Opinion ID: 795990
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Application for Annexation

Text: 3 Vision is a religious corporation of the State of Illinois currently located in Mundelein, Illinois; it was founded in 1981, joined the United Methodist denomination in 1988, and adopted the name Vision Church, United Methodist in August 2001. Its membership, which currently totals approximately 120 persons, consists primarily of Korean-Americans. 4 The Village of Long Grove is an 18-square mile community located in Lake County, Illinois, with a population of approximately 6,000. According to the Village's Comprehensive Plan, it is dedicated to preserving its rural character, to the provision of a quiet countryside and to the enjoyment of open space. R.98, Ex.3 at 02-1, 03-1. The Zoning Regulations of the Village of Long Grove (Zoning Regulations) govern the building and location of public buildings, including religious institutions; under the Zoning Regulations, religious institutions are permitted as special uses in areas zoned as R1, R2 and R3 Residential Districts, as are schools, fire stations and sewage treatment facilities. 1 See Zoning Regulations: The Village of Long Grove § 5-4-2-2, R.99, Ex.2 (hereinafter Zoning Regulations) (setting forth the special uses allowed in a R1 district); id. § 5-4-3-2 (same for R2); id. § 5-4-4-2 (same for R3); see also id. § 5-11-6(D) (setting forth the procedures governing the Village's consideration of an application for the special use of a property). 5 Prior to 1999, Vision was located in Park Ridge, Illinois. In 1999, however, it began looking for a new church site: It expected its membership to grow significantly in the upcoming years and desired a larger facility. It purchased a 27.40-acre vacant plot in unincorporated Lake County, Illinois, in September 2000, with [the] intention to build a church there. R.1-1 at 3. [M]any Korean-American immigrants in the Chicago-area and families in the congregation had moved to Lake County, making the site ideal for the construction of a new church facility. R.177-2, Ex. 76 at 2. 6 At the time of purchase, Vision's property was zoned for church development under the Lake County Zoning Code; however, Vision desired to build the church within the incorporated municipality of the Village of Long Grove. Reverend Soon-Chang Jang, the head pastor of Vision Church, has explained that Vision wanted to build a good relationship with the Long Grove residents, and believed that being within the Village would further this goal. Id. at 5. Therefore, on June 6, 2000, Vision applied to the Village of Long Grove for annexation under 65 ILCS 5/7-1-8. See 65 ILCS 5/7-1-8 (Any territory which is not within the corporate limits of any municipality but which is contiguous to a municipality at the time of annexation ... may be annexed to the municipality ... [by] a written petition signed by the owners of record .... A majority vote of the corporate authorities then holding office is required to annex.). In its application, Vision requested as a condition of annexation that the Village zone its property Residential (R2) and grant Vision a special use permit to construct a church complex on the property. R.177-1, Ex.52 at 1. It proposed plans for a 99,000-square foot church facility, consisting of five main buildings and an over 1,000-seat sanctuary. 7 Soon after the submission of this application, Vision and the Village entered negotiations over the conditions of annexation. During these negotiations, the Village expressed concern about the size of the church complex and its compatibility with the Village's goal of protecting natural resources and maximizing open space. In December 2000, at the Village's request, Vision agreed to submit revised plans; in March 2001, its representatives presented these revisions to the Plan Commission of the Village of Long Grove (Plan Commission). Under the new plans, the size of the church complex had been decreased to 56,200 square feet, consisting of three main buildings (a sanctuary, an administration building and a Sunday school building); the sanctuary would seat 600 instead of 1,000; and parking spaces were reduced from 400 to 240. 8 In addition, Vision agreed to comply with some, but not all, of the Village's conditions on construction. For example, it agreed to remove the Fountain, Chapel in the Woods and Outdoor Amphitheater from the plan, to mark [a]ll wetland and conservancy soils ... as lowland conservancy easements, and to serve the religious facilities by on-site waste disposal systems and/or septic systems. R.98, Ex.14 at 2 (describing the conditions); see also id., Ex.15 at 1 (accepting the conditions). However, in a letter dated August 6, 2001, Vision refused to consent to the following limitations: (1) that easement language ... be placed on site plan indicating no future structures or impervious parking allowed; (2) that [t]he area marked `playing field' on the east side of the plan ... be marked `Natural Landscaped Area' ... and no organized outside activities ... be allowed in the area; and (3) that [o]nly two services Sunday or holidays excepting weddings and funerals [be held]. And no more than one major activity each week Monday through Friday, excepting weddings and funerals. Id., Ex.14 at 2; see also id., Ex.15 at 1 (rejecting the conditions). Specifically, Vision claimed that the second condition was inconsistent with its intention to have a playground for children; it claimed that the third limitation necessarily entangle[d] the Village in the operations of the Church. Id., Ex.15 at 1. 9 On August 7, 2001, the Plan Commission voted to recommend the denial of Vision's application for annexation. 2 On August 14, this recommendation was accepted by the Long Grove Board of Trustees (Board). 3 10