Lake County panel curbs parking ban idea

A proposed change in Lake County zoning rules to keep vehicles off front lawns landed Wednesday with a resounding thud.

Through only the first of three layers of review, the zoning board of appeals unanimously dismissed a measure that has surfaced periodically but never risen to this level of scrutiny.

The 7-0 recommendation to deny the proposal came after more than two hours of public comment -- mostly negative -- saying the new rule would be unnecessary, unacceptable and unenforceable.

"This has no impact on anyone's health and safety. It's an aesthetics issue," said Judy Martini, a county board member from Antioch. "Where does it stop? Are we going to be passing legislation because we don't like the color of somebody's house?"

The rule change would prohibit parking any motorized vehicles -- including snowmobiles, boats and trailers -- on the grass in the front yard of a home. The exception would be on an area paved with asphalt, concrete, or brick or covered with gravel, stone or wooden planks.

Parking on the grass in the back or side yard would be allowed. But many of the estimated 60,000 residential lots in unincorporated areas are small or oddly shaped and do not conform to modern zoning standards. Opponents argue that would make it difficult, if not impossible, for some to comply.

"If we wanted more restrictions, we'd go live in a municipality -- the majority of residents feel this way," said county board member Bonnie Thompson Carter of unincorporated Ingleside. Carter said she mailed 3,000 letters to constituents regarding the issue and Wednesday's public hearing.

Steve Carlson, a county board member from unincorporated Grandwood Park, said he can't do anything about complaints from neighbors about cars parked in front yards. One of his neighbors has created a makeshift circular drive in the dirt, he said.

"I'm looking for a way to address the most egregious examples," he said. "I'm talking about the '57 Chevy that's parked there day after day for months."

How the proposed change got to this point was unclear. But county board member Stevenson Mountsier of Lake Barrington said he had a hand initiating the review because a home in his district has had six to seven cars in the front yard for 10 years.

"It's the automobiles I'm concerned about," he said.

The county has other rules to deal with inoperable vehicles. But as long as a vehicle runs, there's no recourse as to where it's parked.

Opponents also noted requiring a hard surface to allow front yard parking wouldn't solve the perceived problem because it would still be in plain sight.

"Because you have the ability to legislate something doesn't mean you should," said Lake Villa Township Supervisor Dan Venturi.

The proposal will be forwarded to the county board's planning, building and zoning committee for a recommendation and ultimately to the full board for a vote.