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Fox River Grove board approves OSLAD grant resolution, denies 415 Ski Hill garage height variance
Summary
At the Aug. 20 meeting the Board approved Resolution 2024-05 to support an OSLAD grant application for Lions Park and unanimously denied a request to allow a 16.5-foot detached garage at 415 Ski Hill Road; the board also agreed to reconsider a separate garage-area variance at 220 Gladys Avenue at a future meeting.
At its Aug. 20, 2024 regular meeting, the Fox River Grove Board of Trustees voted to approve Resolution 2024-05 to support an Open Space Land Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) grant application for Lions Park and unanimously denied a petition to permit a 16.5-foot detached garage at 415 Ski Hill Road.
Administrator Soderholm told the board that anticipated Lions Park project costs have risen “significantly” because the site is in a floodplain and because of inflation; staff described a revised scope that trims an originally planned boardwalk and prioritizes amenities the village can afford. Soderholm said staff expects to invest about $1.2 million in the project to capture approximately $600,000 in OSLAD grant funding and that the grant submittal window is in mid-September. “The boardwalk was too expensive as originally planned, so it was re-routed to make the shortest route possible from the Metra station to the park,” Soderholm said.
On the 415 Ski Hill variance, petitioner Gintaras Andriusis had told the board he seeks an extra 4½ feet so he can build a garage to suit his needs; resident Ron Hameetman said he opposed the height increase because it would “affect his sunshine and sunsets” and that no hardship had been demonstrated. Trustees cited the lack of a demonstrated hardship and neighbors’ concerns; Trustee Knar moved to deny Ordinance 2024-11 and the motion carried on a unanimous roll call vote.
Trustees also voted to reconsider Ordinance 2024-09, a prior variance request for 220 Gladys Avenue, after Trustee Hester said the petitioner did not receive what he considered a full-board consideration previously. The motion to place Ordinance 2024-09 on the next agenda for reconsideration passed 5–1 (Trustee Knar opposed).
The board adjourned the public meeting at 7:31 p.m. and convened in executive session to discuss property purchase and sale, pending and imminent litigation, personnel matters, and executive session minutes review; the meeting concluded with a brief reconvening and final adjournment at 7:41 p.m.
What happens next: Staff will finalize the OSLAD application for submission in mid-September; the board will consider the 220 Gladys Avenue variance and the façade grant reimbursement for The 100 Lounge at upcoming meetings.
