Glencoe residents will soon be able to keep hens on their property after village trustees approved a change to local regulations to allow it.
The Village Board voted 5-1 at the March 17 board meeting to change the rules to permit residents to maintain up to four hens at their homes.
Proponents support the idea for reasons including the availability of fresh eggs and children learning about the origins of food, according to the village website.
However, those opposed fear noise, odors and predators coming into the area.
After staff spoke with other communities in the Chicago area about their experience with permitting chickens at residences, trustees voted to create a program where residents will have to apply for a one-year license to keep chickens with a limit of four per household, officials explained.
Initially, the village will only allow 10 licenses to be granted – on a first-come, first-served basis.
“It’s an assurance we are not going to allow these things everywhere,” Management Analyst Jeff Mawdsley told trustees.
The hens will have to be kept in an enclosed pen or coop with a minimum of 4 square feet per chicken, a property inspection by village staff will be required before a license is issued or renewed, and the pen or coop must be kept clean to prevent odors and they must be resistant to predators, according to the approved ordinance.
The agenda for tonight’s Board of Trustees meeting has been updated today. Items added to Building and Zoning are highlighted and can be viewed by clicking on them:
5.4 [Vote] An Ordinance Amending Sections 5-6-4(c) of the Village’s Zoning
Regulations to allow Religious Institutions as a Special Use in the B3 Zoning
District Ordinance 22 –
Another twenty-six (26) have been added to the agenda this afternoon, however we do not have the time to determine where. Since it is a moving target at this point for residents and the BOT, click here to view the latest version.
The Village Board of Trustees will be holding their monthly meeting this evening at 6:30 PM. The meeting will include a public hearing on the 2022 Annual Appropriations Ordinance. A copy of the 2021 Appropriations Ordinance can be viewed here for comparison.
A copy of the agenda can be viewed here. Those wishing to listing in on the meeting can phone 508-924-1464.
The Zoning Board of Appeals meets this evening at 6:30 PM. They will be holding a public hearing followed by a public meeting and possible vote regarding:
Text Amendment – Anja Foundation — Amending Section 5-6-4(C) of the Zoning Ordinance to add to the list of special uses allowed in B-3 Zoning District “Religious Institutions: Athletic fields and playgrounds on the grounds of religious institutions, Churches, Chapels and synagogues, Columbariums associated with religious institutions, Rectories, parsonages and parish houses.”
“We like the coolness factor and the history,” says Brian Thompson, who is joined inside their new home by his wife, Gabby, and a couple of the dogs they train. (Ryan Rayburn for the Daily Herald)
Gabby Sloan and Brian Thompson were interested in the star-shaped house in Grayslake because it stood on 30 acres of land overlooking a pond, woods and a prairie.
The married couple were searching for a new home for themselves and their Happy Pup Manor dog training and boarding business. The sprawling property seemed an ideal place to live and for their canine clients to run free.
Making it more interesting, they soon discovered the house was designed by the son of legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright and had two noteworthy owners: a wartime industrialist and an eccentric millionaire known for raising exotic animals.
“We loved the property because there were a lot of acres for the pups to run, and it had a fence,” Thompson said. “Then we saw the house, and we realized it was a piece of art with a lot of history.”
Sloan, 36, and Thompson, 35, recently purchased the house for $2.3 million with hopes that by March, Happy Pup Manor will move from its current location in Barrington Hills to its new home near Route 60 and Fairfield Road in Grayslake.
Friday we published a letter written by Deputy Clerk and Plan Commission Vice Chair Robin VanCastle (seen here), as submitted to our Board of Trustees (BOT) communicating her concerns over a conflict of interest at our Village Hall. That conflict was corrected months later, but now our series takes a sad turn.
Trustee Debra Buettner passed away unexpectedly on November 11th, 2021, after a rare reaction to chemotherapy ended her life prematurely. A week later, Village President Pro-Tem, Colleen Konicek Hannigan, sent the following memo to the BOT before they met for their November regular meeting:
“To: Brian Cecola
Cc: Anna Paul, Nikki Panos
From: Colleen Konicek
Date: Thu, Nov 18, 2021 at 8:29 AM
Re: Trustee Buettner
#####
Brian – As Jim stated in his letter (seen here), Deb and I had many conversations over the last several months regarding her need to step down from the BOT and her desire to play a role in finding/vetting a person who she felt exemplified her efforts and dedication to the Village. We discussed several people and the reasons she felt each would or would not best be able to carry on her mission to provide government services in a fair, courteous, and fiscally responsible manner, to be a steward of the land and open spaces, and to protect our zoning laws. Each time, one person rose to the top.
Deb asked that I keep her health condition confidential, which I, of course, honored. Her intent was to meet with you the week before our last meeting to discuss her need to step down and to request that you nominate, and the BOT accept her recommendation of Robin VanCastle to fill her remaining term. Unfortunately, Deb was hospitalized and unable to follow through with that intent prior to passing.
Deb felt Robin would exemplify her position on the Board and would provide a high level of commitment to the Village, which she has already demonstrated. Deb was impressed by Robin’s background in finance as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Itasca Bank & Trust Co. She also valued Robin’s volunteer experience and can-do attitude. Deb, as liaison to the Plan Commission, saw Robin’s work firsthand, and was impressed by her dedication to redrafting of the Village’s Comprehensive Plan, and believed Robin had a solid understanding of what makes Barrington Hills so special and how to keep it that way. Deb also thought it important to have a capable female fill the seat.
As you know, Robin has been involved in Village government since 2015, serving on the Heritage & Environs Committee and Plan Commission, as well as being our long-standing Deputy Clerk. She is a CPA with a strong background in finance and is currently on the Board of Directors for Itasca Bank, so she also has a background in working collaboratively at the board level. These were all considerations of Deb’s in determining Robin was the ideal candidate for the seat.
I wanted to go on record with my many conversations with Deb, my endorsement of her recommendation, and my hope that we honor her by seriously considering this appointment. I will very much miss Deb’s presence on our Board. She provided considered guidance and a unique perspective. She felt that Robin would do the same.
Please feel free to reach out with any questions about my discussions with Deb.
I would appreciate this email being disseminated to the rest of the Board members.
Thank you,
#####
Colleen Konicek Hannigan
Trustee, Village of Barrington Hills”
Trustee Buettner served on the Zoning Board of Appeals for four years before being elected to the BOT in 2019. Considering she had more experience than most on the BOT, she had every right to share her succession preferences.
However, the current Village President, Brian Cecola, decides who to nominate to the BOT (once he obtains the now obligatory approval of the former Village Permit Coordinator, of course).
The question is, who on the BOT considered Trustee Buettner’s recommendation? It turns out, with the exception of Pro-Tem Konicek, none we can find. Not a single one, and we’ll attempt to determine why in our upcoming installments.
Our Village Board of Trustees meets tomorrow evening at 6:30 PM. Some of the topics on their agenda include:
[Vote] An Ordinance Granting an Amendment to an Existing Special Use Permit to Allow an Addition to Countryside Elementary School, 205 W. County Line Road Ordinance 22 –
[Vote] A Resolution Adopting an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Cook County Assessor’s Office to Facilitate Access to GIS Data Resolution 22 –
[Vote] Plan Commission Appointment: Maggie Topping, term expires 2024
A copy of their agenda can be viewed and downloaded here.
Our Village Board of Trustees meets this evening at 6:30 PM. Some of the topics on their agenda include:
[Vote] An Ordinance for the Levy and Assessment of Taxes for the Fiscal Year Beginning January 1, 2021 and Ending December 31, 2021 Ordinance 21 –
[Vote] An Ordinance Amending Driveway Permit and Design Regulations as set Forth in Title 10 of the Village’s Municipal Code Ordinance 21 –
[Vote] An Ordinance Amending Sections 5-2-1, 5-3-9, 5-3-13, 5-5-2 and 5-5-11 of the Village’s Zoning Regulations Ordinance 21 –
[Vote] An Ordinance Granting an Amendment to an Existing Special Use Permit to Allow an Addition to Countryside Elementary School, 205 W. County Line Road Ordinance 21 – (72 Hours after the ZBA approved it)
[Vote] An Ordinance Adding Requirements for Road Access Permits Amending Title 4, Building Regulations of the Village’s Municipal Code Ordinance 21 –
[Vote] An Ordinance Approving a Final Plat of Re-subdivision: Shah Consolidation: 41 & 45 Hawthorne Lane Ordinance 21- (48 Hours after the PC approved it)
[Vote] A Resolution Approving the Execution of an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) for Maintenance with Cuba Township Road District
Resolution 21 –
It bears mentioning that two of the items the BOT may be voting on tonight were approved just this week by the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Plan Commission. Since audio recordings and minutes are not yet available from these two meetings, the board members will not have the support of that documentation if votes occur.
The complete 179-page agenda can be viewed and downloaded here.
The Zoning Board of Appeals meets this evening at 6:30 PM. They will be holding a public hearing followed by a public meeting and possible vote on:
“Text Amendment – Zoning Board of Appeals – Amending definitions set forth in Section 5-2-1 of Berm, Dwelling, Family and Lot, Zoning; and to Section 5-3-9 Bulk Regulations, and to Section 5-5-2 Permitted Uses and adding a new Section 5-5-11 relative to Height of Buildings and Structures.”
A copy of their agenda can be viewed here. The recording from their October meeting can be found here.
