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LakeForestLeader.com NEWS
the lake forest leader | January 25, 2018 | 3
Lake Bluff Plan Commission
New pilates studio approved
for downtown Lake Bluff
Katie Copenhaver
Freelance Reporter
The Lake Bluff Plan
Commission and Zoning
Board of Appeals voted
unanimously in favor of
a text amendment to allow
a pilates studio and/or
physical fitness facilities of
500-square-feet maximum
size to operate within the
central business district,
without needing a special
use permit, during its meeting
on Wednesday, Jan. 17.
The petitioner was Lake
Effect Holdings on behalf
of their building at 10 E.
Scranton Ave., and tenant
Personalized Pilates.
In correspondence to the
Lake Bluff Plan Commission
and staff, Rob Douglass,
the managing member
of Lake Effect Holdings,
argued $3,000 for a special
use permit for a startup
pilates business “creates
a serious financial hardship.
Without an approval
for a text amendment, the
economic hardship makes
opening this business impractical.
“I want to encourage entrepreneurship.
If they’re
successful, we’re all successful.”
He added that there
would not be another pilates
studio coming into the
building.
“I want to keep all the
tenants happy and compatible,”
he said.
Plan Commission Chairman
Steve Kraus and Member
Mary Collins raised
concerns that a pilates
studio could generate increased
traffic, a higher demand
for parking and noise
that might affect neighbors
in the downtown.
Commission Member
David Burns said that
beauty and barber shops,
which could have 10 or
more customers at a time,
have a similar effect on
traffic and parking in the
business district, and they
are not subject to special
use permits.
Commission Member
Sam Badger acknowledged
the concern about parking,
but said that, ultimately,
“We also want people
downtown.”
Douglass noted that a
tenant whose business was
downstairs from the Pilates
Studio of Lake Bluff,
which closed at the end of
2017, said he did not hear
noise from the fitness business.
Village moves closer to a
recreational, institutional
and open space District
The commission continued
its discussion about the
creation of a special recreational,
institutional and
open space zoning district,
which they began in 2017
with village staff and Ron
Salski, executive director
of the Lake Bluff Park District.
These areas would include
government properties,
schools and churches.
Kraus explained that
what is under consideration
is when there are upkeep
and minor modification of
buildings in these zones,
the process of approval
through the village should
be streamlined. Then, only
significant changes in use
or alterations to structures
would require a review by
the plan commission and/
or architectural board of
review.
Regarding significant
changes to buildings in
these categories, Collins
said, “It’s a whole lot less
painful if they come to our
board when they are early
in the planning process.”
She added that she believes
the ordinance for an
recreational, institutional
and open space district
should still have some strict
codes regarding setbacks
and impervious surfaces,
with consideration to flooding
in the village.
“We have the right to
control how other government
units use the land
in Lake Bluff,” said Glen
Cole, assistant to the village
administrator. However,
he continued, “Many
other communities don’t
apply the same amount of
rigor as Lake Bluff.”
“I think we serve a purpose
in the community,”
Collins said. “Everyone
can come here to voice
their concerns.”
Kraus explained that the
park district holds their
own public hearings before
making significant changes.
Kraus and the commission
agreed the next step
is for them to review a first
draft of the ordinance for
the district.
Plan Commission revisits
annexation plans
Referring to Lake Bluff’s
1997 master plan and the
plan commission’s 2017
van tour, the commission
continued discussion of areas
of possible annexation.
They are considering
Shore Acres Country Club
and the residential proper-
Please see Plan, 8
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