Arlington Hts. animal hospital expansion OK'd despite protests
Armed with photographs and posters, Clarence Avenue residents spent two hours Monday night trying to persuade the Arlington Heights village board to vote against the expansion plan for Care Animal Hospital.
However, the board ended up approving the plan -- albeit with a list of tighter rules for parking, outside lighting and dog walking. It was a plan with which neither side was exactly thrilled.
Trustees Norm Breyer, Tom Hayes, Helen Jensen, Virginia Kucera and Bert Rosenberg voted in favor of the project. Trustee John Scaletta voted against it. Trustees Tom Stengren and Joe Farwell didn't vote or discuss the project, citing conflicts of interest.
The expansion of Care Animal Hospital, 1195 E. Palatine Road, will be near Windsor Drive. The addition to the west will double the hospital's size from about 10,000 square feet to about 20,000 square feet.
The expansion is mainly to add orthopedic surgery services and won't drastically change the number of boarded or treated animals, said David Aul, whose father, David Sr., founded the hospital.
"Orthopedic surgery is a main reason for the addition," said Aul at Monday's board meeting. "To do that, we'll also need a rehab clinic which takes up a lot of room."
The hospital, founded in the early 1970s, mainly treats dogs and cats.
With the expansion, the hospital's boarding capacity will go from 107 to 119. The plan also includes adding a drive-through window and a "doggie day care" service for 25 dogs.
The added rules approved on Monday include limiting the hospital's outside lighting, which is now on 24 hours a day. The hospital must also hose the dog walking area daily when the weather permits, enclose trash containers and limit the dog walking area
"I just don't think those really solve anything," said Aul after the meeting. "I understand the board wanting to compromise, but I just don't think (the added rules) solve anything."
Aul said he would "most likely" go ahead with the project even with the new rules.
The added rules didn't make the project any better in the eyes of the hospital's neighbors either.
Mani Boutsikakis lives on the 1800 block of Clarence Avenue, directly behind the animal hospital. He said the project will take over his small neighborhood, which is behind Garden Fresh Market.
"It's not enough, and I've had enough," he said, carting home posters he made depicting photographs of hospital workers walking dogs a few feet from his property line. "I'll hire another lawyer if I have to. I'll hire two."
Wayne Kruty lives on the 1600 block of Clarence Avenue and agreed with his neighbor.
"Slowly things are starting to clip away at our neighborhood, and in 10 or 15 years, businesses will just take over Clarence Avenue," Kruty told the village board. "You have to stop it now."