Welcome to the Barrington Hills
Community News and Information Website
Barrington Hills is an equestrian community approximately 40 miles northwest of Chicago, Illinois straddling across parts of four counties - Cook, Kane, Lake and McHenry. The population as of the 2010 Census is 4209. The village has roots from early settlers in the 1830s and incorporated as a Village in 1957. Residential properties of 5 acre zoning with agricultural and horse farms welcomed within the community.
Welcome and thank you for visiting the Barrington Hills Village News and Information Home Page. If you have suggestions for content, news and photos to share, please send e-mail to the Village Clerk at clerk@barringtonhills-il.gov. We want to hear from you! Share our email address and the Village Mega Portal address www.barringtonhills-il.gov, with friends and family members. The Mega Portal Page is our front door to Barrington Hills Government, Village News and Information, and the Police Department.
Summer 2010 - 2011 Reminders
Summer Storms Impact Barrington Hills
The Village of Barrington Hills was affected by a severe storm which included 80 mph winds on the morning of July 11, 2011. Power was lost to many of our residents along with more than three quarters of a million others in the greater Chicagoland area. Power restoration spanned 6 days and during that interval the Village Hall took unprecedented measures opening up an Emergency Operations Center. The Village Hall was surrounded by portable generators from all of the major carriers with facilities onsite such as Comcast, AT&T and Verizon plus the village had its their own generators running.
Police alerts came from the Village's Blackboard Connect Community Alerting system letting residents know of the intersections without power at stoplights. Trees were down across village roads, public and private. The village deployed crews to remove trees from village roads so the power crews could get through to do their work when they arrived. Private lane residents worked diligently on their fallen trees to be able to get in and out of their lanes.
Most residents need power to support their well and septic systems so they can get water and remove it from their homes. Many homeowners do not have generators and thus could get no water to their homes. Mike Zachar, a resident and member of the Communications Committee, suggested the village staff attach a simple garden hose to the Village Hall spigot. Using word of mouth, alerts, Tweets and communications via the Barrington Patch online newsletter, the communications worked. Residents lined up with buckets to get what the water needed for necessities.
Important to note: If you missed the Tweets or the Community Alerts, you may not be signed up for your interactive Village communications services. ComEd has a proactive alerting service. The Government News page has actionable information posted online: Please go to: http://www.barringtonhills-il.gov/news.html. The Police Pages have an Alert section http://www.vbhpd.net/alerts/past-alerts/, with the Alert History and a sign up process. Click here for Twitter Sign-up.
We realize many means of communication were not working during the outage. Diversify your communications capabilities and optimize the success of managing necessities during these extraordinary events. Please share photos suitable for posting. We have heard stories of neighbors helping neighbors to get generators going, and to get necessities. Thanks to our local heroes. Remember, ComEd may be taking down service for short intervals to make permanent repairs and during those times, you may experience added brief power disruptions. Before you restock those clean and empty refrigerators, check with ComEd to be sure the power in your area is stable.
Spring Creek Watershed
Barrington Hills is a member of the new Spring Creek Watershed SCW. Nancy Schumm has contributed an article on this latest effort for local Conservation. Go to the Community Conservation Page for all of the details of the partners and the grant that has been awarded to fund the work.
Spring Creek Watershed Beverly Lake - photo courtesy of Cecily Cunz
Civil War 150 Years
The Barrington Area Historical Society is hosting lectures and displays about the Civil War. We are the beginning of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War from 1861 to 1865. Barrington Township's center for soldiers to muster in and out of the war was in Barrington Hills. Local historian Gerald Barry has compiled a significant amount of information including selected photos and names of local residents who served. Go to the Barrington Area Library's Barrington Civil War History references online. Please be patient with the download as there are many files.
Civil War Memorial with names of local area residents who served resides at the current site of the Korean Wesleyan
Methodist Church at Old Sutton Road and Dundee Road Highway 68. Photo courtesy of Nancy Schumm 2011
The Korean Wesleyan Church in Barrington Hills is home to a monument with the names of the soldiers from the Barrington Area. At least 10 Civil war soldiers are buried in the cemetery adjacent to the Church grounds. Many more soldiers were buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Barrington. Watch for additional photos and check our calendar for news and local events in the coming months. A new Civil War History Page will be developed to celebrate the 150 year anniversary.
The Village of Barrington Hills held a Civil War re-enactment at the Village Hall grounds in 2007. Go to the Civil War History Page for 2007 to see those photos.
Cat Research in Cook County Under Review
This story started when a Barrington Hills resident asked about seeing collared cats in the Cook County Forest Preserves. Lorraine Briggs of the Village Beautification Committee began her own research. According to Dr. Donna M. Alexander, Administrator, Cook County Animal and Rabies Control, “the cat study began about a year ago as an ongoing extension of the Environmental Impact Research Group. All of the cats in the study are true feral cats in that they are trapped deep in the Forest Preserve District, were probably born in the wild and show no signs of domesticity (or lack of feralocity)."
“The Cook County Department of Animal Control has been involved in a long running study tracking rabies and other diseases among native animal populations in the forest preserves and throughout Cook County for years. I assure you that I would not tolerate the collaring of domestic cats being “dumped” in the woods.” said Cook County Commissioner Greg Goslin.
President Bob Abboud said, “[Trustee] Skip Gianopoulos will be reporting on this cat [research] at the next [July] Board of Trustees meeting.”
Bicycle Safety Reminders
Warm weather has increased the number of joggers and bicyclists on the Village roadways. Please be mindful of the narrow roads and need for extra safety precautions. Bicycles and Horses are sharing roads. Give the riders extra berth as you drive. Bicycle and other resident Information click here.
Park District Information
For resident information related to the Countryside Park District within the Village and other neighboring park information go to the Resident Information part of the Website.
McHenry County Zoning Ordinance Meetings
McHenry County invited residents to participate in a series of open forums and meetings to address changes to their Zoning Ordinances in accordance with the objectives and goals set forth in the 2030 Comprehensive Plan. The first Public Hearing was April 6 in Woodstock.
County residents were very vocal about Lighting, Water Management, Open Spaces, Cell Towers and new technology such as Wind Turbines and Solar Panels. Residents want assurances about building requirements, agricultural and equestrian land and related topics. The time for public comments is now. The County Board will be making Zoning Ordinance decisions based on these new recommendations.
Trustee Elaine Ramesh spoke during Public Comments. Public participation is important; watch for future news. Link to the article in the Village News section of the Website. More links are provided directly to McHenry County's website.
Summer Weather
Barrington Hills uses the services of "Weather Underground" to keep residents informed of the current conditions within the Village. The connection from this website uses that service. You can always find out the latest weather while you are online.
Residents with photos you would like to share reflecting the the unique weather conditions within the village, are encouraged to mail them to the Village clerk with a notation of the location, photographer and weather conditions. Send them to: clerk@barringtonhills-il.com
Census 2010 Results
The U.S. Census Bureau reported results that Village of Barrington Hills population increased between 2000 and 2010 by 7% to 4209
.In 2010, the Barrington Hills Communications Committee and all elected and staff employees of the Village made an all out effort to get residents involved in ensuring the Census numbers were reported correctly for our area. Federal funds are allocated for projects across the board based on population counts which reflect the needs of the communities. Vicki Kelly led the efforts which included events and activities to get the word out all year. Thanks to our residents who helped make a difference! |
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In 2010, two new programs were successfully introduced. One was for drainage improvements and the other for resident education on private lanes. Watch for a March meeting notice to follow up on the private lane communication
- Buckley Road, Aberdeen Drive, Barrington Hills Road, Butternut Road, Crabapple Road and Leeds Drive will be resurfaced in 2011.
- Church Road and Chapel Road drainage improvements are scheduled. In 2012, drainage improvements for Spring Creek Road and Caesar Drive are slated; with drainage improvements to Lakeview Lane to be addressed in 2013.
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Barrington Hills History and Photos
A significant part of the beauty and social aspect of the village is reflected on History Pages. The Village Photo Gallery has photos from village events current and past.
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