The Village Zoning Board of Appeals meets this evening at 6:30 PM. A copy of the agenda can be viewed and downloaded here.
Archive for the ‘Village Code’ Category
Special Zoning Board meeting tonight
Posted in ePacket agendas, Land Use, Public Hearing, Village Attorney, Village Code, Village Director of Administration, Zoning Board on May 23, 2023| Leave a Comment »
Village Board of Trustees meets tonight
Posted in Agendas, Big Red, Clown Car, LeCompte/Anderson Commercial Horse boarding amendment, Legal Expenses, One Barrington Hills, Plan Commission, Police Pension Board, Police Reports, Politics, Property Taxes, Riding Club Commission, Roads & Bridges Committee, Topics Of Interest, VBHPD, Village Attorney, Village Board, Village Clerk, Village Code, Village Director of Administration, Village Engineer, Village Government, Village President, Zoning Board on May 22, 2023| Leave a Comment »
Our Village Board of Trustees will be conducting their regular monthly meeting beginning this evening at 6:30 PM. A copy of the agenda can be viewed and downloaded here.
Well THAT didn’t take long, did it?
Posted in Algonquin Rd, Animal Welfare, Barrington Hills Park District, Barrington Hills Polo Club, BOHICA, Building Department, Commercial Horse Boarding, Cook, County, Deception, Equestrian Commission, Ethics, Fox River Valley Hunt, FRVPC, Goat Rodeo, Horse Boarding, Land Use, LeCompte/Anderson Commercial Horse boarding amendment, Nostalgia, Politics, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, Resident Spotlights, Riding Club of Barrington Hills, Unions, Village Attorney, Village Board, Village Code, Village Government, Zoning Board on May 19, 2023| Leave a Comment »
The Daily Herald recently reported, “After 8-year fight, judge says Barrington Hills horse boarding law is constitutional.” We’ve learned before that article was published, another commercial horse boarding related suit was filed in Cook County on April 25th, and it can be found here.
Ordinance 16-22, referred to in the filing, can be found here. Audio recordings of the Trustee’s discussions prior to approving that ordinance can be heard here.
Related: “After 8-year fight, judge says Barrington Hills horse boarding law is constitutional”
Special Zoning Board Public Hearing May 23
Posted in Agendas, Land Use, Public Hearing, Village Code, Zoning Board on May 17, 2023| Leave a Comment »
“PUBLIC HEARING Before the Zoning Board of Appeals Village of Barrington Hills Re: 364 Ridge Road, Barrington Hills, IL Application for Variation Notice is hereby given that a Public Hearing will be held at a Special Meeting of the Zoning Board of Appeals of the Village of Barrington Hills, commencing at 6:30 PM, May 23, 2023, concerning an application for a variation pursuant to section 5-10-4 of the Village Code to reduce the required interior side yard setback from 50 feet to 47 feet, 9 inches at the property bearing the address of 364 Ridge Road, Barrington Hills, Illinois.
A copy of the application for zoning relief is available for examination in the Clerk’s office by appointment and will also be included in the agenda packet. The agenda will post no later than the end of the day on May 19, 2023 at www.vbhil.gov. All those interested will be given an opportunity to be heard. Written comments on the application will be made part of the record of this proceeding, and questions posed in such comment will be asked. All written comments should be mailed/emailed to the Village Clerk to be received by 3:00 PM, May 23, 2023. By: Village Clerk Village of Barrington Hills 112 Algonquin Road Barrington Hills, IL 60010 clerk@vbhil.gov.”
Barrington allows housing evictions for criminal behavior
Posted in DARCHED, Politics, Village Code on May 10, 2023| 1 Comment »
The Barrington village board approved a crime-free housing ordinance Monday, a move that starting next year will allow landlords to evict tenants if they or their guests commit a crime within 100 feet of their home.
The measure, approved by trustees in a 5-1 vote, goes into effect in May 2024. Its creation was among the reasons village officials cited last year when they successfully sought voter approval of home-rule status.
“In the past, on occasion, there have been instances where it would have been a valuable tool to have landlords act when a tenant was engaging in criminal behavior on the property that was bothersome to the other residents, to the nearby neighbors,” Village President Karen Darch said.
Another key element of the ordinance is its requirement that landlords obtain a residential operating license and attend a village crime-free housing seminar to learn “ways to discourage unlawful behavior,” she added.
Village Manager Scott Anderson said the village will be working behind the scenes to educate the community ahead of the ordinance going into effect.
Under the ordinance, every residential lease must contain a “Crime-Free Housing Lease Addendum.” Failure to include the addendum could result in the property owner’s license being suspended or revoked.
More here.
Related: “Barrington begins discussion of crime-free housing ordinance”
After 8-year fight, judge says Barrington Hills horse boarding law is constitutional
Posted in Animal Welfare, Barrington Hills Polo Club, Equestrian Commission, Ethics, FRVPC, Land Use, LeCompte/Anderson Commercial Horse boarding amendment, Politics, Public Safety, Real Estate, Resident Spotlights, Riding Club of Barrington Hills, Save 5 Acres, Unions, Village Attorney, Village Board, Village Code, Village President, Your Barrington Hills, Zoning Board on April 28, 2023| 1 Comment »
A Cook County judge has ruled a Barrington Hills ordinance allowing commercial horse boarding at Oakwood Farms and other places to be constitutional, rejecting arguments that conspiracy and corruption were the basis of its adoption. (Daily Herald file photo, 2011)
A Cook County judge has called constitutional a Barrington Hills ordinance permitting commercial horse boarding as a home-occupation business in the historically equestrian-friendly village, rejecting claims of corruption.
The 8-year-old litigation that resulted in a 21-day trial was born of a neighbor dispute that dominated local politics in Barrington Hills for a time about a dozen years ago.
“I believe it vindicates a number of people,” said attorney James Kelly, who represented a party of intervenors in plaintiff Jim Drury’s lawsuit against the village. “I think it was a good decision.”
Drury — who lives next door to Benjamin and Cathleen LeCompte’s Oakwood Farms, where a 60-horse commercial boarding operation existed — argued the facility’s imposition on his residential peace and quiet clearly was forbidden by existing village code regulating home-occupation businesses in 2011.
Drury tried through lawsuits, newspaper advertisements and official testimony to suggest village officials at that time were refusing to acknowledge this and instead were pandering to the Riding Club of Barrington Hills and other equestrian interests.
While Drury conceded the LeComptes had the right to keep 60 of their own horses on the 130-acre property, he said the number of employees and clients that visited his residential neighborhood most days clearly marked Oakwood Farms as a commercial enterprise.
In claiming political motivations in the village, Drury pointed to $5,000 donations LeCompte made to each of the trustee candidates then-Village President Robert Abboud supported in the 2011 election — Joe Messer, Karen Selman and Patty Meroni.
That money was returned to LeCompte when the State Board of Elections determined he had not been properly identified by the candidates as the original source of the funding.
Read more here.
Barrington begins discussion of crime-free housing ordinance
Posted in Politics, Village Code on April 25, 2023| Leave a Comment »
When Barrington officials discussed the potential of home rule before the November election, one of the possible benefits suggested was a crime-free housing ordinance that would allow the village to work directly with landlords to help address problem tenants, including those who have committed serious crimes.
With Barrington’s home-rule status sealed by the November results, the village board now has started the ball rolling on crafting that ordinance.
Trustees received a draft of the ordinance Monday and had their first discussion that evening at their committee of the whole meeting.
Village Manager Scott Anderson walked trustees through the draft, but they still had questions and, in the case of Trustee Emily Young, concerns about its impact on renters. The ordinance would require residential landlords — Anderson said there are an estimated 730 property owners — to obtain on an annual basis a residential rental operating license from the village and attend a crime-free housing seminar.
In addition, landlords would insert in their leases a “crime-free housing addendum” that would make criminal activity by tenants, household members, guests or invitees on the premises or within 100 feet a lease violation that would trigger eviction proceedings.
Landlords could also be subject to revocation of their operating licenses for life-safety violations.
More here.
Village Board of Trustees meets tonight
Posted in Agendas, Barrington Hills Park District, Board of Health, Building Department, Conflict of interest, Contests, Equestrian Commission, Ethics, Finance Committee, Financial Reports, Horizon Farm, Mad Cow, Organizations, Pension Funding, Plan Commission, Police Pension Board, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Public Safety Committee, Real Estate, Resident Spotlights, Riding Center Advisory Committee, Riding Club Commission, Riding Club of Barrington Hills, Road construction, Roads & Bridges Committee, TMI, Topics Of Interest, Transparency, VBHPD, Village Attorney, Village Board, Village Clerk, Village Code, Village Director of Administration, Village Engineer, Village Government, Village President, Village Treasurer, Zoning Board on April 24, 2023| Leave a Comment »
Our Village Board of Trustees will be conducting their regular monthly meeting beginning this evening at 6:30 PM. Topics on their agenda include:
- [Vote] Amended Village Budget FY 2023
- [Vote] Resolution Authorizing the Issuance of Notice of Award for the 2023 Road Program Project by the Village of Barrington Hills, Illinois Resolution 23 –
- [Vote] Ordinance Amending Escrow Requirements for Tree Removal Permits as Set Forth in Title 4, Chapter 6 in the Village Code Ordinance 23 –
- [Vote] Resolution of Proclamation Appreciating Trustee Bryan C. Croll for 8 Years of Dedicated Service Resolution 23 –
- [Vote] Resolution of Proclamation Appreciating Trustee Colleen Konicek Hannigan for 10 Years of Dedicated Service Resolution 23 –
In addition, nominations for new or renewal appointments to Boards and Commissions will be voted on. Four member of the Equestrian Commission is on the list of renewals, however there is a problem with the renomination of one of those members.
That member ran for and won a seat on the Barrington Hills Park District Board earlier this month, and now this represents a conflict. Therefore, an alternate should be considered at a subsequent Board of Trustees meeting.
A copy of this evening’s agenda can be viewed and downloaded here.
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED, TRUSTEE BRYAN CROLL!
Posted in BACT, Finance Committee, Financial Reports, Land Use, Property Taxes, Resident Spotlights, Road construction, Roads & Bridges Committee, Taxes, Village Board, Village Code, Village Government, Village Treasurer, Zoning Board on April 23, 2023| Leave a Comment »
What follows was recently posted to the Village website:
“I strived to make Barrington Hills’ government a model for Illinois communities and our Village a more attractive place to live,” said Trustee Bryan Croll reflecting upon his time as Village Trustee. “I would say we proved that reducing taxes can be done; that raising taxes doesn’t have to be the norm. Admittedly, it takes time to analyze spending habits but it is a worthwhile effort.”
Homeowners would agree. During his two terms as Village Trustee, residents realized a Village property tax savings of almost 22%. “We reduced Village spending and the property tax levy for eight years while maintaining healthy cash balances,” said Croll satisfyingly.
He was elected to office in 2015 and appointed by the Board as a Member of the Building & Zoning Trustee Committee, but his biggest role was his appointment as Chairman of the Finance Committee where he rolled up his sleeves and delved into examining Village operations and its finances.
He researched and collected data of which schedules of annual revenues and expenditures were created going back to 2008 to allow for easy historical comparisons and accountability. These schedules have been incorporated into the monthly Board of Trustees meetings.
He further assisted in investigating and reporting on the investment performance of the Police Pension Fund, noting the poor returns and recommending a new manager, a change that was implemented.
Anyone who knows Trustee Croll or has listened to a Board meeting knows he is a numbers guy, instantly converting numbers into percentages no matter the subject, be it about the Village budget, personnel topics, or the Village road program–he will find the numbers! …X miles of road with a cost of X dollars per mile comes to about X percent of road over a period of X equals X. To support an initiative, Trustee Croll took into consideration if it met with the Village’s code and if it was in the best interest of all residents—a telltale of his devotion to our community and integrity as Trustee.
All throughout his tenure of eight years, Trustee Croll continued to be in tune with Village operations. Two years into his term, he was appointed to the Personnel Committee, replacing his role on the Building & Zoning Committee. Once again, after careful analysis, he endorsed cost-saving measures streamlining services and operations for Village staff, including the Treasurer, village engineer, and village attorney.
He supported outsourcing the 911 call center to QuadCom Police Dispatch, saving the Village over $300,000 per year, or in Trustee Croll‘s lingo: $300,000 per year, over seven years, comes to over two million dollars in savings thus far, not including the adjustment for inflation.
He promoted open space and cooperation with conservation groups, supported efforts to maintain Barrington Hills’ residential five-acre zoning, and the efforts to resolve pending legal issues.
Trustee Bryan Croll opted not to run for a third term. His talents lay well within the layers of negotiation and financial prowess. He had the natural ability to delineate the issues at hand and unfold a solution. Like Trustee Colleen Konicek Hannigan, his term as Trustee began when community issues divided residents.
“I wanted to give back to the community I grew up in and build a culture of transparency and responsiveness to community concerns. I believe I contributed to that. I enjoyed working and collaborating with my fellow trustees, Village staff, and other dedicated people who make our Village an outstanding place to live. They are all talented and hard working. I cherish the time I spent as a Trustee and value our accomplishments.”
Thank you, Trustee Bryan Croll, for your ardor for Village finances and mathematical wizardry, copious hours of analysis and preparation, and your unwavering integrity in serving the Village of Barrington Hills!
Monday, April 24, will be Trustee Croll’s last Board Meeting as next month the newly elected Trustees will be sworn in to complete the new Board.
Feel free to send him an email of thanks to BCroll@vbhil.gov.
Learn more about his accomplishments here.
Stricter rules for RV parking enacted in South Barrington
Posted in South Barrington, Village Code on March 24, 2023| 2 Comments »
Drivers of campers, boats on trailers, motor homes and other recreational vehicles now face stricter rules if they want to park in South Barrington.
Restrictions approved this week by the village board include limits on where people can park such vehicles, how long RVs can be parked and how many times per year they can be parked at a given address.
Complaints from residents prompted officials to develop the rules, Mayor Paula McCombie said. The changes have been in the works at least two years.
Among the rules:
- Recreational vehicles can only be parked in residential neighborhoods.
- Parking RVs on residential driveways is forbidden without first requesting permission from local police in writing or by phone.
- Permission can be revoked if police discover an RV is in disrepair or a danger to people or other vehicles, among other reasons.
- Recreational vehicles cannot be parked in driveways for more than one day at a time, and only so that the vehicles can be loaded, unloaded, cleaned or maintained; the limit previously had been 48 hours.
- Only one RV can be parked at any residence at once, unless one RV is towing another.
- People can only have RVs parked in their driveways for 14 days each year.
For that last rule, any part of a day counts as a whole day, Village Administrator Robert Palmer said. Previously, RV parking was limited to two weeks per year on dates that are at least six months apart.
Violators can be fined up to $500 for each day rules are broken.
Read more here.
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