THE VILLAGE OF BARRINGTON HILLS NEWSLETTER Autumn 2003 [LOGO] VILLAGE OF BARRINGTON HILLS 112 Algonquin Road Barrington Hills, IL 60010-5199 Robert Kosin, Director of Administration Phone: 847-551-3000 Website: http://www.ci.barrington-hills.il.us Hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00 am-5:00 pm Meetings The Village Board - 4th Monday of the month, 7:00 pm The Plan Commission - 2nd Monday of the month, 7:30 pm The Zoning Board of Appeals - 3rd Monday of the month, 7:30 pm The Board of Health - 3rd Wednesday of the month, 8:00 pm All meetings are held in the Alexander MacArthur Room of the Barrington Hills Village Hall. Should you wish to comment at any of these meetings, your advance notice, by telephoning the office of the Village Clerk at 847-551-3000, is appreciated. Board of Trustees James A. Kempe, President Theodore L. Horne, President Pro Tem Robert G. Abboud, Jr., Trustee Fritz Gohl, Trustee Daria G. Sapp, Trustee Walter E. Smithe, Trustee Julie McKevitt, Trustee From the Desk of the Village President Utility Franchises: A Free Ride? Gas & Electric. Recently I had occasion to talk with one of our citizens regarding the "Utility Franchises" in the Village. In fact, the electricity for Village Hall is provided at no cost to the taxpayers, as compensation for the use of the roads to put in the power lines. In the event of a power interruption, we also have a 100-kilowatt generator which starts up automatically so that the Police dispatch center is always in service. That generator is fueled by natural gas, another utility which provides gas service to Village Hall at no charge as payment for the franchise. Thus the heating and the auxiliary power service is fueled from the gas utility at no cost to the taxpayers. We do, however, pay for the power to provide the street lights which are at some of the intersections around the Village. The Village does levy a tax on utility bills rendered to the residents of the Village. So while the Village receives free gas and electric for the Village Hall, in the end there is no free lunch. We all pay for it. Direct Connections. Another service offered by the Village is the connection of burglar, fire, and other alarms directly to the Barrington Hills Police Department. The police can and do respond to alarms from all of the security companies providing alarm monitoring services to our residents. But a direct connection from your home to the Police Department assures that no time is lost in responding. The monitoring charge should be the same -- the only difference being that the security company fee for the reception of alarms is paid to the Village instead. If you would like more information, please call the non-emergency phone number - 847-551-3006 - and ask for details about connecting your home alarms directly to the Police Dispatch Center. Calling 911. Barrington Hills is one of the few municipalities to receive 911 calls from cell phones. If you dial 911 on your cell phone in most locations, you are likely to get a Sheriff Public Safety Answering Position (PSAP). If you are in the Village of Barrington Hills and dial 911 on a cell phone, your call will be directed to our Police PSAP right in Village Hall. We currently receive five times as many 911 calls from cell phones as we do from land-line telephones. James A. Kempe, President Barrington Hills Board of Trustees On The Roads Starting Soon! The roads of Barrington Hills fall into three categories, state, county and local. Illinois Department of Transportation takes care of Lake-Cook Road, Dundee Road, Algonquin Road and Route 59. Cook County maintains Sutton, Brinker, and Otis Roads. All other public roads are cared for by the Village of Barrington Hills. With limited funds, the Village attempts to keep about 40 miles of roads in safe, driveable condition. In mid- August, the bids for the 2003 projects came in and the contract for roadwork was awarded to Chicagoland Paving. Roadwork to be completed before the snow flies is shown in the table here. Ridge Road Oak Knoll Road to MerriOaks Road Haeger's Bend Road Spring Creek Road to Lake-Cook Road; drainage work River Road Turner Camp to Braeburn Road; Haeger's Bend Road to the Village limits Meadow Hill Road Fox Hunt Road to the top of the hill; ditch work from Spring Creek to Fox Hunt Road Church Road Minor resurfacing work entire length Cuba Road Culvert Plum Tree Road Embankment, culvert, drainage, and patching work Dundee Lane Drainage work Old Dundee Road Drainage work Spring Creek Island Structural improvements Spring Creek Road Patching west of Bow Lane Butternut Road Culvert Oak Knoll Road Culvert Steeplechase Road Culvert Braeburn Road Culvert Hawley Woods Road Culvert & guard rail south of West Lane Aberdeen Drive Repairs -- to be paid for by new construction contractor Done! Some roadwork has already been completed, noteably Algonquin River Road, by Algonquin Township. And Brinker Road is being completely remade by the Cook Country Highway Department, as this newsletter goes to press. When you are driving the roads in our Village, why not slow down and enjoy your tax dollars at work? Robert G. Abboud Jr., Trustee Chair, Roads and Bridges Committee From the Law Enforcement Division 1. Click it or Ticket! Not wearing a seatbelt has now become the Number One cause of traffic fatalities. Therefore the governor has signed an order that makes seat belt violations a primary offense. That means if any police officer in the state sees anyone in a car not wearing a seat belt -- that is a cause for stopping and ticketing. Buckle-up! 2. Mailboxes are a target! The most common crime in the Village is damage to mailboxes. According to Chief Clauser, the problem is that, unless caught red-handed in the act, the offenders are nearly impossible to identify -- or prosecute. And since these criminals generally operate in the dead of night, they are seldom seen. The police patrols are on constant lookout for these mailbox wreckers. 3. Deer, deer! We are rapidly approaching that time of year when male deer are chasing female deer -- purpose: fawns. This is also known as "rut" or the "stupid season." Thinking only of one thing, deer may simply run out in front of your car -- particularly in the early morning or at sunset. The faster you are traveling, the more damage they are likely to cause to your vehicle. They have even been known to run into a car that was standing still. Drive with caution and make sure the front of your car is not where the buck stops. 4. Home protection! Contrary to the widely held and generally justified belief that homes and property in the Village are immune from risk, burglaries and thefts do occasionally occur. Too often, investigation discovers that the doors were unlocked or that the alarm was not set. The Police Department's Crime Prevention section helps residents with home security by providing home security inspections, vacant house watches, and consultation about enhancing alarm systems. To schedule a visit by the Barrington Hills Crime Prevention section, please call Officer Dave Kann at 847-551-3006. Fritz Gohl, Trustee Chair, Public Safety Committee Village People, Places, and Things Population Increase! The U.S. Census Bureau recently notified the Village that we have 15 more people than they counted during the 2000 census. That brings the Village of Barrington Hills, officially, to 3,930. That is still lower than the 1990 count of 4,202. Where did everyone go? Have they turned into deer? What's a business? There have been questions raised recently about what kinds of businesses are permitted in the Village. Barrington Hills, being a low-density, residential village, really has a minimum of business zoning. In fact, the Village was founded in 1957 in reaction to a high density development that included considerable business use. Therefore, from our beginnings as a village, we have always steered away from commercial uses. On the other hand, there are some businesses that can be unobtrusively conducted from the home and the limitations for these are spelled out in section 5-2-1 of the Village Code under the definition of Home Occupation (which is permitted in the R1 residential zoning district). The definition states: ? The home occupation must be carried on by a member of the family residing on the premises. ? There can be no display or signage. ? There can be no commodity sold on the premises. ? There can be no employees besides other members of the family. ? No mechanical or electrical equipment can be used other than what might normally be found in a residence. ? A professional person may use a residence for consultation, emergency treatment, or performance of religious rites but not for the general practice of the profession. ? No accessory building shall be used for a home occupation. If you have questions about the permissability of a home occupation, please contact Village Administrator Bob Kosin at 847-551-3004. Barrington Hills Building Activity. As of July 1, 2003, 14 permits for new homes have been issued this year. This puts the Village on a track to issue permits for about 30 homes in 2003. The 2002 total was 54, but that was extremely high due to the number of permits issued for the Pond Gate subdivision off of Penny Road. The developers of that property sold all the lots and received residence permits almost entirely within the 2002 calendar year, causing a blip in the numbers. Since the beginning of this year, the Village has also issued 53 other permits for: alterations to buildings, additions to buildings, stables, swimming pools, tennis courts, septic repairs, demolitions, guest houses, gazebos, garages, generators, and more. If you are considering any building project on your property, it is best to first check with Darryl Einhorn, our Building and Zoning Enforcement Officer, to see if it needs a permit: 847-551-3003. Theodore L. Horne, President Pro Tem Chair, Building & Zoning Committee Doing Barrington Hills Proud Village Restoration Program Wins Award. Each year the Council of Barrington Garden Clubs awards certificates for the beautification of the Barrington Area by providing exceptional examples of greenery. At the end of 2002, the Village of Barrington Hills received an award from the Council for the Village's exceptional use of native plantings in the landscape beds around the village hall and fire station. In a process that began over 5 years ago, the Village landscaping has undergone a major renovation. Although not all of the plant material is native, many native species such as big and little bluestem, serviceberry, low grow sumac, and several native dogwood species have been incorporated into the landscaping plan. The Council award is on display in the foyerof the Village Hall along with a colored rendition of the landscape plan. The Village Hall landscaping project, coordinated by former Trustee Lorraine Briggs, was made possible in part by generous contributions from The Garden Club of Barrington, Countryside Garden Class of Barrington, and from private donors. The Village extends our sincerest appreciation again for their generosity. Are You Recycling? As a courtesy to the Village of Barrington Hills, the garbage removal company that contracts with the majority of village residents, Groot, provides a monthly recycling report. According to their 2002 report, an average of 1,126 households in the village participated in the recycling program. Although these households generated a little under 3,500 tons of garbage during the year, more than 10 percent of that waste was recyclable and diverted away from the landfills to be used to create new products. In 2002, Barrington Hills residents recycled 17,791 pounds of aluminium, 134,483 pounds of glass, 516,300 pounds of paper material, 19,130 pounds of metal other than aluminum, and 19,895 pounds of plastic. While recycling all this waste is good, the recycling containers that hold it are not necessarily a point of beauty on our roadsides. The Village requests that your containers be at the road for no longer than 48 hours. Do you recycle? You should! Call your waste/garbage removal company directly today. Julie McKivett, Trustee Chair, Health / Environment Committee Daria Sapp, Trustee Former Chair, Health / Environment Committee Some New Ordinances of Interest The following are brief descriptions of three new ordinances which the Barrington Hills Village Board has adopted in the past year (and one older one). To review each ordinance in its entirety, visit the Village website (www.ci.barrington-hills.il.us), or call the Deputy Clerk Grace Wytmar at Village Hall (847-551-3000). Lighting Ordinance. The new lighting ordinance makes it unlawful and a nuisance for anyone to install outdoor lighting that produces excessive glare or light levels that results in annoyance or discomfort to the public or to adjacent property owners. Section 7-1-5 of the Village Code. Watercourse Setback Admendment. This new amendment makes it mandatory for any resident wishing to build a structure closer to a lake or pond than what is permitted in the Village Code, to appear before the Barrington Hills Plan Commission. The Commission will evaluate the request according to the environmental impacts of the project. Their recommendation will then be passed on to the Board of Trustees for the final ruling. Section 5-3-9 (E) of the Village Code. Raffle Ordinance. The Village of Barrington Hills, having to conform to the State of Illinois Raffle Act, requires any individual or organization planning to conduct a raffle within the Village to obtain a license from the Village. The application for the license is available from Grace Wytmar, Deputy Village Clerk, Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. A $10 fee must accompany the application. Section 3-7-1 to 14 of the Village Code. Bonfire for Landscape Waste (an older, but timely ordinance). In the Village of Barrington Hills, an outdoor fire is permitted for the disposal of landscape waste upon the premises where it is produced. The bonfire shall not be more than 5 feet by 5 feet by 5 feet in dimension and shall not burn longer than 3 hours in any 24 hour period. No more than one bonfire may occur at any one time and it must be constantly attended. Section 4- 2-3 of the Village Code. Daria Sapp, Trustee Chair, Planning Committee Meet Your New Trustees In the April 2002 general election, two new trustees were elected to the Village Board. Here are their short biographies: Walter E. Smithe is married and resides on Caesar Drive with his wife Mary. They have five children. The oldest two have graduated from college, the next two are currently attending college, and the youngest attends Barrington High School. A resident of Barrington Hills since 1988, Walter served the Village on the Land Use Committee in 1996, continuously as a member of the Plan Commission since 1997, and as Chairman of the Plan Commission since 2001. He sits on the advisory board of Catholic Charities as well as Barrington Youth Services and has worked on several committee assignments for Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation. Mr. Smithe received his BA in Marketing from St. Mary's University in 1981 and his MBA from University of Notre Dame in 1989. Walter is President of Walter E. Smithe Furniture, Chicago. On the Village Board, he is Chair of the Finance Committee. Julie McKevitt is happily married to Patrick, a local blacksmith, and they live on Chapel Road. Residents since 1998, they share their home and 21 acre horse farm with a wide variety of animals. Julie received her BS from the University of Wisconsin - Madison and has founded and built two multi-location businesses. Her business leadership has been recognized both locally and nationally, and until May she was an appointed Director of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority. Locally, she is an equestrienne and an active member of the Fox River Valley Hunt Club, the Spring Creek Bassets, the Barrington Hills Polo Club, and the Riding Club of Barrington Hills. Currently, Mrs. McKevitt is President of both Will Rent Inc. and Portable Tool Sales & Service. On the Village Board, she serves as Chair of the Buildings and Grounds Committee. Theodore L. Horne was re-elected to serve his 6th term on the Village Board. He lives with Penny, his wife of 38 years, and assorted cats and dogs on Otis Road, very close to where he grew up. Mr. Horne serves as Chair of Building and Zoning and, as senior Trustee, is President Pro Tem. Village Hall Monitor Anniversaries are a time of marking events that are notable in one's life or surroundings. Here in Barrington Hills, 2003 is the 40th anniversary of the adoption of the Zoning Ordinance and Map. It was this ordinance that in 1963 established, among other requirements, the R-1 5-acre zoning district. This same document created the 50- foot setback for residences and permitted private stables. The adoption of an ordinance is not in and of itself, the solution to an issue. Rather implementation and enforcement make a successful program. For the past 40 years, a group of residents has volunteered time to serve as the Zoning Board of Appeals, the administrative body of the Zoning Code. Even before there was a Village Hall, the ZBA would convene a public hearing at Countryside School on matters involving the Zoning Code. It is before the ZBA that requests for variances are presented, special uses are considered, and even amendments to the Code itself are first presented. Their work is forwarded to the Village Board of Trustees, who implement the ZBA recommendations and in turn direct other Village officers to act accordingly. This means the Zoning Ordinance influences the content of the Building Code, reflects the list of public nuisances, and defines the scope of review in the Subdivision process. This document is certainly not identical to that which was adopted in 1963. For example, it now references satellite dish antennae and cellular telephone networks. The 7-member ZBA still gathers today, generally on the third Monday of every month. Before them in pamphlet form, is a copy of a document that their predecessors studied and most likely their successors will still review for direction. Happy anniversary, Zoning Ordinance! Your success is evident to those who travel through our unique Village of Barrington Hills. All residents' gratitude should be extended to the men and women who have served on the ZBA over the past 40 years and have kept to the precepts of the original concept. Robert Kosin Director of Administration Keepers of The Land T he Garden Club of Barrington (GCB) was organized in 1925 - 78 years ago for the purposes of "Stimulating knowledge and the love of gardening among amateurs, aiding in the protection of native plants and birds, and to encourage civic planting." Beginning in the 1930's, in an effort to satisfy these important goals, The Garden Club of Barrington published a booklet for new area residents about numerous gardening topics, local area wildlife, and our regional native plants. Back then, our garden club members who came from all parts of the Barrington area would act as welcome ambassadors and personally call on their new neighbors with the booklet, which was generally accompanied by a plant, flowers, vegetables, or fruits collected from the member's own garden. Times have changed. The booklet is now a book and its conservation-minded information has been greatly re-researched, up-dated, and expanded. The new 130 pages represent a wealth of local information for all Barrington area residents on such topics as the new American lawn, recycling, vegetable gardening, fruit trees, wetlands management, wells and septic systems, local and regional resources, and more. Of course, we have also included our original topics on native trees, birdlife and, our new residents' role in a conservation-minded community. The new 21st century version also has a new title, Keepers of The Land, which was taken from the following quote from a 60 year resident: "We have to be careful what we do to the land. The fact is, we don't really own the land. We're only here as keepers of it. Our use of the land is but for a moment in time. Yet, the alterations we make may effect everything permanently." Also different in 2003 is the way copies are being distributed. Keepers may now be picked up at Village Hall. The cost for printing Keepers of The Land is $8. The book is a free welcome gift to new residents, as it always has been. Current residents who would like a copy, might consider a contribution to GCB to help defray future printing costs. The Garden Club of Barrington Historical Barrington Hills T he Barrington Methodists organized in 1840 and met in a schoolhouse for 13 years. By 1853, both the Congregationalists and the Methodists had built the first Barrington area churches, known respectively as the South Church and the North Church. The Methodist building was built at a cost of $2,200 and was located at the northeast corner of Sutton Road and Dundee Road/Route #68. That area was known as Barrington Center and was the geographic center of the Township. The building still stands today. The Methodist North Church building was 34 by 52 feet. "The seats," one parishioner wrote, "were free – free from upholstery, free from paint, free from backs." Everyone would bring a lantern and hang it up in the room to light the building. In 1858, the Methodists rented out the North Church and built a larger church in the new town of Barrington (where the railroad was) at the corner of Franklin and Ela Streets. The congregation outgrew that building so they sold it to the Catholics and moved into what had been the Zion Evangelical Church on Hough Street in 1880. On October 28, 1998, that landmark church tragically burned to the ground. In March of this year, the Barrington United Methodist Church came home to Barrington Hills. Their newly-built 54,000 square foot facility is located on 23.5 acres at 98 Algonquin Road (the southwest corner of Route #59 and Algonquin Road/Route #62), about a mile east of their first home. The facility features include a sanctuary that seats approximately 400 worshippers, plus administrative, Christian education, and fellowship wings held together by an entrance rotunda. Svedra Gehlhause Architects is the architectural firm and the general contractor is Pepper Construction Company. One hundred and fifty years later, the Village of Barrington Hills says, "Welcome Home!"