Another blame game

Monday evening the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) discussed public comments on the commercial horse boarding amendment to the Home Occupation Ordinance (HOO). During that meeting several members of the ZBA, most notably Chairperson Judith Freeman and Kurt Anderson, expressed their condescending opinions that residents who opposed the amendment failed to understand it.  Anderson, quoted in the Daily Herald cited what he called “a campaign of both disinformation and misinformation.”

Anderson is somewhat correct, as there has been an ongoing campaign to obfuscate the entire issue of expanding commercial boarding within Barrington Hills.  But the campaign is not being waged by opponents of commercial activity; it is being waged by our own Village leadership and administration.  And, it is a campaign of distraction, misinformation and spin.

The last two Village Newsletters barely allude to any contemplated changes to permitted boarding activity, with the exception of this brief reference by Trustee Joe Messer, liaison to the ZBA:

The Village websites provided little information about exactly what the HOO amendment would change.  The primary website http://www.barringtonhills-il.gov/news.html contains an obscure mention of the “HO Amendment” and  suggested only that residents read a redlined copy of the proposed changes or review the entire Village Code.  That’s not very helpful.  The Village “Info” website http://www.vbhcomm.info/index.php proved no better, offering  only a generic explanation of the process of reviewing a zoning amendment, instead of describing what the proposed changes are and how they might impact residents. Is that what we deserve?

And what did Bob Abboud, never shy about speaking his mind, communicate on the matter?  He ignored the horse boarding topic entirely in his rambling 2+ page article “From the Desk of the Village President” in the Spring/Summer 2012 newsletter.  He did, however, chose to include a copy of his correspondence with Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas, which most people would find embarrassing.

A June 15^th  Daily Herald article stated, “Abboud thinks the ordinance will strengthen regulation of horse boarding as a home occupation business by defining specific hours of operation…,”  even though the proposal would expand the permissible working hours of employees. And, in two widely distributed emails, Abboud tried to liken commercial horse boarding to someone giving piano lessons in their home, writing, “the proposed changes to the Home Occupation Ordinance (HOO) are designed to clarify, in fact, better regulate, existing home occupations in the Village which have nothing to do with “commercial” operations in the commonly understood sense of the word.”  He further asserts, “There is no intent to change the character of the community,” and he goes on to say, “this is part of our regular modernization of our Village code which goes on all the time to address changing circumstances, technology, interests by the residents, etc.”  Message to Bob:  Barrington Hills residents are too smart to accept that kind of nonsense.

Last week residents received a special mailing from the Village, causing some to hope for clarification on the boarding matter.  Instead, they found a defensive letter signed by Bob Abboud and Trustee Karen Selman, struggling to justify the financial condition of the Village’s pension programs and including an about a temporary ban on open burning.  There was no mention of the proposed, radical expansion of commercial horse boarding that threatens to destroy our residential Village like a conflagration.

So, how are residents supposed to understand a proposed text amendment to the Zoning Code if its provisions and ramifications are never explained in a clear and concise manner by the Village? Going forward, we have a few suggestions:

• Newsletter articles by the Trustees and President should actually contain usable information and detailed discussion of proposed ordinance changes.
• Open houses should be held at the Village Hall when modifications to the Village Code are being contemplated which affect nearly all residents.
• Village websites should contain frequently asked questions to better clarify important community issues, like the HOO, or the failed Exterior Lighting Ordinance, etc.  Educate before you legislate, please!
• The Village’s CTY notification system should be better utilized to announce important Village meetings, such as the ZBA’s public hearing on the HOO.

The transcript of the public hearing and the letters submitted to the ZBA on the proposed commercial boarding amendment provide several clear points.  Residents are concerned about disruptive commercial activity going on in residential neighborhoods.  Residents are concerned about the number of horses allowed on neighboring properties, whether or not there are currently any limits.  Residents are concerned about numbers of employees, visitors and operating hours for boarding businesses.  Residents are concerned about the impact of noise and traffic.

Unlike our Village administration, residents have clearly communicated their concerns.  It remains to be seen if the ZBA and Board of Trustees will address these concerns.  As we have said before in these pages, we have our doubts.

–     The Observer