Carpentersville doesn't mind cans out of sight

For residents in a couple of east-side Carpentersville neighborhoods who do not have access to a garage, side or backyard to store garbage carts, no problem.

Trustees on Tuesday night approved an exception to a village code that requires residents to store carts in a screened area out of sight from the street for residents predominantly in the Morningside and Berkshire neighborhoods.

Since some townhouses in those areas do not have access to a garage or direct access to a side- or backyard, trustees voted to allow those homes to store the garbage carts at the front of the property with the installation of an appropriate fence, planting or wall.

"There are some instances because of the configuration of the property makes it impossible for some residents to comply with the ordinance for screening," Village Manager Craig Anderson said. "In some of the older townhouses it is impossible to put the carts at the back of the home. This would provide an exception for those homes."

Though trustees approved the amendment unanimously, some said the financial burden it could cause some older residents and those living in less affluent neighborhoods was a concern.

"I am concerned that this could cause a hardship on some people," Trustee Paul Humpfer said. "I am afraid we are going to have a line of people coming in here asking, 'How do I pay for this?'"

Assistant Village Manager Dawn Wucki-Rossbach said the village's senior code enforcement officer would work with residents to comply with both the screening code and building code when erecting a screen.

"We will work with homeowners so they know exactly what they need to install," Wucki-Rossbach said.

The exact number of homes affected was unknown.