Politics & Government

Village, Church Remain at Odds in Zoning Dispute

A federal judge lifted the temporary restraining order and replaced it with a preliminary injunction Tuesday.

The federal judge that issued a temporary restraining order against the village in its zoning dispute against a local church replaced the order with a preliminary injunction Tuesday in Chicago.

What does that mean? Well, not much. But both sides are viewing it as an opportunity.

U.S. Judge Harry Leinenweber said on April 12 it was and ruled against the village in a zoning dispute against Liberty Temple Full Gospel Church. A few days later, Leinenweber , which expired two weeks later.

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That decision stemmed from a  by Liberty Temple, which alleged Bolingbrook officials discriminated against church officials' efforts to relocate to a long-vacant space inside the shopping center near Interstate 55 and Route 53.

Now, the church says it's just one step away from a permanent injunction while village officials say the court still has time to hear testimony that could sway the ruling in their favor.

Find out what's happening in Bolingbrookwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Witnesses still need to be called," Bolingbrook Village Attorney Jim Boan said.

"We look at it as a victory for the church,” said Tom Ciesielka, spokesman for the church, in a phone message.

The case is essentially a matter of one’s interpretation of the village’s zoning map.

Church officials said the space was classified as B-4 commercial urban development, which would allow a church to exist in the shopping center. Village officials contended the property was classified as B-2 community retail, which prohibits churches and places of worship without a special use permit.

Bolingbrook Mayor Roger Claar said the dispute is

He said several historical maps label the Bolingbrook Commons area as a B-2 zone, but when the village transferred its map from black and white to color, staff forgot or neglected to carry over the label.


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