Elmhurst Cracks Down On Residents' Tents

ELMHURST, IL — Earlier this year, some Elmhurst residents accused the city of unfairly enforcing its ban on tents and other such structures in residential neighborhoods.

The city has apparently responded with a crackdown on tents.

In 2015, the issue of hoop houses surfaced when some residents took issue when Fairview Avenue residents Dan and Nicole Virgil put up a plastic-covered hoop house in their backyard. Intended to extend their growing season, the hoop house led to a long-running dispute in town.

In written comments to the City Council in July, many residents argued the Virgils were treated unfairly, contending the city applied its code for permanent structures to temporary ones. Their structure was limited to 6 feet in height.

In August and October, the city sent letters to 16 households indicating they appear to have tent-like structures that violate city code. The city asked to discuss the issue with the residents.

In May, the city sent a letter to a homeowner with a tent-like structure in the 300 block of South Prospect Avenue. This happened after residents pointed out that the structure was in violation.

In a follow-up communication, the city informed the homeowner that the 2014 permit for the structure was issued in error. The city said it would allow the structure to remain for the rest of the 2020 season. It asked the resident to come into compliance by January.

These messages drew praise from citizen watchdog Edgar Pal, who praised the city's handling of the Prospect structure.

"This helps ensure equal and fair application of the law, regardless of one's position in the community," he said in written comments to the council.

In an email Thursday, Pal told Patch he belongs to a group of three people who have been tracking violations of the ordinance used against the Virgils. He said the group believes that all such structures should be treated equally.

One of the people, Pal said, takes photos of the tents and other such structures in local neighborhoods. The second grabs online satellite imagery, while the third submits the information to the city's code enforcement officer, he said.

"The reason that the city is enforcing the membrane structure ordinance is because there is a group of us who is turning in these homes to the city for code enforcement," he said.

Last month, aldermen Mark Mulliner and Mike Brennan asked the Planning and Zoning Committee to consider an amendment to the code allowing tents to be erected temporarily for up to 72 hours twice a year.

In February 2019, Mayor Steve Morley broke a 7-7 tie in favor of continuing the ban on hoop houses. Mulliner and Brennan were among those against hoop houses.

Here's where the city has sent letters about possible violations of the ban on tent-like structures:

• 160 N. Elm
• 231 N. Maple
• 235 N. Highland
• 251 N Highview
• 252 N. Addison
• 260 N. Willow
• 265 N. Maple
• 326 S. Prospect
• 345 N. Highview
• 354 N. Oak
• 412 W. Grantley
• 431 S. Fairview
• 474 N. Highview
• 499 W. Belden
• 571 N. West
• 688 N. Oaklawn
• 271 N. Maple