La Grange Balks At More Limits For Developers

LA GRANGE, IL – The village of La Grange's staff opposes a resident's request for more requirements for developers, particularly those with plans near houses.

On Tuesday, the village's Plan Commission is set to review resident Jonathan Robinson's four recommendations:

• Require developers to host neighborhood meetings before submitting applications for zoning changes.
• Record and broadcast all Plan Commission meetings.
• Ban new buildings over three stories directly sharing lot lines with single-family houses.
• Prevent developers from bypassing setbacks or other codes when next to single-family houses.

According to a memo released this week, the village's staff said the proposals for neighborhood meetings and recording Plan Commission sessions would involve administrative and budgetary issues.

The village compared itself to eight other suburbs, with only Elmhurst requiring developers to hold neighborhood meetings.

As for recording zoning meetings, many towns do not have that practice. But Hinsdale is among those that do.

The staff also rejected the limits on developers of projects near houses. The village pointed to Robinson's suggestion for a 40-foot buffer for buildings over 35 feet high when they are next to single-family homes.

The staff said such a requirement would move the village away from uniform standards.

"Additionally, staff notes potential equity concerns with both proposed amendments as they create disparate treatment for single-family detached homes and all other housing types," the memo said.

The staff also said the local code provides standards by which the village considers adverse impacts of proposed developments.

The commission plans to take up Robinson's proposed changes at its meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Village Hall.

Robinson lives next to a proposed 39-unit residential complex at 112 E. Burlington Place, which would replace the Jackson Square antique mall.

The Village Board plans to vote on the zoning for that development Monday.

In an email last month, Robinson said he recognized that the changes to the code may not be enacted in time for his issue. But he said he wanted to prevent others from having their homes overshadowed.

For years, La Grange residents have protested taller buildings near them.

In an email to Patch on Friday, Robinson said he is trying to level the playing field between developers and neighbors.

"I felt the attitude by staff was very tone-deaf to what I am trying to accomplish and completely dismissive of very reasonable requests," he said.