Elmhurst Changes Mind On Hoop Houses

ELMHURST, IL – The Elmhurst City Council reversed itself Monday, deciding to allow residents to have garden tents known as hoop houses.

Without debate, the council voted unanimously to allow such tents up to 400 square feet, with restrictions.

In February 2019, a split City Council voted to continue the city's ban on hoop houses, with then-Mayor Steve Morley breaking a tie. At the time, the issue was whether to allow such tents up to 100 square feet.

In so doing, the council overruled the Zoning and Planning Commission, which voted 6-1 to lift the ban.

Aldermen Mike Brennan, Marti Deuter and Michael Honquest were among those in the council majority at the time. They flipped their votes Monday.

Alderman Mark Mulliner, who was absent Monday, indicated at a committee meeting last week that he, too, backed allowing hoop houses.

Four other aldermen – Bob Dunn, Dannee Polomsky, Noel Talluto and Tina Park – stuck to their opposition to the prohibition.

Mayor Scott Levin voted against the ban in 2019.

Many residents in town protested the council's decision, saying it prevented them from exercising their right to grow food during the winter.