Modified American Islamic Association Expansion Approved Amid Intense Neighborhood Concerns

Frankfort Village Board Meeting | May 18, 2026

Article Summary:
The Frankfort Village Board has approved a revised major change to the American Islamic Association’s Planned Unit Development, greenlighting building and parking improvements while scaling back initial plans to address resident complaints regarding traffic, safety, and property values.

American Islamic Association Key Points:

• Phase 3 Removed: The applicant eliminated plans for an 8,490-square-foot gymnasium and classroom building to address parking deficits and neighbor concerns.

• Parking Compromise: Total parking was set at 250 spaces, with 19 spaces near the western property line relocated to landscape islands and the southeastern corner.

• Friday Traffic Control: The association must provide active traffic control on 88th Avenue and St. Francis Road during peak Friday afternoon prayer services.

• Landscape Buffering: The buffer along the western property line was enhanced with clustered evergreen plantings to protect the views and privacy of adjacent homeowners.

FRANKFORT — The Frankfort Village Board on Monday, May 18, 2026, approved a major change to the American Islamic Association (AIA) Planned Unit Development (PUD), clearing the way for a scaled-down, two-phase expansion of the facility at 8860 West St. Francis Road.

The unanimous vote concluded a contentious public review process that spanned multiple Plan Commission hearings, during which adjacent residents from the LaPorte Meadows subdivision voiced intense opposition over traffic congestion, school safety, and declining property values.

In a move to resolve neighborhood conflict, the applicant, represented by Michael Matthys of Linden Group Architects, presented a revised site plan that eliminated the project’s original third phase—a proposed 8,490-square-foot gymnasium and classroom addition. According to village planners, the gymnasium would have created a severe parking deficit under the village’s zoning ratios, which require one parking space per 75 square feet of gross floor area.

With the removal of Phase 3, the existing 15,056-square-foot facility, combined with a Phase 2 women’s prayer room addition of 1,820 square feet, yields a zoning requirement of 250 parking spaces. The board approved a final layout of exactly 250 spaces, reducing the count from the originally proposed 259 spaces.

To appease neighbors along the western boundary, the 19 parking stalls closest to their property lines were removed and redistributed into expanded interior landscape islands and the southeastern portion of the site. Additionally, the planned trash enclosure was relocated from the western property line to the southeast side of the building.

The PUD approval includes six binding conditions:

1. Payment of a tree preservation cash-in-lieu fee for the removal of existing trees on the site.

2. Submission of an updated landscape plan featuring clustered evergreen plantings to ensure a solid visual screen.

3. Provision of compliant landscaping, photometric, and elevation plans consistent with the redistributed northwest parking area.

4. Acquisition of final engineering approval from the village.

5. Deactivation of parking lot lighting one hour after services conclude or when the facility is vacant.

6. Provision of active traffic control during peak Friday prayer services at 88th Avenue and St. Francis Road.

During the public comment portion of the hearings, residents argued that any expansion so close to their backyards would degrade their quality of life. Homeowners Carlithe Layosa and Michael Mueller, residing at 20203 Laporte Meadows Drive, submitted a formal objection noting that the parking lot would sit just 81 feet from their home, destroying their backyard’s open space character and lowering its resale value.

“Replacing this view with a parking lot and a 25-foot landscape buffer would permanently eliminate this character, making our home less competitive and less desirable,” Layosa wrote.

Tim and Dawn Guenette, 23-year residents of LaPorte Meadows, expressed frustration over a lack of early neighborhood involvement and stated that Frankfort Township Supervisor of Assessments Joe Krall informed them the project would directly decrease their home equity. Other neighbors raised alarms regarding the expansion’s proximity to Dr. Julian Rogus School, a kindergarten-through-fourth-grade center.

Dr. Paul McDermott, Superintendent of Summit School District 161, formally opposed the proposed 88th Avenue road access point. Speaking at the podium, McDermott urged the village to revisit its traffic studies when school is in session to protect students from potential traffic hazards.

“Proximity to the school and the potential changes to traffic patterns could cause potential dangers to students,” McDermott warned, urging the board to prioritize student safety and emergency vehicle access.

Frankfort Township Highway Commissioner Bill Carlson echoed those traffic concerns, stating that while the association has been a “fantastic neighbor,” the intersection of 88th Avenue and St. Francis Road is already overburdened. Carlson requested that the village assess a traffic impact fee on the developer or restrict the 88th Avenue access to right-in, right-out movements.

In defense of the plan, AIA representative Mohammad Dias stated that the addition of a second access point on 88th Avenue would actually relieve congestion on St. Francis Road by spreading out existing traffic rather than drawing new vehicles to the site.

“With two access points, it relieves the site from congestion,” Dias said. “It’s the same number of cars but with two entry points instead of one.”

AIA representatives also noted that peak attendance is limited to Friday afternoons, with evening services only occurring during the single month of Ramadan.

To address the school and township concerns, the board finalized a requirement that the association coordinate special traffic control on Fridays during peak hours, which the petitioner accepted.