Parking Tickets Up On Addison: Elmhurst

ELMHURST, IL — John Dulles, owner of Dulles Cleaners, is the second generation in his family to operate the 61-year-old shop. But he said these last few years have been tough financially, which he attributes to the lack of parking on Addison Avenue.

On Monday, he asked the City Council to take action. For the last few years, one construction project after another on Addison has reduced the amount of available parking, Dulles said. But the situation has become worse since FFC health club opened next door on Addison more than a year ago. Most of the three-hour parking spaces on the street are taken by health club members, even though they can park for free in a city garage across the street, he said.

Dulles said he has spoken with Mayor Steven Morley and Ward 1 aldermen Marti Deuter and Mark Sabatino, who represent the area in question.

"Alderman Sabatino and Deuter came to my business. I didn't get much done with them. I got angry with them, which was not right. I apologize for that," Dulles said.

But he said it's tough when his business has been hit hard financially.

"I'm a little guy. I don't have deep pockets. I have exhausted my savings to keep my family-owned business open," he said.

Dulles said he was speaking for the dozens of other businesses on Addison whose customers are kept out of the three-hour street spaces because of health club members. Three 10-minute spaces are in front of Dulles Cleaners, he noted, but customers from all the businesses use them.

Dulles said the solution is simple: Change the three-hour signs to one hour. This, he said, would be more effective than issuing $25 tickets.

Mary Ellen Reeves, president of the condo association for Market Square on Addison, also expressed concern with the lack of parking. She suspected construction workers were taking up the spots, but was not sure.

"People are parking in front on Addison for more than three hours," she said. "If we are thinking of getting people in downtown Elmhurst with a theater, where are those people going to park?"

Reeves said she appreciated that the city has increased the number of parking tickets on Addison.

City Manager Jim Grabowski told the City Council that aldermen Deuter and Sabatino brought the parking issue to officials' attention last month.

"We did step up enforcement over the holidays," Grabowski said. "There is always more we can do."