Winnetka residents were surprised to see posts and fencing erected along Centennial Beach after Winnetka Park District staff members said they erected them last week to bring the lakefront dog park in alignment with Cook County regulations.
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Several residents spoke out at the Jan. 26 Winnetka Park District Board meeting saying communication to residents about the fencing was not sufficient considering an already tense situation concerning lakefront development related to billionaire Justin Ishbia’s purchase of four properties along the shoreline.
“I am the one that has asked for transparency from you all many, many times. On Jan. 18, you put up a fence at Centennial and Elder,” resident Katie Stevens said. “Today is the 26th.”
Resident Irene Smith compared the move to a time 20 years ago when former Chicago Mayor Daley tore up Meigs Field under the guise of preventing a potential 9/11 style terrorist attack on the city’s Loop.
“Is that what you were thinking? Because you did this so quickly,” Smith said. “What was the haste in this thing?”
The Village of Winnetka has since issued a stop work order after residents contacted the village as no permit requests had been filed by the Park District. The fencing and posts were removed on Jan. 25.
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There has not been any communication from the county or the village’s insurer to the Park District instructing them to place the fencing or stating that they are out of compliance with county regulations, which say fencing is needed to keep unleashed dogs on dog park property.
Board Counsel Adam Simon said the county could, at any point, decide to strictly enforce regulations.
“We’ve recognized for quite some time that we’re not in compliance with Cook County’s regulations. We discussed it with our risk management people,” Winnetka Park Board President Warren James said. “They confirmed this is not acceptable.”
James said fencing was previously on the northern boundary of the dog beach in 2009 and original posts from that fencing were removed when the new fencing was put in. That construction, according to James, did not require permits.
The three homes closest to the dog beach — 261, 203 and 205 Sheridan Road — have been vacant for many years which James said benefited the village. All three of those properties have since been purchased by Ishbia who intends to build a large home south of the park and move in with his wife and three small children.
– Original Credit: Handout
Discussion of the fencing were held during the Dec. 1 Winnetka Park Board meeting where Costa Kutulas said there would not be permits required because the bluff is the end of the village’s jurisdiction. He also said the fencing that extends into the water would be part of the permits sent to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and Army Corps of Engineers for the overall beach design plans.
At the Jan. 12 meeting, Kutulas informed the Park Board that putting the fencing in place it would cost $5,000 if it is done by Park District employees, and would cost $18,000 to $20,000 if a contractor is hired.
“Staff has determined it is in the best interest of the agency to secure the dog beach now because we are not compliant with Cook County animal or rabies control ordinance and the requirements of the Park District Risk Management Agency’s dog access to park and recreation areas guide,” Winnetka Park District Executive Director John Peterson said Jan. 12. “We’ll install this as soon as possible subject to weather and materials … there’s movement afoot. We are trying to comply with regulatory and safety management issues.”
Commissioners Cynthia Rapp and Colleen Root said that even with discussion taking place during the Jan. 12 meeting, they didn’t expect fencing to be put up immediately.
“I’m just kind of astonished that, all of a sudden, we feel this heightened need for strict security of our dogs,” Root said.
Rapp said she believes the lack of communication was the biggest blunder.
An announcement on the temporary fencing was placed on the Park District website as work began according to Superintendent of Recreation Kyle Berg. An email and social media post were planned for release as well but were held after the Park District received the stop work order from the village.
To meet county requirements, the board voted to require dogs to be leashed until permits can be acquired and fencing can be placed. The only other option, according to the board, was to close the dog beach.
Communication will be sent out to residents along with signage placed on the beach to inform beachgoers of the rule change.
Stevens suggested that the leashing rule stay in place in perpetuity in order to avoid fencing.
“We have been at this two and a half years,” she said. “If you think we’d go and see a fence put up and that we’re not wondering why the fence is put up in the middle of January, it looks fishy. I don’t care if it is or isn’t.”