Glen Ellyn wrong to approve 5 houses

Despite being rejected on Dec. 11 by the Glen Ellyn Plan Commission, the village board decided to approve a 5 home subdivision plan put forward by Ten Talents on behalf of Mark Cozzi. This plan could never have been approved if Cozzi was made to adhere to the Glen Ellyn Subdivisions Codes and the Glen Ellyn Zoning Codes. The only way he can squeeze the five homes into the plan is by being granted nine huge variances - such as having the road width be 50 feet wide instead of the code width of 66 feet, having the length of the cul-de-sac be a whopping 620 feet long instead of the 500-foot maximum, and having the requirement for a sidewalk waived. How about having a minimum lot width of 52.3 feet instead of the 108-foot requirement? The other variances are equally shocking. I realize we are in the midst of a recession and a very tough economy, and governments at all levels are scrambling for revenue, but aren't those rules supposed to be for our protection and applicable to us all? I'm pretty sure if the average resident requested a variance that was 50 percent less than the requirement, they'd be denied and laughed out of the building. Cozzi certainly has the right to build on the property - but he should be able to build only homes that are compliant with the codes. That might be two or three possibly, but certainly not five. The reason I bought my home on Sunnybrook Road was because of the large, heavily treed lot and the peace and quiet it affords. My neighbors would say the same. The difference with Cozzi is he bought with one thing in mind - to make money. I find it odd that the village has welcomed doing business with him. I urge you to contact the village board and protest this.

Mike Carter

Glen Ellyn