Yard space in Chicagoland

The village of Itasca is kicking me out of my yard becuase some geniuses with 150+ IQ's I'm sure and mostly Harvard educations decided to write such ordinances as you can't park a truck on Gravel and you can't store anything outside (such as a storage shed) not on wheels. Although there are a few vacant lots in nearby Bensenvile (where I pick up materials)the geniuses there said you can't even park a truck outside. One widowed old lady can't rent out or sell her property becuase of that. I was forced out of my yard in Rolling Meadows (my home town and next door to a distributor) in 2004 because of similar village ordinances and moved in with a contractor I do a lot of work for. (He's being kicked out also) I found a yard in Wheeling but the price is outragous ($1225/ month for 4,000 sq. ft. of outside storage.) and we'll be forced out of there with in the next 1-5 years and probably closer to 1 year. My only option with in the next 5 years (especially if I want to continue to grow) will be to move out towards Carol Stream, Bartlett, Elgin or up North towards Mundelien or Wauconda. Assuming gas is $3-4/ gallon it will easily cost me well over an extra $100/ day in gas and labor to send my crews out since most of my work is in that Rolling Meadows, Arlington Heights, Wheeling area. It's amazing how these suburbs don't want contractors in their town, but expect us to come and do work out there. Well When I'm 30 plus miles away from my home base it will be very expensive to have me come out and do work in these towns. That's if I'm still in business, and if I'm not than these property owners will really be screwed. Here are maps of some of these areas. http://gdi-solutions.org/areas/maps/region/maps_us_il_chi…

If I'm not mistaken you should be able to file for a variance to that ordinance since you are an existing business which is now going to be placed in what they call around here a hardship. If not get out the boxing gloves and get ready to fight. I'd call the local tv news station,newspaper,county government, state governor, make LOTS of noise about it and oh yea a lawyer.

koter1 wrote on Jul 13, 2006:Go to #1

The village of Itasca is kicking me out of my yard becuase some geniuses with 150+ IQ's I'm sure and mostly Harvard educations decided to write such ordinances as you can't park a truck on Gravel and you can't store anything outside (such as a storage shed) not on wheels. Although there are a few vacant lots in nearby Bensenvile (where I pick up materials)the geniuses there said you can't even park a truck outside. One widowed old lady can't rent out or sell her property becuase of that. I was forced out of my yard in Rolling Meadows (my home town and next door to a distributor) in 2004 because of similar village ordinances and moved in with a contractor I do a lot of work for. (He's being kicked out also) I found a yard in Wheeling but the price is outragous ($1225/ month for 4,000 sq. ft. of outside storage.) and we'll be forced out of there with in the next 1-5 years and probably closer to 1 year. My only option with in the next 5 years (especially if I want to continue to grow) will be to move out towards Carol Stream, Bartlett, Elgin or up North towards Mundelien or Wauconda. Assuming gas is $3-4/ gallon it will easily cost me well over an extra $100/ day in gas and labor to send my crews out since most of my work is in that Rolling Meadows, Arlington Heights, Wheeling area. It's amazing how these suburbs don't want contractors in their town, but expect us to come and do work out there. Well When I'm 30 plus miles away from my home base it will be very expensive to have me come out and do work in these towns. That's if I'm still in business, and if I'm not than these property owners will really be screwed. Here are maps of some of these areas. http://gdi-solutions.org/areas/maps/region/maps_us_il_chi…

They just passed the same ordinanace over here towards Rockford also... Vehicles CANNOT be parked on anything other than BLACKTOP OR CONCRETE...... If you have a GRAVEL surface forget it, they will be fining you and eventually towing.... Think they would have better things to come up with than BS like this... Guess Im gonna have to drop that $8000 and put concrete in... Illinois is catching up with Crappy California in STUPID rules and regualtions!

Check with your local asphalt dealer and get what they call RAP (recilced asphalt) spread it around and rent a compactor. Cost about 1/10 of new and you can do it your self. Nothing in the ordenance says how deep it has to be or what type it has to be. Put training wheels on your shead. Who sais it hase to hold it up or roll. Think of ways to make a mockery of the rules it is all like a game up here. Dwan