Despite vocal objections to the measure by one alderman, the Des Plaines City Council voted to approve a zoning change that would allow three billboards to relocate due to the expansion of the I-90 Tollway.
The council had voted at a previous meeting to defer the issue after developers asked for more time to address concerns presented by some of the city’s aldermen.
Ald. James Brookman, 5th, maintained his original position on the issue, stating that the city “should maintain maximum control of billboards,” and deny the change.
The approved zoning amendment affects three billboards; two just north and south of I-90 and east of Mount Prospect Road and the third south of I-90 and east of Mannheim Road. All are owned by Outfront Media, which requested the zoning change, according to a memo from city staff members.
The three billboards are considered “nonconforming,” meaning they were installed before city officials placed a limit on the number of billboards allowed in Des Plaines, said the city’s director of community and economic development, George Sakas.
Under the new amendment, the owner of a nonconforming billboard is given the option of moving within 500 feet of their initial location, but only may do so if the signs are at risk of condemnation as a result of roadway work by a government agency, Scott Mangum, senior planner for the city, said at a previous council meeting. The billboards must otherwise meet all zoning requirements and must all be moved to their new location within one year of being removed from their original position, he said.
Without the zoning change in place, the billboards could not be moved, and the Illinois Tollway Authority would then be required to pay for the value of the signs, Sakas said in an earlier interview. With the change in place, the tollway authority is required to pay for the expense of moving the signs, but Sakas said that is much cheaper than reimbursing the company for the billboards’ total value.
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Outfront Media executive Mitch Matson identified the exact location where each billboard is slated to move in a presentation to aldermen.
He said his company still would have to meet all building permit requirements as part of the relocation.
But Brookman maintained that the city should deny the zoning change.
“If these people had to apply case by case, we could in fact deny them a permit and reduce the number of billboards in the city,” he said.
But Sakas said in order for the company to re-apply for a permit, the city would first have to expand its current billboard quota.
Ald. Mark Walsten, 6th, also said that while the zoning change applies citywide, the conditions in which it would apply are very narrow.
“I think the both of us will be dead” before there is more Tollway expansion in the city, Walsten said, referring to his colleague on the council, Brookman.
Before the council voted on the issue, a motion to cut off debate was approved 6-1, with only Brookman voting no.
The aldermen ultimately voted 5-2 to approve the zoning amendment. Ald. Patricia Haugeberg, 1st, and Brookman voted no, and Ald. Don Smith, 7th, was absent from the meeting.
Gaines is a freelance reporter.