Politics & Government
'Big Stick' To Settle Hinsdale Tree Dispute: Official
Official warns the village won't issue a permit for a chiropractor's office until the tree issue is resolved.
HINSDALE, IL – A couple who lives behind a commercial construction project is demanding the village issue a stop-work order.
They allege the contractor for the renovation project at 110 E. Ogden Ave. removed backyard trees from their side of the property line.
The village has approved a second-floor addition for the building. It is set to be the chiropractor's office for Dr. Cara VanWormer-Hartman.
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At Tuesday's Village Board meeting, Jared and Kelly Staver, who live in the 100 block of Fuller Road, complained about the removal of the trees. Now, the couple can see Ogden Avenue from their backyard; they said they wanted to keep the screening to block the view of the major thoroughfare.
In response, Village President Tom Cauley repeatedly said the village would not issue an occupancy permit for the business until it reached a reasonable solution with the Stavers.
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"That's a pretty big stick, unless they satisfy that," Cauley said.
Jared Staver doubted that would work.
"They're going to want to get in, and they're going to cry foul," he said. "It's incumbent on you to ask for a stop-work order."
"I don't know that we can do that," Cauley replied.
Jared Staver said the village could. The village code, he said, gives Hinsdale officials the power to address such issues.
"The stop-work order is the major tool that the village has to say, 'No more work... You're not doing another doggone thing until you make it right,'" Jared Staver said.
Cauley said the village would look into the stop-work option.
In an interview Friday, VanWormer-Hartman said the trees in question were on her business' property. She said a land survey was conducted.
VanWormer-Hartman said trees would be planted near the end of the summer.
"We're putting in more trees to restore the screening. It'll happen once the parking lot is in," she said.
She questioned the village's legal grounds to hold up an occupancy permit over an issue such as trees.
The Stavers have been speaking at village meetings for months.
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