Illinois Planned Parenthood Clinic Built against Zoning Code Loses Court Battle
- Amanda Casanova ChristianHeadlines.com Contributor
- Updated Jun 24, 2015
![Illinois Planned Parenthood Clinic Built against Zoning Code Loses Court Battle](https://i.swncdn.com/media/700w/crosswalk/resource/areas/crosswalk/resources/images/defaultimages/article-large-landscape.png)
The Illinois Appellate Court overturned a lower court’s decision to dismiss a zoning and fraud lawsuit from the Fox Valley Families Against Planned Parenthood.
Represented by the Thomas More Society, the society claimed that the zoning of an abortion facility in Aurora, Illinois was illegal because it was located in a profit-making business area, according to Life News.
“Planned Parenthood built its abortion facility in Aurora under false pretenses and in blatant violation of the strictures of Aurora’s zoning code, which require a tax-paying for-profit use on that site,” said Peter Breen, Thomas More Society Special Counsel.
The case can continue in appellate court or an appeal can be made to the Illinois Supreme Court. Otherwise, the case can return to DuPage County Circuit Court to decide whether the facility can stay on the property.
Planned Parenthood claims it has been paying property taxes on the property since 2006, and therefore operating as a for-profit entity. But later, Planned Parenthood received a property tax exemption and a rebate of paid taxes.
The facility opened in 2007, and the Thomas More Society filed a lawsuit alleging zoning ordinance violations against Planned Parenthood and the City of Aurora. That lawsuit was dismissed in August 2013.
In April 2015, the case came before the Illinois Appellate Court.
Publication date: June 24, 2015