Glen Ellyn OKs Montessori school

Despite attempts by residents and a trustee to have the vote delayed, the Glen Ellyn village board has approved the move of a Montessori school into a residential neighborhood.

The much-disputed Diamante School will move from its location in St. Mark's Church to 625 E. Hillside Ave., a property left open by Christ Church.

Village President Vicky Hase and trustees James Comerford, Peter Norton and Michelle Thorsell voted in favor of the proposal; Trustee Peter Ladesic voted "present"; Trustee Timothy Armstrong recused himself; and Trustee Mary Jane Chapman was absent.

Although the Montessori plan has been laid out and discussed in five prior plan commission meetings, more than three hours of Monday's village board meeting were devoted to public comment and discussion of the move.

Ladesic said the board needed more time to look at the proposal because many of the residents who spoke brought up issues that warranted clarification.

However, he also said he wasn't necessarily against the move.

Hase said she didn't see the point of postponing since the board has had plenty of time to consider the proposal.

"Something will go here," she said of the school site. "This meets our code."

Hase said the village struggles all the time with a balance between property owner rights and neighborhood concerns.

The neighbors surrounding 625 E. Hillside Ave. have been organizing since the school move was proposed to convince the village that it would create traffic problems and safety hazards in the area.

The residents were out in force again Monday, with more than a dozen speaking against the idea and plenty more with seats in the audience that filtered into a second meeting room.

Their arguments ranged from concerns about the already-dangerous Park Boulevard and Hillside Avenue intersection to the fact that a driveway for the school abuts the yard of a neighbor.

"It's a bad decision from the start," said Steve Ruffalo, an attorney hired by neighbors opposed to the school.

However, the school also has its supporters in the community, and the site- including the driveway, which is allowed by village code - was deemed an appropriate use by the board.

Trustee Peter Norton said petitioners Ron and Elizabeth Repking have done everything they can to make their plans for the site feasible.