McHenry Times

A judge in McHenry County recently reached a decision about what the Fraternite Notre Dame Monastery may build on a piece of land.

The order of nuns and priests has been given permission to build a boarding school, nursing home, gift shop, brewery and winery on their monastery’s grounds, located within Coral Township, according to MSN, 

After the McHenry County Board rejected the proposed development by a vote of 20-3 in 2016, the decision has been several years in the making. Residents worried that the development of the land would cause an increase in traffic and had the potential to harm the water quality. 

Following the rejection, the monastery filed a federal lawsuit, but the board never actually voted on a new proposed agreement negotiated by State’s Attorney Patrick Kenneally, who ultimately was forced to make the decision on his own after the board’s inaction.

U.S. Federal Magistrate Iain Johnston voiced his criticism of the board, declaring that a hearing and vote on the new agreement should be held. 

Jack Franks, a member of the McHenry County board, explained that the board had rejected the development, and Lou Bianchi, the previous state’s attorney, said that the rejection was “legally defensible,” according to MSN.

Previous concerns voiced by residents in 2015 are still held by many individuals who believe that the nuns were unable to prove that the development would not be responsible for increased traffic or decreased water quality. 

Franks said that it is questionable whether or not the nuns’ order has the financial means necessary to see the development through to completion.

While a number of other disagreements surfaced over the years, the decision nevertheless was made to allow for the development. 

The order agreed to a deal in which they said they will limit outbound delivery traffic, in addition to keeping 60% of their 125-acre property undeveloped. Additionally, while they will be permitted to sell beer, wine and pastries, they will have to attain a special liquor license. 

Finally, the order agreed to waive the attorney’s fees of more than $250,000. The judge overseeing the decision wrote that the order would have been able to win over $1 million in lawyer fees had they gone to trial and won the legal battle.