Winfield passes new zoning plan

Winfield trustees passed a controversial plan Thursday to create an overlay zoning district that will limit the ability of some property owners to subdivide their land.

Residents spent more than an hour urging the village board to either approve or deny the secondary zoning classification, which would prevent property owners from subdividing land to any size smaller than just under an acre.

Residents such as Jeff Davis blasted village officials for unnecessarily limiting what property owners can do with their property.

"You wouldn't change the speed limit in half as a correction to a potential scenario that might happen down the line," said Davis, who applied last fall to subdivide his property in response to the village's proposed new zoning code.

But Karen Skillman and several other residents applauded the village's decision, arguing that the new zoning code would ensure developers would be prevented from purchasing properties in parts of the village and creating denser neighborhoods.

"The zoning gives you the control to regulate how the land is used," said Skillman, who on more than one occasion claimed Thursday that an overwhelming majority of residents were in favor of the new zoning code.

The new zoning classification, which calls for roughly 1-acre property lots, would apply to the affected neighborhoods in addition to the traditional zoning classification, which provides for lots half that size.

Many of the affected properties to come under the overlay zoning district are located on the southwest side of the village, near the site of a seven-home subdivision that was opposed by neighbors as out of character with the surrounding properties.

Only one village trustee, Glen Vade Bon Coeur, voted against the overlay zoning district.