By Suburban Life Media

Source My Suburban Life

Don’t be surprised to see Elmhurst police at Dunkin’ Donuts on May 31. They’re not on their break; they’re raising money for Illinois Special Olympics.

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By Annemarie Mannion

Source Chicago Tribune

Elmhurst Zoning and Planning Commission members unanimously rejected a proposal for a six-story mixed-use garage project downtown, saying the developer failed to persuade them of the need for six stories or the lot-line-to-lot-line footprint requested.

“As far as the zoning commission is concerned, it’s not an optimal use of that property,” Commissioner Susan McCoyd said before voting against the plan on May 9.

A final report summarizing commission objections will be prepared over the next several weeks.

The report will then go to the City Council for automatic referral to the council’s Development, Planning and Zoning Committee for further review. That committee’s report will go back to the council for final action.

The council could vote to approve the project despite the commission’s recommendation against it, but that would require a two-thirds vote of council members, according to Planning and Zoning Administrator Than Werner.

McCoyd was joined in her no vote by Frank Mushow, Lisa Callaway, Brendan Hill, Richard Frolik Jr. and Chairman Darrell Whistler. Commissioners Alan Brinkmeier, Daniel Corrado and Thomas Torcasso missed the meeting.

In two previous meetings, commissioners took public comment from the developer, Addison Corridor Development I LLC, and from long lines of speakers opposing the plan.

See the rest of the article here.

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By Graydon Megan

Source Chicago Tribune

Recently elected Elmhurst City Council members were sworn in this week and immediately got an earful from residents still agitated about mid-April flooding.

“One way to maintain the value of my home and your home is by fixing the problems,” resident Kathleen Sullivan said.

Sullivan, one of about 15 speakers, was a member of the city’s 2010 stormwater task force and said the plan it developed is still on the shelf.

Robert Farr, of the 300 block of Geneva Avenue, said repeated flooding has caused his neighborhood to be known in recent years as Lake Geneva. He said the area experienced not just overland flooding, but sanitary sewer backups after a sanitary sewer lift station in East End Park stopped running.

“When it started running, it immediately drew down the water level,” Farr said.

Tracy Breen, of the 100 block of Walnut, said the speed of the water rising in her basement and street flooding that isolated her home were terrifying. She questioned why the city couldn’t simply run pipes from her area to the nearby quarry.

“We have to find a solution,” Breen said.

Two residents cited steps they have taken that provided at least partial solutions. Steven Koch said installation of a simple backflow check valve had saved him thousands of dollars by minimizing flooding of his basement, while the other said he had signed up for the city’s overhead sewer program, which prevented flooding in his basement.

Before residents spoke Monday, city officials gave a storm update and talked about some of the steps being taken to control flooding like that from the April 17-18 storm that dropped 7 inches of rain on already-saturated ground.

See the rest of the story here.

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