Western Springs Sidewalk Foes 'Definitively' Against

WESTERN SPRINGS, IL — Nearly 60 percent of residents in Western Springs' Forest Hills neighborhood have indicated in a survey they favor paying for sidewalks, according to the village. But as one official said last week, sidewalk opponents are "very definitively" against them.

At last week's Village Board meeting, members talked about spending up to $16,000 on a study to determine what Forest Hills sidewalks would cost. Whatever the case, officials said, the project would take place over a number of years. As it is, the neighborhood is a patchwork of areas with sidewalks and those without.

Under a village ordinance, officials said, residents would pay for 70 percent of a sidewalk project, while the village would cover the rest. Residents would pay their portion through a tax district known as a special service area.

Some officials suggested the ordinance could be changed to allow the village to pay a greater share in Forest Hills. At the same time, they noted the opposition to a sidewalk project.

"If you look at the handwritten comments collected as part of the survey process, those who are against it are very definitively against it," said Matt Supert, the village's municipal services director. "Cost was not necessarily the issue driving them. They simply did not want sidewalks."

At least twice before, Forest Hills residents' efforts to get a special tax district in their area failed, Supert said.

Trustee Heidi Rudolph said while she supports sidewalks as a matter of public safety, she said any unplanned expense required scrutiny. But the village's finance director, Grace Turi, said a fund was available for just such spending items.

When others suggested delaying a decision, Village President Alice Gallagher said her one concern was whether the prices for the project would be as competitive later.

"At some point, we have to get on with life, even though we do have limited funds," Gallagher said.

Supert replied that unless the village moved aggressively, he did not expect a sidewalk project next year anyway.

Gallagher proposed the village delay making a decision on the $16,000 study until the board holds a strategic planning session in the fall, so it could weigh all possible projects in town. Other trustees agreed.