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Residents tell Elmhurst council teardowns are changing neighborhoods; others press for sidewalks and speed enforcement
Summary
Two residents used public comment to urge action: one described nearly three years of constant demolition and called for a housing commission to manage neighborhood change; another urged sidewalk construction and enforcement after repeated speeding and a crash on Michigan/Lake Streets.
Bill Perch, a long-time Elmhurst resident, told the council that his block on South Hillside Avenue has been an “active construction zone” for nearly three years and said the wave of tear-downs and large replacement homes reflects city policy rather than random chance. “This is not just an unlucky coincidence. This is a result of city policies on how often and how quickly a neighborhood can change,” Perch said, describing frequent tree removals, heavy equipment near property lines, repeated demolition and new houses that tower over older homes.
Perch said the changes have reduced his household’s privacy, impeded parking on the block and increased the risk of flooding in yards where nearby property alterations have altered drainage. He asked the council to create a housing commission “to focus on how Elmhurst should change and evolve to incorporate all types of housing and budgets.”
In a second public comment, Brian Moran of North Michigan Street described persistent speeding and illegal cut-through traffic near shopping centers and urged the council to complete sidewalks and increase enforcement. Moran said he was injured in a crash he linked to the area’s traffic patterns and told the council he had previously contacted Alderman Jensen and attended meetings without seeing a durable solution.
The mayor and council did not take immediate action on either public comment during the meeting; both concerns were raised as items for council awareness during the public forum portion of the agenda. City announcements during the same session included reminders about election-day voting (polls open through 7 p.m.), a youth job-and-volunteer fair at York High School, and an upcoming Ward 5 town hall on March 26.
What happens next: Perch asked the council to consider a housing commission and broader review of zoning and permitting practices; Moran requested sidewalk construction and traffic enforcement. Council members did not announce new directives or formal referrals on either item during this meeting.
