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the highland park landmark | May 24, 2018 | 3
Highland Park City Council
Zoning compromise gives more space to frontage properties
Erin Yarnall, Editor
In a compromise between
residents and property
developers, the Highland
Park City Council voted to
change the zoning on First
Street from a pedestrian
frontage into a neighborhood
frontage after complaints
by residents.
The change will result
in more alotted space between
buildings and the
front property line, as it
moves from 0-10 feet to
5-25 feet in the front yards
of developments.
Residents of the Sheridan
Square condominiums,
off 1st and Walnut
streets, issued complaints
because the pedestrian
frontage, which only left
a maximum of 10 feet between
the buildings and
start of the property lines,
restricted their views of
the street and was a concern
for drivers exiting the
property.
They hoped to have the
frontage changed to an RO
district, which would have
a minimum of 25 feet between
the property line
and buildings.
“If you start putting up
buildings close to the sidewalk,
you are taking away
sight lines,” said Jeff Richardson,
the board president
of Sheridan Sqaure condominiums.
Business owner Dino
Dimitriou, however, said
that a 25-foot setback
would make the creation
of developments in the
neighborhood difficult.
“It’s almost reverse zoning.
You’re asking for properties just
to sit as they are.”
Dino Dimitriou, business owner on the rezoning
on First Street.
“At minimum, I would
hope the City would not
revert back to 25 [feet],”
Dimitriou said. “It’s almost
reverse zoning.
You’re asking for properties
just to sit as they are.”
The City Council saw
the neighborhood frontage,
with a minimum of 10
feet, as a compromise, appeasing
both the residents
and potential property
developers and business
owners.
In a 4-3 vote, the City
also voted to repeal their
ability to involuntary landmark
historic homes.
Prior to the vote, the City
Council could vote to mark
a home as a historic landmark
without the consent
of the owner, which could
prevent the owner from
being able to demolish or
construct on certain homes.
Councilman Anthony
Blumberg voted against
repealing the City Council’s
right to landmark, and
argued that the involuntary
landmarking doesn’t give
the City ownership over
the property, it just limits
the amount of work that
can be done on historically
significant properties in
Highland Park.
“The City does not
take possession of it, it
does limit the use of it in
the way that other zoning
does,” Blumberg said.
Rotering voted to repeal
the right to landmark
homes, and said that residents’
homes are “their
greatest investment.”
Later in the meeting, a
scene emerged when an
applicant turned away by
the council began throwing
items and screaming
as he excited chambers in
City Hall.
The applicant applied to
open a chiropractic business
in the Ravinia retail
district and was declined
because his business was
not primarily retail, as is
required for that area.
“[We’re] looking for
pedestrian-oriented retailing,
and although you are
retailing some products,
primarily you are a service
organization,” Councilman
Anthony B l u m -
berg said.
Mayor Nancy Rotering
called the police during
the meeting, and members
of the police department
stayed at the meeting until
it ended to ensure the
safety of attendees.
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