UPDATE: County Board OKs Special Use Amendment for 140-Acre Religious Center in Elburn
- Editor’s Note: The original article incorrectly included a link to Amma.com. This article has been updated to reflect the correct URL and link in reference to the MA Center: Amma.org.
The Kane County Board on Tuesday (July 12, 2016) gave the OK for a special use amendment that will allow the Mata Amritanandamayi Center in Elburn to add residential units, campus buildings, a farm stand and Montessori school to its 140-acre campus in Elburn.
The board voted 22-1 with one abstention to approve the special-use change with several stipulations.
Over time, the MA Center plans to add 72 single-family homes constructed in groups of two to six attached units and 192 temporary residential units within three existing buildings at 41W501 Keslinger Road near Elburn. Additionally, the MA Center intends to build and operate a non-denominational Montessori School that initially would be inside of one of the homes and ultimately moved to a new school building if demand is warranted.
Stipulations included installation of left- and right-turn lanes on Keslinger Road at MA Center Drive, no intensification of the existing farmstead land at the northeast corner of the site, retained access to Keslinger Road for the farmstand at the northwest corner of the site, completion of a stormwater management report and permit application and a “relatively small change” to the existing septic system.
Some neighboring residents opposed the zoning change because of concerns about density, increased traffic and that the improvements would not substantially improve the tax base, because the MA Center is a religious institution.
The M.A. Center agreed to establish an internal policy that will discourage stays beyond six months and ask that parents do not place children in Kaneland School District 302.
According to the amma.org website, the M.A. Center Chicago, formerly known as Broadview Academy, is spread over 140 acres and is the hub of Mata Amritanandamayi’s charitable, educational, and spiritual activities in the Midwest. Mata Amritanandamayi (Amma) formally inaugurated this center by conducting her summer program from June 30 through July 4, 2012.
The center conducts regular spiritual activities, including spiritual discourses and retreats, guided meditation yoga, and selfless service.
“The farmland that forms part of the ashram site will engender Amma’s green initiatives,” the website says. “In the months and years to come, M.A. Center Chicago will herald various initiatives and ‘Embrace the World’ through Amma’s love.”
Open Government — Read More
Kane County encourages citizens to read more in open documents on its website. The following documents regarding the MA Center special use amendment can be found on the Pending Zoning Petitions page of the Kane County Development Department website.
- Petition 4378 – Supplemental Memorandum of Objection.pdf
- Petition 4378 – Petitioner’s clarification of information.pdf
- Petition 4378 – Memorandum of Opposition.pdf
- Petition 4378 – Conceptual Building Sections.pdf
- Petition 4378 – Amendment to Application.pdf
- Petition 4378 – Addendum – MA CENTER MONUMENT SIGN.pdf
- Petition 4378.pdf
About Mata Amritanandamayi
Mata Amritanandamayi is known throughout the world as Amma, or Mother, for her selfless love and compassion toward all beings. Her entire life has been dedicated to alleviating the pain of the poor, and those suffering physically and emotionally.
Throughout her life, Mata Amritanandamayi has embraced and comforted more than 34 million people. Amma inspires, uplifts, and transforms through her embrace, her spiritual wisdom and through her global charities, known as Embracing the World.® When asked where she gets the energy to help so many people, she answers: “Where there is true love, anything is effortless.”
While Amma is widely regarded as one of India’s foremost spiritual leaders, Amma says that her religion is love. She has never asked anyone to change their religion but only to contemplate the essential principles of their own faith and to try to live accordingly.
SOURCE: amma.org website
