kindergarten through twelfth grades, a nursing home with hospice services, and a gift shop to sell pastries, religious articles, wine made on-site, and a tasting area.

Coral township supervisor Roger Naylor stated, “Our township is requesting that the zoning board of appeals and the full county board deny their request, as it doesn’t fit into the township plan map, the county plan map, or the newly-approved Unified Development Ordinance. They’re working off a 2010 plan, which they are allowed to do.

“But they’ve expanded the plans way beyond the initial scope and barely started construction on their original proposals.”

Coral township attorney Steve Cuda noted, “They appeared at an earlier township meeting and said there would be no variances requested, and here they are doing so. Along with other people, I have a pretty good memory.”

Further adding to animosities is the filing of the petition in Sept. 2014, one month before a newly-adopted county Unified Development Ordinance was effectuated. The Order, housed on 95 acres with an address of 10002 Harmony Hills Road in Marengo, had previously been approved for a conditional use permit in 2005.

That affirmation included a place of worship with a monastery and church, seminary, convent, retreat center, bakery, printing press, and a cemetery. The chapel and several main structures have been built, although ten planned structures remain undone. The enlarged plans and lack of purposeful timeline have raised the ire of neighboring residents.

“In a nutshell, they want to build an industrial park in the middle of an estate residential community,” said Jeff Purtell. “They are attempting to buy more property all the way to Church Road, an additional half-mile of frontage roadway. How do you do this without a business plan, or model? How do you get a lender to go along with this?”

There were many points of conflict presented by township and nearby residents although the focus landed on the school, for kindergarten through twelfth grades, and the nursing facility for the elderly, with hospice care. The matter of certifications and alignment with state regulations for both items were shown to be lacking on the order’s part.

“Every child deserves to have an education, they have a right to an education, and learn what it is to obey, and respect,” said Mother Mary Martha, the Order’s site superior. “We want to give a full education with Christian values, it is what society needs. The elderly will benefit from the children being near. This is the time that should be the most beautiful for them”

Questions from residents peppered her explanations of the site expansion’s scope and intent, often leaving her unable to negotiate their use of American colloquial language. ZBA chairman Rick Kelly continually worked to keep things on track with the pubic, by saying, “You are making statements and not asking a question.”

Cuda represented many audience members in seeking answers to nebulous responses, during his examination. “The school…will this be all boys, all girls, or mixed, and yet, no one has state credentialing or certification to teach there?” Kelly indicated that what is taught is irrelevant.

Cuda replied, “You’re bringing 80 kids into a boarding school, and what they’re taught is irrelevant?”

The matter of certifications and credentialing for teachers and healthcare workers would be obtained, according to Mother Mary Martha, although it was pointed out that state of Illinois regulations governing public and private sector institutions are substantively different.

Kelly adjourned the meeting, following a one-hour extension yet his repeated denouements still rang, “That is not the purpose of this hearing.”