OAK PARK
Field lighting proposal falls short
A proposal to install stadium lights at Oak Park and River Forest High School will require a supermajority of votes from the Village Board after the Planning Commission failed to give the plan a positive recommendation.
The commission voted 4-3 in favor of lights, but five votes were needed to give a positive recommendation, said Village Planner Craig Failor.
The proposal will need five votes from the seven-member Village Board to win approval.
School District 200 initially asked for a variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals. After that was rejected, the district filed a request for a special-use permit, which is first heard by the Planning Commission and, ultimately, the Village Board.
The Village Board could take up the issue as early as May.
The issue has pitted the neighbors against the high school for at least two years.
Neighbors contend that the lights would destroy their quality of life and would negatively affect the surrounding historic district because the stadium field and the neighboring houses are just across the street from one another.
But the school district maintains it needs the lights to host night games and allow for more practice use of the field. The school’s booster club plans to pay for the lights.
— Victoria Pierce
ROSELLE
New bills reflect higher water rates
Water bills received by Roselle residents in recent weeks reflect increases in the village’s water rate and capital improvement surcharge.
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In November, the Village Board approved an ordinance boosting the water rate by 20 cents in order to balance the budget for 2009.
The increase went into effect Jan. 1 and was reflected in last month’s water bills. The rate increased to $3.60 per 1,000 gallons from $3.40.
According to Village Administrator Jeff O’Dell, the increase was needed to balance the water fund cash balance.
O’Dell said that “cash flow, normal fluctuations in climate conditions and unanticipated water system repairs necessitated this adjustment.”
The DuPage Water Commission increased the water rate to its customers in October after the City of Chicago increased its rates, O’Dell said.
“The village is a customer of the DuPage Water Commission, and the board subsequently passed an ordinance reflecting the increase,” O’Dell said.
The new capital improvement surcharge was raised to $1.80 per 1,000 gallons from $1.55 to pay for bonds issued for the Devlin Wastewater Treatment Plant infrastructure improvements.
The village reported that the average family uses 9,000 gallons per month, making the combined rate increase per household about $4.05 per month, or $48.60 annually.
— David Sharos
DOWNERS GROVE
Valet parking OKd for downtown
With an eye on attracting customers to downtown restaurants, the Downers Grove Village Council has approved an ordinance allowing those restaurants to offer valet parking to their customers.
“In this environment where our downtown businesses are calling out for something to keep people going into their businesses, this is a low-cost, no-cost way to attract business into downtown,” said Commissioner Martin Tully.
The ordinance was suggested by the Downtown Downers Grove Management Corp., which thought that such a service would spur activity in a downtown that is home to several new restaurants.
Management Corp. Manager Linda Kunze said the ordinance is modeled after similar ones in Naperville and St. Cloud, Minn.
Kunze said that the price of valet parking will be at the discretion of the owner of the establishment, but that the price should be around $5.
“I think if restaurants are going to want to attract people, they won’t be charging Chicago prices,” Kunze said. “It’s a great ploy to get people to come to our town and have dinner.”
Restaurants must carry insurance, and each valet service driver must hold a valid license, according to the ordinance.
— Matthew Rogina