Land Use Commission recommends special use for Sozo City Church at 1702 Sherman Ave.

The Evanston Land Use Commission on Aug. 13 voted 5-0 to recommend city council approve a special use for a mixed-use establishment at 1702 Sherman Avenue that would accommodate Sozo City Church and banquet/event uses.

Megan Jones, neighborhood and land use planner for the city, read the application into the record and identified the applicable zoning provisions. The applicant, Lunguil Lentili, said Sozo City Church has been holding services at the Music Institute on Chicago Avenue for nearly two years and seeks to establish a community‑centered hub in downtown Evanston.

Lentili told the commission the church would host Sunday worship services from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., with attendance ranging from about 35 to 70 people. He said the congregation is largely young families and includes Northwestern students and working professionals. The applicant also described plans to rent the redesigned space for theater, recitals, art exhibitions, rehearsals, studio rentals and other community events, and to host two to three additional community gatherings per week at varying times.

Because the change in use triggered off‑street parking requirements, Lentili said the applicant plans to direct congregants to the city‑owned Sherman Plaza parking garage half a block south. He said he had contacted the garage to request a lease agreement but was told the garage currently has no infrastructure in place to offer a Sunday‑only lease; the garage representative said they would need to follow up to see if an arrangement could be created.

Staff noted two zoning code provisions relevant to the parking exemption conflict: one provision applies the exemption to the lease‑generating use on the lot, while another anticipates religious institutions as high trip‑generators. Staff recommended amending condition No. 2 in the packet so that a copy of a lease agreement or other instrument is provided to the city prior to issuance of a building permit. The commission agreed to that change.

Commissioners reviewed the nine standards for special‑use approval and found them met, citing the site’s past use as a religious institution and cultural facility, the property’s building features (egress, suppression systems and soundproofing), and the proposed downtown‑oriented uses. Commissioner comments were supportive, noting potential to bring families and daytime activity to the block.

A motion to recommend approval of the special use, including the amended condition that “a copy of a lease agreement or other instrument shall be provided to the city prior to approving a building permit,” passed by roll call vote with five votes in favor and none opposed. The recommendation will be forwarded to city council, which is the determining body for the case.

Less critical details: staff will work with the applicant on finalizing condition language and on parking documentation; the site previously housed the Evanston Bible Fellowship and the Music Institute.