Hinsdale Not Turning Into Gated Town: Trustee

HINSDALE, IL – Hinsdale trustees this week approved a gate for a neighborhood near Hinsdale Central High School, but an official said the decision did not serve as a precedent.

"Is Hinsdale turning into a gated community? We had a discussion as trustees that, no, that's not the case," Trustee Luke Stifflear said at Tuesday's Village Board meeting.

The latest gate is for the Foxgate Lane subdivision, which consists of 16 townhomes. The street is a cul-de-sac that connects to 57th Street, south of the school.

The subdivision wants to shut the gate after school and during school events because students often use the neighborhood to turn around or park.

In January, the Village Board approved a gate for a planned subdivision just south of Kensington School, which is on Ogden Avenue.

In discussing the latest proposal, Stifflear noted the previous approval.

"Both of these are unusual circumstances that have met very high bars," he said. "This should not be viewed as something that is open for other situations without special circumstances."

Tuesday's decision was unanimous. That included a vocal skeptic of gates.