District 220 board reverses decision to buy properties for parking

The Barrington Area Unit District 220 school board voted 4-3 Tuesday to reverse its August decision to purchase four properties for parking expansion at Barrington High School.

School board members had unanimously approved buying lots at 502, 506 and 510 W. Main St. and 112 N. Hager Ave. to meet parking needs resulting from a 2024 referendum for school improvements, including a new auditorium.

However, residents from the Walnut Grove neighborhood located next to the high school organized opposition after learning of the purchase.

The residents expressed concern about preserving the scale and character of a neighborhood containing homes dating back to the Great Depression. They said they were also worried about the impact of demolishing three homes, including the elimination of affordable housing.

In addition, they were concerned about property values and being vulnerable to future expansion by the district, suggesting the district reconfigure portions of its buildable land.

Board member Erin Chan Ding said she learned more about the Walnut Grove community and its history.

“I found this balance of neighborhood good and school district good increasingly dissonant,” Chan Ding said. “In an era of increasingly unaffordable housing, this neighborhood represents homes that are still attainable for a spectrum of income. And that’s really important for our community.”

“I know that I could have done better. I know that I could have asked more questions,” said board member Steve Wang, who joined Chan Ding, Harathi Srivastava and Diana Clopton in voting to reconsider the purchase.

Board President Sandra Ficke-Bradford and members Leah Collister-Lazzari and Barry Altshuler opposed reconsidering.

Altshuler worried about precedent, saying, “If we sign a contract and then we don't go through with it as an organization, that's not a good thing.”

He added that the properties would have improved safety and security for students and warned that the high school would lose parking during auditorium construction.

But Clopton said the district can find other ways to improve safety for students.

Ficke-Bradford said the board is exploring next steps, including a real estate impact study and exploring alternate design approaches with architects.

Residents expressed gratitude to the board, especially for meeting two days before Christmas.

Resident Dawn Mass thanked the board, saying, “Thank you so much for not only listening, but for hearing us.”

Another resident, Amberly Kafader, recognized it was not an easy decision, adding, “Thank you for making our holiday a little bit brighter here.”