Traditionally the Zoning Board of Appeals has accepted written public comments up to 5:00 PM the day of a public hearing. However, in the case of the upcoming public hearing to be held Tuesday regarding the latest horse boarding text amendment for consideration, written comments must be submitted by 5:00 PM Monday, December 1st.
Our thanks go to the reader who spotted this variance in the hearing public notice published in the Daily Herald which is the only notice provided to Barrington Hills residents of the change. Residents can submit their comments by fax to 847-551-5050 or by email to the Village Clerk at clerk@barringtonhills-il.gov.
No doubt, the commercial boarding changes to the Village code have profound impact on the community. Anyone who spent any time investigating the details can attest that ZBA leadership and majority are proactively pushing changes that will encourage commercial operations in the Village. The results increase defined limits for commercial activity promoting equestrian and other commercial pursuits. These proposed changes are stark contrast to residential code protections currently in place with Home Occupation and Special Use.
Dramatic change is undeniable.
But, with such important changes to the character of our Village, why is our Village leadership so silent in communication with the general public? Listening to audio of Board and ZBA meetings leaves a trail of evidence that may provide an answer.
President McLaughlin, under the advice of counsel, suggests that these changes expose the Village to potential litigation if parties in the Oakwood Farms matter before the courts believe the Village tried to favor any particular outcome.
Mr. Messer, Board liaison to the ZBA, changed his position. In summer of 2012, Mr. Messer publicly stated changes to the Village code were unnecessary because there were no issues. He has subsequently changed that position and proactively favors these changes coincident with the ruling by the Illinois Appellate courts to rule Oakwood Farms in violation and not under the protection of Home Occupation. Mr. Messer’s law firm also represented a recent ruling by the ZBA to grant a property owner on Algonquin and Old Sutton the ability to build a large polo field and indoor arena with no commercial special use restrictions for unlimited use which flows through to any new property owners if that parcel is sold.
ZBA chair Judy Freeman is a proponent of code changes that move Home Occupation and special use protections to Agriculture designation. At a previous ZBA meeting, the owner of Oakwood mentioned that he worked with Ms. Freeman to define his text amendment recommendation. Mr. Anderson is the ZBA member who drafted the new proposed text amendment. His text amendment allows up to 15 commercially boarded plus unlimited owned horses on a 5 acre property. Plus, it defines the ability for these commercial operations to operate with work people and heavy machinery from 6 AM to 8 PM or dusk whichever is later. Interesting to me, these proposed changes would legalize Oakwood Farms in the midst of litigation.
With this backdrop, I’m simply interested in why the government officials aren’t being responsive to the community and communicating. Why doesn’t Karen Selman, Board communications liaison, offer explanations to the community in the newsletter? Why doesn’t the ZBA respond to the public and Board’s request for more analysis on traffic, water contamination, manure removal, horse density concerns from expert witnesses, etc. before proceeding further? Instead, we have another public meeting where the ZBA will likely ignore concerns expressed and not even address them in the public debate.
We’ve had so many public hearings, it appears the ZBA is just trying to wear down the public. Something just doesn’t smell right. It’s easy to see why the Riding Club and Oakwood Farms benefit from these changes, but our government officials have yet to explain why it’s all best for the community at large. Maybe there is a good reason for all of us to support these changes. Or maybe they truly are for the benefit of a few and a harm to others. Governance fails when special interest is promoted at the expense of the public good.
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There is so much money at stake in this situation that certain major interests can’t afford to lose.
As always, you just have to follow the MONEY to see the motives of this catastrophic change!
Who has the most to gain or lose? Oh yes, egos are at play here too.
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