Tennis Club Causes Concern

TENNIS CLUB CAUSES CONCERN

Marcia Sagendorph

A proposed indoor tennis club with seven courts on the south side of Brae Loch Road is causing concerns from neighbors.
The five-acre property located across from the COllege of Lake COunty is currently zoned residential through the county, so it would need to be annexed into the village and then rezoned commercial.
Some neighbors in the area say they believe it is the wrong location for a tennis club.
"The bottom line for is is this areas is residential. Period." said Ken Heerdgen, who lives nearby. He also questioned who will pay for improvements to Brae Loch Road and what impact such a development would have on the environmental area.
"There is just too much that is unanswered and I see too many drawbacks to such a scheme," Heerdegen said in a letter stating his concerns.
The Grayslake ZOning Board of Appeals has twice denied the plans, but the developers continue to revise and resubmit.
Kirk Smith, zoning officer for Grayslake, said that the proposed development includes seven indoor tennis courts with possibly a small snack area and small pro shop, but without a bar or restaurant.
"The Zoning Board denied it mainly because they weren't sure that the general business zoning was appropriate there," Smith said.
Gene Kulin lives on Brae Loch Road, just east of where the club would go, and said it would be more appropriate in another location.
"It doesn't belong there," Kulin said. "To put a business in the middle of residential wrecks our property values and increases traffic."
He also sees a conflict of interest because the developers got their loan through State Bank of the Lakes, Grayslake, where Mayor Tim Perry currently works, although he had left the bank for a time to take another position.
"This is a clear conflict of interest," Mr. Kulin said. "The mayor should step down from any vote on this."
Kulin said he has filed charges with State's Attorney's office and filed complaint saying this violates the Grayslake ethics code. Kulin has retained a lawyer, and plans to go to court against the village if the plan were approved.
Cheryl Doros, a former Grayslake trustee who does not live near this area, fears that village officials are envisioning a commercial Brae Loch corridor, although no such plans have been presented.
"The tennis court zoning change would set a precedent," she said.