Weddings, Parties at Immanuel Hall Halted

Those who have their hearts set on celebrating their nuptials or holding a big benefit at Immanuel Hall might want to pump the brakes.  

The Hinsdale Plan Commission voted unanimously Wednesday night to reject an amendment to Immanuel Hall’s special-use permit that would have expanded the allowed uses at the building to include fundraisers, weddings, memorials and parties.

Such events have been hosted at Immanuel Hall in the past and have supplied revenue needed to maintain the former church owned by the Hinsdale Historical Society, according to Cindy Klima, the society's president. 

Village officials earlier this year requested amended language from the historical society after neighbors complained that events like those mentioned above were going on at Immanuel Hall despite not being allowed by the zoning code.

READ: Hinsdale's Immanuel Hall Focus of Zoning Dispute

Among the changes to the Immanuel Hall permit proposed by the historical society Wednesday were a clause stipulating an annual allowance of up to 30 private events of 100 guests or more, and the replacement of the opening statement of the use restrictions portion of the permit stating the building “may be used only for historic preservation purposes and uses incidental thereto.”

The proposed amended language instead opened:

“The Property stands as a symbol of the Village of Hinsdale’s historic and cultural heritage. The Property serves the community and has been repurposed as a place available for public use. Such public use of the Property serves to promote, protect, enhance and allow for the continued utilization and rehabilitation of such areas, properties, structures, sites and objects having a special historical, community, architectural or aesthetic interest or value to the Village of Hinsdale and its citizens.”

The changes proved to be too much for the six plan commissioners on hand Wednesday, who before their vote heard from many of the same Immanuel Hall neighbors who spoke when the historical society's original proposal was presented in May and labeled by commissioners as too broad. 

READ: Immanuel Hall Zoning Dispute: Plan Commission Wants Compromise

Commissioner Stephen Cashman said he could not support changing the intent of the special-use permit.

“I have not heard a neighbor that was not tied to he historical society that was for the new uses,” he said. “They want to keep and enforce the original intent, and the original intent is clear; it was to promote historic preservation.”

Cashman was also against modifying the permit to allow for events already being held, saying “To change a zoning ordinance to fit a non-complying use is a really terrible way to apply zoning and planning.”

Other commissioners were turned off by the private-event number proposed.

Chairman Neale Byrnes said he likes what Immanuel Hall stands for and the public benefit it provides.

But, he said, “Should we have 30 events a year? No way.”

Commissioner Laura Johnson said she thinks the historical society should be able to hold some private events there each year, but more like four or six. And for each event over 50 people, she said, a special event permit should be attained from the village.

“I do feel that they need to be able to have private events within a very strict guideline,” she said.

Cashman agreed such a proposal could be considered, but that wasn’t before the commission Wednesday.

“What is that solution? I don’t think it’s our responsibility to come up with it,” he said.

Among the events allowed to take place at Immanuel Hall according to the current special-use permit include classes, meetings, craft demonstrations, shows, exhibitions and sales.

The plan commission on May 8 tasked a small group of stakeholders including historical society representativs, neighbors and commissioners with finding compromise. There was one meeting later that month, Commissioner Luke Stifflear said Wednesday, but little came out of it.