Residents Mixed on Sidewalks For Avoca West Neighborhood

Photos: Sidewalks for Avoca West Facebook page.

Glenview village officials are looking into a petition to install sidewalks in the Avoca West neighborhood and have already found passions to be heated on both sides of the issue.

“I’ve lived here for 43 years and there hasn’t been one case of a child being hit and we’ve never had sidewalks,” one resident said during a community meeting held to discuss the matter Tuesday night at Avoca West Elementary School.

“There have been plenty of near accidents - and it only takes one,” another responded.

That was a common exchange in a room packed with heated opinions. Some agreeing with the 54 signatures on a petition sent to the village in November that sidewalks are a necessity for the safety of children from both Glenview and Wilmette who attend the neighborhood school.

Others, including what seemed like the majority of longtime residents in attendance, are firm in their stance that the addition of the sidewalks would only increase the liability, responsibility and headaches of the area’s homeowners.

“I’m stunned by this,” said one homeowner who did not identify himself, noting that two similar ideas had been turned down over the last two decades. “No one came to me or any of my neighbors asking whether we’d like a sidewalk. Everyone I’ve spoken to is against this.”

Preliminary concepts were presented by village representatives Joe Kenney and Laura Lake. They include adding sidewalks to four streets between East Lake Avenue and Wilmette Avenue, including Ferndale Road, Heatherfield Lane, Sherwood Road and Beech Drive.

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Even if approved by the two-thirds of homeowners adjacent to the sidewalks that would be needed for implementation, the project would not come at the cost of the taxpayers - Kenney said.

“No taxes will be raised because of this,” he said. “If approved, the sidewalks will be installed the next time the road needs to be tore up and paved. That’s the most cost effective way to do this.”

Homeowners that are fairly new to the neighborhood were more open in siding with a strong contingent of Wilmette residents who send their children to Avoca West at the meeting in opting for the sidewalks.

In response to a notion that those in favor of sidewalks should move to Chicago or other North Shore communities that have them, Dorothy Elfring said her family “couldn’t afford” to live in neighborhoods with sidewalks.

“I see sidewalks as an essential part of the neighborhood - so kids can have the opportunity to walk to school,” she said.

Another new resident said she is tired of being told to “move to Chicago” and questioned on if she owns property in the area because she is new.

“It’s ridiculous,” the woman stated.

Others pointed out that since the area is limited to four streets, those who are strongly in favor of sidewalks should have moved to another part of the village, of which 60 percent or so is equipped with the walkways.

A community-generated handout highlighting reasons why some are against the idea circulated through the meeting. It points out the current plan would build sidewalks roughly 12-17 inches in front of the street, “cutting many of our front yards nearly in half.”

One public speaker who remembers why the last call for sidewalks in the area failed said there would be “more support if they were planned closer to the road and not on our doorstep.”

“While the sidewalk advocates may be well meaning, the plan is flawed in many ways,” the handout stated, pointing out specific examples related to security, flooding and property values.

Michael Grossman, who lives in the area, saw both sides.

“Having children walk in the street is a hazard that can be avoided - it only takes one casualty,” he said. “But I can also see the detriment it would cause to the homeowners in the area that would be responsible for the upkeep.”

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