Farm Near Darien Improved 'Shoddy' Property

DARIEN, IL – Darien officials this week praised a farm that offers activities just outside the city limit.

But they said the activities have resulted in parking issues on Kearney Road, a city street.

At Monday's City Council meeting, aldermen approved a project that would install a shoulder on Kearney Road. The price tag is $8,300, which the city said Honey Bee Gardens Farm would cover.

Alderman Eric Gustafson pleaded for the city to pick up half the cost. He said he and his wife toured the farm and were impressed.

During the tour, eight of the 10 families were from Darien, he said.

"Since this is on a city road and it's being utilized by Darien residents, why not give a little bit back to this place, which is really trying to do a great job?" Gustafson asked.

Mayor Joseph Marchese disagreed, saying the farm agreed to pay the full cost. The parking issues, he said, started after the farm opened to the public.

Marchese lives on Kentwood Court, a tenth of a mile away from the farm. Kearney Road is the only way to get in and out of the Brookeridge Creek subdivision.

"I'm glad you (took the tour)," Marchese told Gustafson, "but you don't live next to it and you're not somebody who has to go in and out of there like 63 homes in the subdivision."

At the same time, Marchese said before Honey Bee came in, the property was "ill-kept" and "shoddy."

The farm's owner, Cindy Perkins LaRocca, has done an "exemplary" job improving the property, the mayor said.

Some have complained about the smell and noise, Marchese said, but most people agree that the farm is a "very nice place."

Alderman Mary Sullivan, whose ward includes Brookeridge Creek, said the city has spent money in the form of in-kind services for the farm.

She said the city's municipal services director, Dan Gombac, has gone above and beyond talking to neighboring property owners to find solutions.

The council voted 6-1 on the agreement for the shoulder on Kearney Road, with Gustafson dissenting.

The shoulder is set for the 8300 and 8400 blocks of Kearney Road.

Residents complained parking on Kearney Road from the farm narrowed the passage for cars. And many feared for the safety of children visiting the farm.

The farm welcomes the public from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays from June to October.