Plan and Design Commission approves Walters Field 7-foot fence, conditions Vine Street fence to black vinyl coating

The Highland Park Plan and Design Commission on July 21 approved two separate fence design-review applications for Highland Park High School property, allowing a 7-foot replacement chain-link fence at Walters Field and a like-for-like replacement at 433 Vine Avenue with a requirement that the Vine Street-facing segment be black vinyl-coated.

Senior planner Anthony Mistretta told the commission the two proposals are replacement projects: Walters Field would retain an existing taller fence and seeks a one-foot height variance from the zoning code’s 6-foot limit for open-type fences; the Vine Avenue parcel would replace a 6-foot chain-link fence and seeks a material variation because chain link is not an allowed open-type material by right.

“[The Walters Field] fence is 7 feet, which is a foot taller than what is allowed,” Mistretta said, describing the parcel’s athletic-field use and the commission’s authority to approve height and material variations.

Matthew Tepper of FGM Architects, representing School District 113, said the Walters Field fencing is intended primarily to limit errant balls and to prevent students from entering adjacent wooded areas. “The extra height just kind of helps any nuisance errant ball kicks from going into the outside area,” Tepper said, adding the district is willing to use black vinyl-coated chain link in highly visible areas if the commission prefers.

Commissioners debated aesthetics and cost. One commissioner urged upgrading the Vine Street-facing section to black vinyl-coated chain link or ornamental fencing; Tepper said vinyl coating would add roughly 9% to the project cost while full ornamental fencing would be about a 35% increase. Commissioners said safety concerns around athletic fields justified the 7-foot height at Walters Field while the more visible Vine Street frontage should receive a visual upgrade.

The commission voted first on the Walters Field item. Commissioner Karen Moore moved to approve the Walters Field design review and relief as listed in staff documents; Commissioner Ken Henry seconded. The roll call was unanimous and the motion carried.

On the Vine Avenue item, the commission accepted an on-the-record amendment from the applicant to provide black vinyl-coated chain link along the Vine Street frontage. Commissioner Moore moved to approve the Vine Avenue design review with that amendment; Commissioner Kristen Incek seconded. The commission again voted unanimously to approve the application with the material change.

Staff and corporation counsel noted a small number of scrivener errors in draft approval language (references to "Board of Appeals" and owner-name variants). Counsel and staff said they will correct those errors and verify the legal owner name before final documents are completed.

The commission’s approvals document the relief so future replacements can rely on the granted variations; staff said the approvals will be tied to the property and incorporated into the final approval orders.