Roberto's Scores Final Win Against Neighbors

ELMHURST, IL — A slim majority of Elmhurst aldermen on Monday voted to enact an ordinance for Roberto's Ristorante to build two parking lots that neighbors oppose.

This follows a City Council vote two weeks ago in which Mayor Scott Levin broke a tie in favor of the parking lots. Still, some question remained whether the Spring Road restaurant's proposal would survive, given two aldermen were absent.

As it turns out, the absent members split — with Jennifer Veremis in favor of the parking lots and Brian Cahill against. With parking lot opponent Michael Honquest missing, the vote was 7-6. The mayor did not have to break a tie.

Aldermen Mark Mulliner and Emily Bastedo called for delaying the vote until the next council meeting, given Honquest's absence. But only one other alderman, Mike Brennan, backed their request.

Neighbors have opposed the parking lots, saying they would create more noise, traffic and flooding. To make the project a reality, the restaurant bought a house and leveled it. This was done to make way for one of the lots, which would come within feet of homes.

In the council debate, Cahill stayed quiet. But Veremis spoke out, saying Roberto's proposal met the standards for approval. She noted the city's long-term plan for development determined a need existed for more parking in the Spring Road business district.

Alderwoman Dannee Polomsky, who wrote the council's report in favor of approval, said the popularity of a proposal was not relevant in planning and zoning decisions. She said the city's regulations called for approval of the parking lots.

Polomsky, who joined the council a decade ago, acknowledged the issue was unusual.

"This is an agenda item like I've never seen before," she said.

Bastedo said Polomsky's report was worse than the one from the Zoning and Planning Commission, which also recommended approval. She said Polomsky's report did not indicate where the fence line would be.

"We should not allow houses to be torn down and then turned into parking lots," Bastedo said, adding the lots would lessen neighbors' enjoyment of their properties.

Mulliner also criticized the proposal.

"We're putting in a parking lot with cars pointed directly at homes. We've never done this before," he said. "I'm absolutely opposed to it."

Voting for the ordinance for the parking lots were Polomsky, Veremis, Bob Dunn, Marti Deuter, Noel Talluto, Tina Park and Jim Nudera. Against were Bastedo, Mulliner, Cahill, Brennan, Chris Jensen and Jacob Hill.

The restaurant is in Ward 5, represented by Park and Nudera.