La Grange Wrong On Controversial Condo Notice

LA GRANGE, IL – La Grange has acknowledged that it was wrong to say that it gave residents nine months' notice about a planned condo development that proved controversial.

It actually gave neighbors 15 days' notice before the originally scheduled hearing last September. That is the minimum required under state law. (The hearing was postponed to October because of a post office issue.)

In an email to Patch last month, Village Manager Jack Knight said a meeting between the developer and city officials on Nov. 25, 2024, was posted in public agendas beforehand. He said the public was welcome to attend and speak at the meeting.

Patch filed a public records request for any evidence that notice was given for what appeared to be a private meeting.

In response, the village backed off its previous assertion.

"The information previously provided regarding pre-planning agenda was incorrect," the village said.

In October, the Plan Commission approved the 39-unit, four-story condo complex, with several conditions. The development was to replace the century-old Jackson Square antique mall at 112 E. Burlington Ave.

Once the developer, Dan Spain, met the conditions, the development would go before the elected Village Board.

At a January meeting, the board signed off on the plan.

A next-door neighbor to the condos, Jonathan Robinson, objected to the long delay before the village let residents know about the developer's plan.

According to village documents, the developer's requested setbacks were "significantly violating" Robinson's property.

Robinson proposed that the village require a developer to hold a meeting with neighbors about their plans before submitting a zoning application. Some towns, including Elmhurst, have such rules.

The Plan Commission agreed with the idea. But the village's staff recommended against it.

In an email to Patch late last week, Village President Mark Kuchler predicted Robinson's proposal would happen in some form.

"I expect that we will have a requirement that any developer of a planned development must meet with concerned residents prior to going before the Plan Commission," Kuchler said. "The exact details need to be worked out, but I expect that developers will need to meet with residents."

He also said he expected the village would adopt another of Robinson's ideas – broadcasting Plan Commission meetings.

The staff also opposed that suggestion. In both cases, the staff said the proposals would involve administrative and budgetary issues.

In the case of the condo development, Spain, the developer, first let village officials know about it in a September 2024 email.