Huntley church plans big expansion

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Updated: November 30, 2011 12:34AM

HUNTLEY — The village board heard details of a proposed major addition to St. Mary Catholic Church, 10307 Dundee Road.

Staff outlined the parish’s plan to build a 32,567-square-foot addition alongside the church to house classrooms for religious education, offices and meeting space. The proposal includes a covered carport, up to 17 meeting rooms and a professional kitchen.

The board indicated it was pleased overall with the proposed addition, but balked at the parish’s request to reduce the number of additional parking spaces the new building would require under village ordinance. The ordinance calls for an additional 260 parking spaces under the proposed plans. St. Mary’s is asking that it only be required to put in 97 more parking spaces.

“We do not at all envision a dual use where the parish hall is being used when the sanctuary is full,” a parish representative said.

Trustee Harry Leopold said he liked the plan, but was concerned with the possible shortage of parking spaces if the board allowed the parish relief of that many spaces.

“It is a real nice addition to build, and needed. I am concerned about the relief (of parking spaces). I would like to see examples of additional parking,” he said.

In other business, the board:

Discussed a proposed catch-and-release ordinance for village-owned ponds that was drafted for trustees’ approval earlier this month. Local residents made an appeal at the Sept. 8 board meeting for an ordinance that would prevent anglers from removing fish from village ponds.

The proposed ordinance would ban the removal of fish from the ponds and allow residents to fish in the ponds if they release the fish after catching them, with a $250 fine for violations, according to Village Manager David Johnson.

Trustee John Piwko asked that the measure be removed from the consent agenda so a separate vote can be taken on it at the next board meeting.

“These aren’t lakes,” Piwko said. “They aren’t really even ponds. They are detention areas. They aren’t supposed to be nice. The park district has nice ponds for fishing.”

Applauded the Huntley Chamber of Commerce for its new location in town. The chamber has moved into the old village hall building on Coral Street in the center of downtown. Village President Charles Sass recognized the significance of the chamber’s presence in helping to develop business downtown.