The Zoning Board of Appeals will conduct a public hearing Monday, July 21st at 7:30 PM at Countryside School related to two proposed horse boarding text amendment proposals* submitted earlier this month.
Last week, The Observer summarized some of the highlights of the two proposals, such as hours of operations and allowable horse population (see “July 21 Zoning Board Public Hearing announced”). We have also commented on the apparent conflicts of interests stemming, in part, from these proposals. Additional scrutiny of the proposals has led to some very troubling questions and discoveries.
Both proposals call for any property boarding horses, be it one horse or dozens, to be reclassified from “Residential” to “Agricultural” use when it comes to our Village zoning regulations.
Some have speculated this might be an opportunistic ploy to lower property taxes. Some county assessors’ offices disagree, and in fact, they may (and certainly should) be taking interest in some of these properties now, since boarding is considered a revenue generating activity.
These latest proposals raise the valid question of whether boarding properties could possibly be considered a “Commercial” use in some circumstances when computing their assessed valuation. This makes sense, of course, and we have long advocated that large-scale commercial boarding operations should not be allowed to masquerade as residential uses.
But it may be that the reason that the proposal authors want boarding operations classified as agricultural use is that they hope to become a protected class, nearly immune from many residential code regulations under which they now must operate. In other words, they may want to be treated better, and with fewer restrictions, than the rest of us.
For example, Floor Area Ratio (FAR) restrictions currently limiting the allowable square footage to be built on a property will likely not apply to boarding properties classified as agriculture. Therefore, if approved, these proposals might allow for the construction of any size boarding facilities, so long as they are within code setbacks. Additionally, it may be the case that the proposers also intend that no special use permits will be required unless variations are sought, so adjacent property owners would have no say in the matter, and no forum to raise concerns, unless a zoning variation approval is required.
If operators were to exploit this proposed FAR regulation loophole, existing stables might be expanded or new ones may be built beyond FAR guidelines. In addition, accessory buildings for boarding, such as hay barns, riding arenas, manure storage structures and the like, might occupy (and hence eliminate) open space to support boarding ten or more horses* on as little as five acres.
One thing is clear: as facilities expand, so too will activities on the properties. More visitors, vehicles, equipment and trailers will appear, and with expanded daily operating hours seven days a week, it’s likely noise will increase as well.
Both proposals fly in the face of our Comprehensive Plan, the flag so many often wave when it suits their purpose, since it clearly recommends on page 44 that horse owners should:
“Avoid soil compaction and excessive removal of vegetation by timing the use of pastures and controlling the number of horses.”
Many other village regulations could potentially be sidestepped through agricultural use designation, and they are too numerous to cite at this time. Most activities related to boarding and training of horses would be unregulated, with the only exception being the allowed hours of operation, even if only one horse is boarded.*
Both proposals should be unacceptable to most residents, in our opinion. Both proposals, by reclassification of residential properties to “agriculture,” seek to create a super class of protected properties, with benefits the rest of us do not have and while creating additional burdens on our community.
The Zoning Board is accepting written comments from residents until Monday, July 21st by 5:00 PM. Written comments can be faxed to the Village Clerk at 847-551-3050 or sent by email to clerk@barringtonhills-il.gov. Please include your name and address in your correspondence, regardless of your opinion on the respective amendment proposals.
It goes without saying that this is a critically important matter for all Barrington Hills property owners. Resident involvement is important, as it was in previous failed attempts to amend horse boarding codes favoring expanded boarding provisions.
Regardless of your stance, please comment either in writing, or publicly Monday night at the hearing, or best of all, do both. This amendment process begins and ends with resident participation. Through inaction, you may empower proposals that eventually may have power over you and diminish the value of your property rights.
– The Observer
*Oakwood Farm Horse Boarding and Training Amendment Proposal
Riding Club of Barrington Hills Horse Boarding and Training Amendment Proposal
It is inexcusable that dozens if not hundreds of tired residents will have to take the time again to battle two unacceptably outrageous proposals such as these. What’s more outrageous is we MUST do so because ours zoning board is SO CONFLICTED in this matter that they may just approve one of the proposals!
If a vote takes place, the shame and blame lies squarely on the shoulders of Chairperson Judy Freeman. Communication to the Village was largely non-existent and hidden in ZBA agenda on the Village website and classified ads. The ZBA is acting as a shill for Oakwood Farms. Make no mistake, Judy Freeman is working to use her pulpit to work her agenda to create Barrington Hills as a commercial destination for equestrian activity.
The number of speakers supporting Oakwood Farms and destruction of Home Occupation at recent ZBA meetings is proof that non-residents look to BH as the place to dump their Horse manure in our water and use our trails. The Riding Club is merely a Political Action Group representing a growing number of outside BH members. BH Riding Club members who understand this must speak out or their silence will help destroy the Village that they love, too. The RC used your membership fees to hire a lawyer to propose the text amendment.
What’s changed since 2011 when the Village spoke resoundingly against commercial boarding? Oakwood Fams’ illegal activity is exposed by the courts and the ZBA membership was illegally stacked by Bob Abboud violating the Open Meetings Act. The Trustees from Save 5 Acres undermine Marty McLaughlin at every turn and the ZBA, despite serious conflicts of interest, are puppets to Oakwood Farms attempting to promote wide scale commercialism.
2+ horses per acre on a 5 acre lot next door for commercial boarders from outside BH – you have to be kidding – this is serious!
Dear Friends and VBH Neighbors in the Equestrian Community,
Please know that it is possible to be a non equestrian resident and be in favor of horse boarding. And, under the proper circumstances, I and many I know could favor larger scale commercial horse boarding. But, there is no way in Hades that We will put up with the ridiculous community destroying changes in wording being proposed. Nor will the specific example of large scale commercial horse boarding that was foisted on our community by trickery, deceit and maybe worse skullduggery on the North East corner of Oakwood Farms be allowed to continue.
I pray you look again at the two proposals being offered by Dr. LeCompte and under guise of the Riding Club of Barrington Hills. Try to see how some of us, who would like to be supportive, can never support these two proposals.
I recognize the civic mindedness of our equestrian focused residents. Many active Riding Club members have been leaders and active volunteers in our Village. I fear that the Riding Club of Barrington Hills is changing from being one of the key sources of cohesion and progress in our community to being the cause of the disintegration of all civility. A lot of us would like to be friends of the Riding Club and the greater equestrian community; but, we are not going to allow all protections we have under the VBH Zoning Code to be destroyed.
Over 99% of you have no current interference with boarding your horses the way you want and you will not be hurt by continuing the present zoning laws. In my view, most of you are excellent neighbors; but, many of you are being deceived by the 1% among you that want to have an unlimited right to do whatever they want and to hell with the noise, traffic, inconvenience that they impose on their neighbors! They are spreading fear and using you for their gain.
I humbly suggest it is not worth the loss of goodwill and amity toward the Riding Club that is about to occur if it continues to promote these two zoning code changes. (Actually, to some extent this loss has already occurred. I spent much of the last two weeks defending the Riding Club and extolling their civic mindedness to fellow residents.)
Finally, I offer this advice as a student of political science and as one who in the past was politically active: Learn to count.
Ask yourself, what percent of Barrington Hills voters are members of the Riding Club or own horses?
Nearly everyone in Barrington Hills likes horses and at least in the past, liked horse owners. I hope this never changes; but, it might.
Jan C. Goss