Background information
1. Hinsdale Little League approached the Park & Recreation Commission with a donation for new lights at a field at Pierce Park. The project cost of approximately $90,000 would be fully funded by HLL.
2. While attempting to get approval for new lights on the west baseball field at Pierce Park a group of residents opposing the project uncovered a flaw in our zoning code which stopped the project from going forward.
3. The flaw states that there cannot be light structures higher than 15 feet in areas zones as open space (OS districts) which all parks fall under.
Any lights at existing parks higher than 15 feet are currently in violation of the code and depending on when they were installed (some may be grandfathered but some are not e.g. Pierce Park existing lights) could be shut off if a resident challenged their legality under the code. In addition if we ever wanted to replace existing lights because they simply outlived their useful life or with improved lower glare technology we could not given the current code.
4. Parks and structures potentially affected;
a. Pierce – existing little league fields
b. KLM –paddle courts
c. Burns – football/soccer practice fields
d. Burns - paddle courts
e. The public swimming pool lights
5. Based on this flaw in the code and the concern for keeping current lighting in place the Chairman of the Parks Commission asked for a text change to the code allowing for lights structures in open spaces that would make all existing structures legal
6. The board agreed to send this change in the code to the plan commission for public debate. This meeting will be held at the board room in the Village Hall on October 8th at 7:30pm.We need your support in passing this change to the code! This is not just a Pierce Park issue, this affects all the lighting structures listed above.
Come to the meeting on October 8th and voice your support.
Also email your support to all of the following:
Trustees and Village Manager
trustees@villageofhinsdale.org
mwoerner@villageofhinsdale.org
dcook@villageofhinsdale.org
Plan Commission Members
donnaflynn@skillsmastery.com
nhbyrnes@comcast.net
c.culbertson@comcast.net
doug.geoga@geogagroup.com
mkluchen@cme.com
lam58@comcast.net
dkpaia@aol.com
pamela.sullins@supervalu.com
sthacker@gwclaw.com
