Committees :: The Village of Barrington Hills

The Village Trustees have Boards, Commissions and Committees using volunteers from the ranks of residents. Each of these groups have a Mission and/or Charter approved by the Board of Trustees. Terms are limited and residents are asked to serve. Formal minutes are required and all groups abide by the State of Illinois Open Meetings Act. Newsworthy information will be shared on this page as it becomes available.

ZBA Commission

Equestrian Commission Horse Boarding
Recommendations to the Zoning Board of Appeals - Version II

At its regular meeting on October20, 2008, the ZBA resumed dialog related to Commercial Horse Boarding within the Village.

Early this year, the Village's Equestrian Commission recommended that the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) engage in a process which could lead to amending our code on the extent and specifics of horse boarding in the village. Over the past months a group of eleven people involved in one way or another in equestrian matters in the village have been creating a draft document containing suggestions for consideration by the Zoning Board of Appeals as the next step in its process.

The draft document, which describes the conditions under which boarding could be permitted beyond that contemplated in our Home Occupation Ordinance, was officially received by the ZBA at its regular meeting on September 15, 2008. Version II replaces the initial document as of October 20, 2008.

The document will be subjected over the next several months to the ZBA’s deliberations, editing and preparation for a public hearing on any proposed amendments to the village’s Zoning Code. If you have trouble opening the PDF document go to the following website to http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html?promoid=BUIGO to download the free software.

Residents who are interested in the subject are encouraged to attend the ZBA meetings on the subject, especially the public hearing. Please check the village’s website http://www.barringtonhills-il.gov/ for information on the matter, such as dates, time and locations of the ZBA regular and special meetings. The agendas are posted 72 hours in advance of any ZBA meeting.

Cell Towers

At the October 20, 2008 ZBA meeting, Verizon Communications applied for a Special Use for Construction of a Cellular Tower Antennae to be collocated within the existing Commonwealth Edison Tower along Algonquin Road, Route 62. The ZBA has numerous requested Verizon to bring forth additional information to satisfy the ZBA Ordinances and answer resident and ZBA member questions. The matter will be deferred until the November 17, 2008 ZBA Meeting. This matter was originally deferred from earlier in 2008. There is a T-Mobile Tower in that vicinity.

At its regular meeting on August 18, 2008, the ZBA approved a special use permit request to permit Cricket Communications to install a cellular communications antenna on top of the silos on Otis Road near the EJ&E tracks. There currently are several antennas already at that site, some belonging to T-Mobile and the others to the Village’s Police Department. The Board included conditions related to acceptable landscaping and maintenance at the site.

As residents are likely aware, the residential real estate market is in a bit of a somnolent phase. Building permits for single family residents in the village have declined substantially over the pace of several years ago. We issued eleven such permits in 2007 (one was withdrawn before construction began) and only three thru the first six months of 2008. The average home size for these 14 permits was 9,138 square feet, with four of the homes being between 10,200 and 12,400 square feet and one for a 20,900 square foot home.

Beautification Committee

Please join us in our Community-Wide effort to clean up the roadside along Lake Cook Road, Saturday, October 25, 2008 for Make a Difference Day! We invite all residents who are at least 12 years old to join in this amazing event! We need your help for this two hour work project.

Imagine all the people who will see how much we care about the beauty of our natural surroundings and will want to repeat this on their own property.

Meet us at Countryside School at 9:00 a.m. sharp to sign waivers, get orange trash bags, check out the high visibility vests and get rides to assignments. Chief Michael Murphy will provide a police escort and roadside guides will provide safety support and ensure Lake Cook is reduced to one lane during the designated clean-up pick-up time.

We suggest that you wear weather appropriate clothing, boots and work gloves. Scouts, churches and clubs will be working on their own designated road areas while we residents do our high profile State Road. Please RSVP to: (847) 381-9487 or pdenisei@hotmail.com.

Our committee members look forward to working with you, and we thank you for caring about your community!

Background: Carolyn and Bill Springer, Anne Horwath, Elizabeth Bramsen, Jan Sheppard and Chairperson P. Denise Israel have been appointed to the Beautification Committee. The committee sees as its primary focus:

Earth Day in 2009 is April 22. Check the Village website for event details in the future. Comments, information and volunteers can reach the committee at: pdenisei@hotmail.com or (847) 381-9487

Roads and Bridges Committee

2008 - 2009 Fall and Winter Road Program

Oak Knoll Road completed - 2008 budget - smooth integration with surrounding roads and drives.

Fall is the time to do various chores around the house such as checking and clearing gutters. It would also be a good time to check that the openings of the culvert drainage pipes beneath your driveway are free of debris. You may find that decorative stones which were originally above and beside the culvert pipes have fallen into the drainage ditch and blocked the opening of the pipe. Freeing the openings will allow the run-off water to flow in a more orderly fashion through your area.

Our Village does not have any formalized procedure
for the maintenance of drainage ditches.

The Roads and Bridges Committee is currently considering
if a more comprehensive plan for addressing
water run-off issues can be developed.

Solutions to the problem may include amendments to the Village code and a schedule for routine maintenance. However, to run a maintenance program, funds will be needed. Since the Roads and Bridges budget is going to be strongly affected by the higher costs for gasoline and salt in 2009, a solution in the short term may not be possible unless a new source of funds for drainage issues is found.

As more and more of the Village land is developed, it is to be
expected that water run-off problems could increase.

Even though the leaves have not yet turned, it is not too early for us to consider the upcoming winter. Many of you have already had questions concerning snow and ice removal from the roads, in light of news articles reporting shortages of road salt. Ed. Courier article is in News Archives.

The road salt shortage is serious, and has been exacerbated
by the Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS)
failure to include Lake and McHenry Counties
in their annual bidding process for road salt.

For those of you who may not be familiar with it, CMS helps local governments save money by negotiating bulk rates for commodities. This year, Lake and McHenry counties were only informed in July by the state that they were not going to included in the bidding process.

Our local townships and counties are currently filing protests with the state regarding this matter, but are also at the same time working together to try to secure salt supplies. The salt which they secure on their own will be attained at a much higher cost due to these circumstances. Cuba Township (Barrington Hills’ service provider) believes that it will be able to obtain an adequate amount of salt. However, towns such as Barrington and Barrington Hills will have to pay a much higher price for the salt than the amount paid in the previous year when salt was obtained through the CMS process.

Barrington Hills will be paying more than surrounding communities such as West Dundee who were included in the bidding process.

Cuba Township is equipped to deliver either of these alternatives, and maintains a supply of the alternatives on hand. However, the specific weather conditions dictate whether or not it is appropriate to use salt, liquid application or a sand/salt mixture. To summarize, the Village has received assurances from Cuba Township that it will have an adequate supply of salt to meet the Village’s needs, though the salt will be much more expensive.

Cuba Township is coordinating with the Village Hall
regarding snow removal services.

Highway Commissioner Tom Gooch invites residents to visit the Cuba Township website at www.cubaroads.com. On the website, under “winter service” residents can click on “Barrington Hills” to reach a form for submission of their comments and questions regarding snow removal. He can also be reached by phone at 847-381-7793. Cuba Township has three trucks which are dedicated to servicing Barrington Hills.

Village Snow Command Team : Cuba Township will inform the Barrington Hills
Police Department when the plows are sent out.

Residents can call the Police Department to find out if the plows are on their way. The Village has the ability to specifically request service when weather parameters and conditions would not normally trigger Cuba Township’s winter service operations, but the additional service calls will be at an additional cost to the Village based upon Cuba Township’s charges for labor and materials.

The Police Chief will determine whether or not an additional call-out is necessary, and communicate the request to Cuba Township. Residents should be aware that additional calls will impact the Roads and Bridges budget and may limit the Village’s ability to carry out other road maintenance and repair operations in 2009, especially in light of the elevated prices for salt and fuel.

In summary, the Village’s “Snow Command” consists of the Village Engineer, myself, Trustee Ramesh assigned to the Roads and Bridges Committee and Police Chief Murphy. All three of us will work to maintain the safest roads possible during the upcoming winter. On behalf of the Snow Command Team, I hope this article has been informative as to Barrington Hills’ operations. Trustee Elaine Ramesh.

Ed. Note: For everyone using private contractors whether for Private Roads or driveways and walkways, now is the time to verify your contractor is still in business and confirm rates and conditions for services so there are no surprises. The average date for the first measurable snowfall in this area is October 18.

To see all of the bridges within the Village requiring maintenance on a routine basis, go to the History Pull Down Tab or click on: the "Bridges of Barrington Hills" Page.

If you have a question or concern about the Road program, or would like to report road conditions which you believe should be addressed, kindly contact the Village Hall at 847-551-3000. Refer to the Resident Information part of this website for information on which roads are controlled by the Village and which ones are the responsibility of the State and Counties and Private Residents.

Plan Commission

June 2008

At the Plan Commission meeting on Monday June 9, 2008, revisions to the Comprehensive Plan were introduced at a public hearing. In addition, Commissioners discussed lighting. Mary Bradford-White introduced information related to the negative affects of excessive lighting. For information from the presentation go to Lighting Choices in a Modern World.

Plan Commission Reference Material for Village Comprehensive Plan:
"Lighting Choices in a Modern World"

The advantages to living in a semi-rural community are enhanced by our partnership with the natural world. Privacy, the sense of being in the country, and the quiet nature of our neighborhoods as the birds whistle to each other and the wind rushes through the trees are just some of the sensory ways that we appreciate our community. Recent studies have shown that that partnership can be threatened by the over use of inappropriate landscape lighting.

Do lights in our landscaping really have an impact on nature? Actually, they do. Purdue University Forestry and Natural Resources recently published a study of the new lighting trends for landscaping have found that light pollution can have a negative effect on birds, tree growth, and our carbon footprint.

For birds, the lighting affects, not only migratory patterns, but also affects the nesting habits of the birds and animals that rely upon trees for their homes. The nesting habits are affected because trees themselves are highly affected by unusual light patterns. Lighting signifies to trees the time of day, and the season of the year. When the trees receive the wrong signals, they respond by producing odd leaf sizes, entering dormancy when it is too late in the season, and flowering at the wrong time to be pollinated. All these problems can reduce the lifespan of the trees and make them vulnerable to disease and pollution.

In a community that is defined by its beautiful trees and natural features, following the dark sky recommendations in the comprehensive plan can ensure that those features remain for future generations. More information can be found at http://www.darksky.org/.

Barrington Area Council of Government - BACOG

The President of the Board of Trustees of the Village of Barrington Hills, Bob Abboud, is a member of BACOG. The member communities of the Barrington Area Council of Governments collaborate to promote the unique needs of the area. Executive Director, Janet Agnoletti, works on technology, legislative, land use, groundwater and other issues with all BACOG members. Barrington Hills is currently revising its comprehensive plan, and BACOG's groundwater research is being used to enhance its goals.

BACOG also supports the Barrington area rail coalition in opposing the CN acquisition of the EJ&E Railroad, and Agnoletti is working with Barrington Village President Karen Darch and a group of environmental organizations to try to bring more local information to bear on the Environmental Impact Statement.

Another BACOG program, the GIS (Geographic Information Services) Direct Services Consortium, is underway for its second year. Through the consortium, BACOG municipalities and townships may purchase GIS services from BACOG at a cost effective rate for projects specific to their community. When a community “opts in” to the consortium, it orders a specific number of hours of service from the GIS Analyst. Projects are then designed by the GIS Analyst together with the community, and the work and mapping products are provided over the course of the year. GIS records include mapped data such as roads, parcels, wetlands trails, zoning and aerial photography which help local governments analyze environmental
and land use information.

Technology Committee

The Technology Review Committee was chartered by the Barrington Hills Village Board in May 2006 to evaluate Communications, IT, and various other technology issues. To date, the Committee has been involved in several areas, including a review of the Village’s IT network, and discussions with Comcast regarding availability of cable service.

In October, 2006 the Village Board charged the Committee with finding ways to improve cellular service. Meetings were held with each cell carrier to determine the underserved areas of the Village, followed by a review of potential alternatives and then preparation of recommendations for coverage improvement. Discussions have also been held with interested site property owners. One application for a site to be shared by the carriers was withdrawn prior to a Village Board vote. This project is still ongoing.

In 2007, the Committee also assisted the Zoning Board in the preparation of a Communications Tower Ordinance. Go to the Village Government Website for all Ordinances.

Equestrian Commission

Equestrian Commission and the Zoning Board of Appeals
to Address Commercial Horse Boarding

The latest version of the Recommendation from the Equestrian Commission Commercial Horse Boarding study team is ready for the ZBA ito be considered at future ZBA Meetings.

Background: The Board of Trustees asked the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) to review the current Ordinance concerning commercial boarding of horses within the village early in 2008.

The Equestrian Commission has been working on providing the ZBA with definitions concerning horses and boarding in order to facilitate this review. In order to have a meaningful dialog it’s important that many common terms like “pasture”, “barn”, and “commercial boarding”, which seem obvious, actually be thought through and accurately defined for non-equestrians.

To further facilitate this review, the Equestrian Commission has created formulas for the ZBA’s consideration that outline how many horses might be allowed, if the ordinance is changed, in various configurations of property and barn size. During all of these deliberations the Equestrian Commission has been conscious of maintaining a fair balance between the rights of all property owners, both equestrian and non-equestrian.

Emergency 911 and Technology News

Lawmakers See Challenges for TV Transition

It is not Too Soon to Apply for Vouchers and Check on Elderly Relatives

In the next five months, federal officials preparing Americans for the conversion to digital television have to clear up reception glitches, sort out problems with hooking up converter boxes and find a way to make sure coupons for those converters get to the viewers who need them.

Rep. Heather A. Wilson (R-N.M.) described the perils of the tasks during a hearing by the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on telecommunications and the Internet: "The government can do a lot of things, but you mess up people's televisions, and they're going to be very upset. It's going to be a real mess when it rolls out in the real world." Broadcasters will shut off traditional analog signals February 17,[ 2009] so TV watchers who rely on free, over-the-air programs will need a converter box to keep watching TV. Those who subscribe to cable or satellite service or who have a digital TV will not be affected.

The hearing came a week after Wilmington, N.C., and surrounding counties became the first area to go digital, a test run for what the rest of the country will go through in February. The majority of viewers had no problems switching, but several hundred called the Federal Communications Commission's hotline because they were having trouble setting up converter boxes. Some had difficulty receiving a digital signal, either because their antennas were not pointing in the right direction or because the new signals did not reach them.

Obtaining the government-subsidized $40 coupons to offset the cost of converters could be another challenge for consumers. In a report released yesterday, the Government Accountability Office said the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, an agency within the Commerce Department that runs the coupon program, has no specific plans to address an increase in demand for the coupons as the transition date nears. "Therefore, consumers might incur significant wait time to receive their coupons and might lose television service if their wait time lasts beyond February 17," the report said.

She said the biggest complaint from consumers is that the coupons expire after 90 days, so if viewers wait too long to buy a converter box, they can no longer use the coupon and are not eligible to receive replacements. The NTIA said yesterday that residents of nursing homes and assisted-living facilities will soon be eligible to order coupons. Originally, they were excluded because each household could receive only two coupons.

The GAO report also found that some communities that are most likely to be affected by the transition are less likely to redeem their coupons. Areas with predominantly senior populations, for example, allowed 43 percent of their coupons to expire as of last month, the GAO said. The overall expiration rate was 30 percent. "We're concerned about the expiration rates we've seen so far," said Mark L. Goldstein, who authored the report. "We have a long way to go."

Wireless Service Provider Offering $10 per Month Flat

Rate Home Phone Service

*****New Emergency 9-1-1 Warning*****

A national wireless telephone service provider is reaching out to landline customers to ask them to switch from traditional phone companies to their new home service. The enticement: $10 per month plus taxes and fees. Ads have started showing in our area. Please read the fine print: “…important limitations on the availability and reliability of 9-1-1 emergency service. When using [brand name withheld] service, 9-1-1 service may not be available and your ability to receive emergency services may be impeded.”

Senate and House Passage of the New and Emerging

Technologies 911 Improvement Act of 2008 (HR 3403)

This legislation impacts the Barrington Hills Police Department emergency Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) and residents and those traversing or visiting our area in a positive way, especially residents who have chosen alternate means of voice telecommunications services using Internet based technology, called VoIP or simple IP Phones. It may take a while to get all aspects of the technology in place. Please, refer to the current Resident Info Page and the 911 references for safety and telephone testing tips.

Fire Department Header

Hold the Phone: Landlines Superior To Cell Phones When Calling 911

Despite the convenience and widespread use of today’s cellular phones, these technological marvels are no match for traditional “landline” telephones when calling for emergency fire or medical service, Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District officials report.

“An increasing number of residential phone customers across the country are turning to cell phones as their traditional ‘home’ telephone, but the reality is that landlines enable a much quicker response from emergency crews,” Fire Chief Jim Arie says.

Spotty coverage and poor reception in certain geographical locations, and call volumes that may, at times, overwhelm transmitter stations are just a few potential problems that illustrate the drawbacks District residents may encounter when using a cell phone to request emergency services.

Perhaps most importantly, 911 calls placed by cell phone are typically directed to the closest transmitter tower, then relayed to the emergency dispatch center nearest to where the call is placed – not necessarily to one’s community fire or police departments. This may create an added delay in transferring the call to the appropriate destination.

For example, Deputy Fire Chief John Feit once dialed 911 from his cell phone while out in the field in an effort to see where the call would be received. "I was surprised to learn that I had been connected to a dispatch center in Mundelein,” he recalls.

In contrast, emergency calls placed by traditional landline telephones directly connect District residents to Barrington’s enhanced 911 system. The system gives dispatchers the exact street address where a call originated and allows them to immediately send fire and medical crews there.

“Even if the person who dialed 911 is incapacitated or unable to speak, the enhanced 911 system tells us where we need to go,” Chief Arie adds.

Chief Arie urges residents who prefer the mobility and convenience of a cell phone to at least maintain a local service landline at home.

“The technology is improving but, compared to a landline, cell phone users remain at a clear disadvantage when dialing 911,” he adds.

District residents interested in learning more may contact the Fire Department at 847-304-3600. For more information on BCFPD operations and activities, visit www.bcfpd.org.

The Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District, in coordination with the Barrington Fire Department, protects the lives and property of residents within the District by providing emergency fire and medical service. The 56 square mile district serves portions of Barrington Hills, South Barrington, Lake Barrington and Inverness; and unincorporated Cook, Lake and Mc Henry Counties.

Cable TV and Technology News

AT&T
AT&T Inc. has spent the past three months slowly rolling out its U-verse TV service in Illinois – courtesy of the Cable and Video Competition Law, signed by Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich last year. The law encourages new video providers such as AT&T to invest in Illinois to compete against incumbent cable companies such as Comcast.

U-verse, AT&T spokesperson Meghan Roskopf said, is compatible with computer and phone service. A customer can get video, voice and phone services through a single, fiber-optic line. The subscriber can program a digital video recorder to record a favorite TV show by phone. They can record as many as four standard-definition programs, or one HD and three standard-definition programs, at once from any Web-enabled wireless device or computer. "We deliver a lot more content, and the way we're delivering it means we are not limited by the size of the pipe to the home," she said. "We can add channels without having to bump one out."

Note: To find out if U-verse is available to your home, visit http://uverse.att.com or call 800-288-2020

Comcast
However, Comcast's Rich Ruggiero, vice president of communication and public affairs in the Midwest, believes that U-verse is more potential than substance. Comcast, which boasts about 2.2 million customers in Illinois, covers both ends of the viewing spectrum – from a local-channel option starting at $15 a month to digital cable and movie packages for $110. And in many cases, a set-top box is not required.

Committees

ZBA Commission

Cell Towers

Beautification Committee

Roads and Bridges Committee

2008 - 2009 Fall and Winter Road Program

Plan Commission

Barrington Area Council of Government - BACOG

Technology Committee

Equestrian Commission

Emergency 911 and Technology News

Wireless Service Provider Offering $10 per Month Flat

Rate Home Phone Service

New Emergency 9-1-1 Warning

Senate and House Passage of the New and Emerging

Technologies 911 Improvement Act of 2008 (HR 3403)

Cable TV and Technology News

Committees

ZBA Commission

Cell Towers

Beautification Committee

Roads and Bridges Committee

2008 - 2009 Fall and Winter Road Program

Plan Commission

Barrington Area Council of Government - BACOG

Technology Committee

Equestrian Commission

Emergency 911 and Technology News

Wireless Service Provider Offering $10 per Month Flat Rate Home Phone Service *****New Emergency 9-1-1 Warning*****

Senate and House Passage of the New and Emerging Technologies 911 Improvement Act of 2008 (HR 3403)

Cable TV and Technology News

Wireless Service Provider Offering $10 per Month Flat

Rate Home Phone Service

New Emergency 9-1-1 Warning

Senate and House Passage of the New and Emerging

Technologies 911 Improvement Act of 2008 (HR 3403)