Elmhurst Home Project Upsets Neighbors: Resident

ELMHURST, IL – A home construction project at St. Charles Road and Cottage Hill Avenue concerns neighbors because of flooding and a setback violation, a resident told Elmhurst aldermen Monday.

Gina Lauber, who lives in the 300 block of South Cottage Hill, said she was speaking on behalf of 16 residents about the property at 368 S. Cottage Hill (formerly 154 St. Charles).

During public comments, she told aldermen that the city was failing to enforce its stormwater requirements for houses. She said she and her neighbors are watching rainwater collect in the property's backyard and creep into the yard next door.

"It's unacceptable that you allow our yards to flood while this house falls off its delivery timeline," said Lauber, who lives two doors down. "Over 50-year-old vegetation and 200 trucks of dirt were removed from this property at the highest point of this block to accommodate an underground sports court. Perhaps the city's new single-family stormwater management policy should also require and enforce that drainage systems be implemented at the time the foundation is finalized so that it does not create months of flooding issues for surrounding homes."

Lauber also contended the home violated a 40-foot setback rule. The city, she said, sent a letter in February 2021 informing the owner of this issue, but nothing has been done. She said the city told her the letter was sent as a courtesy.

"But where was the courtesy to the 16 other homeowners in the subdivision who are currently impacted by this known violation?" Lauber said. "The majority of these homeowners have been Elmhurst taxpayers for over 20 years, and this lack of transparency to the rest of us illuminates that you either don't care to enforce these codes or you believe it's acceptable for us to enter legal battles with each other to enforce the codes."

Lauber said the issues could have been resolved if residents had seen a notice for the public hearing for the home's construction.

She also said she was concerned the property in question is on a busy corner. The homeowner's garage, she said, is only 10 feet from the sidewalk.

"There is a stop sign, but the low visibility on the corner is already very dangerous. Even the shrubbery that remains and the construction fences up today make it nearly impossible to see an eastbound biker on the sidewalk," Lauber said. "I'm sure a fence and landscaping are on the way as well, but you should all be aware that their aspirations for a perfect aesthetic pose a real risk to the public safety of the community that you're here to help serve."

She said she has not collected signatures or gone on social media with the neighborhood's concerns. But as a social media professional, she said she could influence others to take notice.

In response, Mayor Scott Levin said, "I do want to mention that we take public comment. We don't respond during the meeting. So please don't feel that people haven't listened to what you said."