Hinsdale 'Burned' Twice On Developments: Leader

HINSDALE, IL – Over the last few years, Hinsdale twice endured disputes over landscaping between commercial developments and homes.

Village President Tom Cauley and other officials said they wanted to avoid such situations.

They were speaking during a presentation from the developer of the property at 222 E. Ogden Ave., where Normandy Remodeling, which is two blocks down, plans to move.

In recent years, neighbors have complained about landscaping next to Land Rover Hinsdale, 336 E. Ogden Ave., and Dr. Cara VanWormer-Hartman chiropractic office, 110 E. Ogden Ave.

Trustee Scott Banke said he wanted to make sure the village avoided such issues with the Normandy development. Cauley agreed.

Rob McGinnis, the village's community development director, said the village staff was coming up with a proposed rule requiring developers to plant landscaping at a certain height between houses and commercial developments.

Cauley, however, wanted to know what the village would do to prevent developers from later presenting different landscaping plans from what the Village Board approved earlier.

With 110 E. Ogden, Cauley said, the board was not alerted to changed landscaping plans.

"There was some slippage there," he said. "I'm not sure why."

Village Manager Kathleen Gargano confirmed a problem existed.

"There was some confusion over certain documents," Gargano said. "They were transposed at a certain point in time when we were looking at the landscape plans. What should be part of our standard operating procedure is this is going to be part of a file and used when the plans come in."

Cauley responded, "We've had this issue twice. We don't want to be burned again. The landscaping is as important as the building we approve."

Banke agreed, saying the landscaping was a "hot button."

Dave Mitchell, Normandy's director of architecture, said he understood his company's landscaping must be according to the Village Board-approved plans.