Hinsdale Car Dealership's Plan Upsets Residents

HINSDALE, IL — Neighbors continue to express their concerns about landscaping at the Land Rover dealership. But Village President Tom Cauley says all Hinsdale can do is require the business follow its agreement with the village, not ask for extras.

At last week's village board meeting, three residents spoke during public input about the dealership, 336 E. Ogden Ave. The dealership has been open to changes to its landscaping plan as long as they are budget-neutral, officials said.

Two of the residents said the dealership's budget shows they are getting trees for $950 each, when they can get them for about half that much.

But Cauley said the village can only hold the dealership to the plan approved more than two years ago. The village, he said, has no leverage to ask for anything more.

"(Village) staff has worked with residents to keep it budget-neutral. But they couldn't keep it budget neutral. Every group of residents wanted something different and pretty soon the costs went up," Cauley said.

The village , he said, has been spending too much time dealing with the landscaping issue.

"We get eight to 10 emails almost every day from four residents about the landscaping at Land Rover," he said. "We have a limited amount of staff, and they are spending a disproportionate amount of time on one issue. There are other things that don't get done."

One of the residents said the changes are diminishing the "quiet enjoyment" of Oak Street.

Cauley said he was sympathetic to the residents' concerns, saying he understands why they dislike looking at a lot full of cars. By spring, though, the dealership plans to plant eight-foot trees, which should solve much of the problem, he said.

Cauley said he was willing to set up another meeting, which he called "one last try."

In a December interview, Kevin Jacobs, of the Land Rover dealership, said the landscaping had yet to be completed because of the weather. He said some of the bushes had to be removed because of requirements associated with connecting to the storm sewer on Oak Street.

"We are doing our best to adhere to the ordinance," he said.