Western Springs Officials Chide High School Over Proposed Construction

WESTERN SPRINGS, IL – Lyons Township High School took heat Thursday from its South Campus neighbors who oppose the school's plan for a discus and shot put area behind their homes.

The Howard Avenue neighbors contended the school had broken promises and failed to communicate with them like it used to. They said other problems include drainage issues and nonstop noise from cooling towers.

They spoke at a meeting of the Western Springs Plan Commission, which is considering the school's proposal for the discus and shot put area, along with bleachers.

Plan commissioners agreed that the residents had legitimate concerns. And they criticized the school over its approach to neighbors.

In April, the school got in hot water with the village when it started building the discus and shot put area, including pouring concrete, without getting a permit.

After neighbors contacted the village, a local official warned the school that it needed a permit. When the school apparently continued with the project, Western Springs issued a stop-work order.

At the meeting, Brian Stachacz, the school's business services director, was asked why the school failed to get a permit originally. For a long time, he said, the school used the area in question for archery, but that sport faded away.

"We thought we were simply repurposing an area that we were already using," he said.

Brian Stachacz, Lyons Township High School's business services director, speaks Thursday about the school's plan for a shot put and discus area at South Campus. Neighbors opposed it. (David Giuliani/Patch)

'Discs are flying'

Residents were concerned that discs could end up being thrown into their properties, possibly causing injuries. The school's representatives said their plan reflects NCAA guidelines for the range of discuses.

But the neighbors said those guidelines are for college athletes, not for inexperienced high schoolers.

James Tyrrell, the commission's chairman, shared their concerns.

"We've got homes there. Disks are flying. We don't want it to be injurious. Can a disk fly at a certain angle? That's something I would like to know," he said. "I need to be shown that the discus won't fly into any of the yards or the power lines or anything else."

On another issue, the school said it could find nothing in the public record, including the deed, that the 70-year-old South Campus was supposed to have a buffer zone near the homes.

But Renee Turner, who has lived in her Howard Avenue house since 1968, said the school had no football field and other athletic facilities in the first years. Originally, the area behind the school was supposed to be a "botany field."

She and others spoke about what they considered drainage issues behind the school, resulting in large puddles that attract ducks but also cause mosquitoes to proliferate.

They expressed frustration with new cooling towers that they said have been loudly running around the clock since May. They said the noise violates village rules.

Stachacz, the school official, acknowledged that problem. He said the district is paying $170,000 for silencers that are expected in September.

'They're privileged'

Another issue was the school's removal of mature trees, particularly in what neighbors see as the buffer zone.

"I guess they're privileged. They can do whatever the hell they want," said Henry Grey, a Howard Avenue resident.

Tommy Greco, a Howard Avenue resident who has spoken out against the latest plan before, told the commission that he emailed the village and the high school about the unpermitted construction five months ago.

The village responded and took action. To this day, he said, the school has never answered his email.

Also at the meeting, the village read into the record a letter from local real estate agent Anne Hodge. She helped the Grecos buy their house years ago.

She said the proposed facilities behind the homes will reduce their marketability.

'Bad neighborship'

Commissioner Michele Johann's first response to the residents' comments was "yikes." She said she did not know how the school could reasonably go forward with the proposal.

"There was so much that was compelling," she told the school representatives. "It wasn't hyperbole. I feel like you guys know that."

She said the school had shown "bad neighborship."

"I don't know if you can deny there are a lot of truths here," Johann said. "Losing trees, building structures. That's a lot to do without considering your neighbors. I think it's a really big deal."

She said the school has done a disservice to Western Springs residents and students by not applying for a permit originally.

Commissioner Peter Hanson said a successful proposal requires respecting neighbors.

"That clearly didn't happen here," he said, adding that a strong case could be made that it was done intentionally.

He said the school was "trying to force something into an area where there is not the physical space."

He recommended the school improve its communications, which he said would benefit the community as a whole.

Commissioners said they would resume the hearing at 7 p.m. Sept. 17 at Village Hall.