File - Oakwood Homeowners Association

The Oak Leaf
Volume 32 Number 2 - June, 2016
President’s Message
with this Board, and I love this community. We’re working hard to keep Oakwood a community you’re all proud to be a part of, and it’s work we all love doing. Let’s all be honest... Really, this comes as a surprise to no one. Once every few years there seems to be an event that the residents of Oakwood have to come together on. That me is now. There’s a major development being proposed right next door to Oakwood at the Oak Brook Hills Resort property, and it absolutely affects you directly. More on that star ng on page 12 and page 18, and I’m very serious when I say you MUST read it. At the Annual Mee ng, we had a presenta on by Community Unit School District (CUSD201). Not just A presenter though, we had the Superintendent and the Principal of each school join us and present on the amazing things going on in the district we’re all a part of. While our schools are skyrocke ng and really have become something our community can be proud of, there are more and more changes in Westmont as a whole that are pu ng us on the map. Each quarter we are fortunate enough to have a Village Trustee and a Planning and Zoning Commission member (Steve Nero and Gregg Pill, respec vely) update us on some of the bigger things going on in our community. If you’re not reading that each quarter, you really should… it’s exci ng to be a part of what’s happening in Westmont! To address the elephant in the room (I know… I need to lose some weight!), you may have noted that I’m not supposed to be wri ng this ar cle. According to me, I’m not supposed to be on the OHA Board anymore, and certainly not as the President. I just can’t seem to quit you though, Oakwood. At the Annual Mee ng in April, we bid farewell to Lou Ricciardi who was a wonderful addi on to our Board, and con nues on as a great neighbor and a wonderful asset to our community. Lou’s seat was filled by Doug Schwegman, who is also a member of our Lake Management Commi ee. That’s Doug that you saw on page 5 of the March Oak Leaf last year (check it out our website). Mark Nelson and Jeanie Smith stepped up to the plate again, and in lieu of another candidate to fill the seat, well, here I am. I have to wrap this up, but on the topic of OHA mee ngs, we can no longer be have our monthly mee ngs at Park Federal, which is no longer Park Federal. This works out well, because we’re also looking for places more conducive to invi ng all of you to join us, so we may shake things up a bit this year. We’ll keep our website updated with loca on informa on if and when it changes. For the coming month, the June 7th mee ng will be at the Oak Brook Hills Hilton, and you MUST a end this mee ng. I’m not exaggera ng. Again, see pages 12 and 18 for more. The truth is, I love working Exci ng mes, Oakwood. I hope everyone’s paying a enon! OHA Board:
Matt Johnson — President
Lynette Tuggle — Treasurer
Laura Connolly — Secretary
Mark Nelson — Director
Monika Rodriguez — Director
Doug Schwegman — Director
Jeanie Smith — Director
-Ma “déjà vu” Johnson 630.455.6022
708.404.8155
630.484.5132
630.742.3457
847.913.6279
812.322.2481
630.921.1493
Board
e-mail: [email protected]
June,
2016
OHA Board President Oakwood Homeowners Association
4 East Ogden Avenue # 313
Westmont, IL 60559
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www.Oakwoodha.org
Oakwood - Updates
In This Issue: We have a LOT of material this month! Here’s a summary of what to look forward to in this issue: Home Security No ce As people leave town for vaca ons and events ocer the summer, be aware that you can submit a Police Home Vaca on Watch Form at : www.westmont.illinois.gov/documentcenter/view/226 President’s Message ……………………………….. 1 Oakwood Updates …………………………………... 2 Dining Around Town ………………………………... 4 Social Commi ee …………………………………….. 6 Welcoming Commi ee ……………………………. 7 Communica on Commi ee …………………….. 7 Lake Management Commi ee ………………... 8 Special Community Message ……..……………... 12 From the Village Board …………………………….. 14 From the Planning & Zoning Commission …. 16 Supplement: World Class Westmont ...……... 18 Talking Trash Village of Westmont, Date Issued: July 27, 2015 Per the Village of Westmont contract with Waste Management, residents are allowed to put out one large item with their weekly garbage pick-up at no charge. Examples of large items that are acceptable in this program include chairs, tables, ma resses, box springs, sofas, a roll of carpe ng (not to exceed 4 feet in length and 2 feet around), and other items as well. Large items should not exceed 50 pounds. Annual Assessments Were Due at the End of May You may put out more than one large item each week, however, each addi onal large item will require a refuse s cker, which can be purchased at the Village Hall, 31 W. Quincy Street, at a cost of $1.69 per s cker. Thank you Oakwood for paying last year’s assessment promptly! One of the reasons our assessment stayed the same this year ($123) was that 98% of our neighbors paid their assessment last year. We only have three households who “forgot” to pay last year. We do, however, have liens on five addional proper es whose owners haven’t paid in several years. We will collect on these proper es when they are sold or refinanced. Since most of our expenditures are during the warm weather months, paying your assessment in May helps us pay our vendors on me. Thanks again for being such great neighbors! Appliances (stoves, washers, dryers, refrigerators, etc.) are not included in the free pick-up program. However, special arrangements can be made through Waste Management for the pick-up of these items at a cost of $25 each. Construc on or remodeling debris require special pickup arrangements through Waste Management. No electronic waste can be disposed through our contract with Waste Management as it is prohibited for electronics to be disposed of at a landfill. The Downers Grove Township offers a free monthly electronics recycling program at 318 E. Quincy Street in Westmont, on the third Saturday of each month, 8 a.m. to Noon. For more informa on recycling and waste pick-up, please contact Waste Management at wm.com or 800796-9696. June, 2016
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Oakwood - Updates
A Really NEAT Event The OHA Board wanted to extend an overdue THANK YOU to Neat kitchen + bar for hos ng our February Board of Directors mee ng. Park Federal Bank changed their hours and we were not able to procure the key before they closed, so we had to switch loca ons last minute. Several homeowners joined the mee ng, and everyone had a great me. Don’t Step On That Crack! Are you concerned about the sidewalk outside your house or have you no ced a crack or sunken sidewalk on your walk around Oakwood that you are concerned about? If so, please no fy the Village with the address and if possible photos of the areas you are concerned about. The Village has already iden fied several sidewalks in the neighborhood that will be fixed. Village ordinance states that a sidewalk is considered hazardous only if there is a 1” or more separaon. Public sidewalks that are deemed hazardous will be replaced en rely by the Village at the Village’s cost. There are also public sidewalks that are not considered hazardous that a resident may wish to have replaced or raised. Westmont does have a cost sharing program for replacements and raising of sidewalks. Homeowners must apply for the program and the village goes out and inspects the sidewalk and determines if the replacement is needed and the maximum allowable replacement reimbursement. More informa on on the sidewalk sharing program and a Public Sidewalk Reimbursement Form is available on the village website. Special thanks to Ma at NEAT for se ng up a space for us to have a mee ng. It was greatly appreciated! “Dead” Trees Around Oakwood Oakwood residents have expressed concern regarding some of the trees that were replaced last year that appear to not have made it through the winter. Village Forester Jon Yeater is monitoring all of the trees in the area and is asking that residents be pa ent as some of the trees are just late bloomers. “Watering them might help…. those young trees really need that water to get going in the spring, and ul mately to survive.” If trees in fact did not make it through the winter, they will be reJune, 2016
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Oakwood - Dining Around Town
Dining Around Town Stepping Out: Father’s Day is Sunday, June 19th and the Hilton at Oak Brook Hills will be hos ng a Bentley, Bourbon and Bow Ties Event for all dads. For dads playing a bit of golf before the fes vi es, there will be cigar rolling sta ons on the golf course. A er playing host to 1100 guests at the Hilton’s Easter and Mother’s Day brunches, they are well equipped to create a memorable day for your favorite dad, father or grandfather. Refer to h p://
www.oakbrookhillsresortchicago.com/events/bentleysbourbon-bow- es.htm for further details. This month, Dining Around Town recaps the 2016 People’s Choice Restaurant Awards winners! In our first ever Reader’s Choice Awards in Westmont, 27 categories were represented with nearly 300 vo ng choices and write-in selec ons available. Open to all Westmont residents and surrounding community members, the three week online vo ng sponsored by Shaw Media (publisher of the Westmont Suburban Life newspaper) received 6,391 votes. Unlock The Legend at Urban Legend Brewing Company as they celebrate their 3rd Annual Summer Party! Live music, food trucks and great Westmont brewed cra beer from 4pm to midnight on Saturday, June 25th. Tickets are $8.00 and available at h p://
www.urbanlegendbrewing.com/summer-party- ckets/ . I had the pleasure of presen ng the awards to each restaurant at the Westmont Annual Awards Banquet on Monday, April 25th at the Hilton Oak Brook Hills. And the Award goes to… Best Bakery – La Pe te Sweet Best Mexican – Las Palmas Best Fast Food – Chipotle Best Banquet Space – Hilton Best Holiday Brunch – Hilton Best BBQ – Uncle Bub’s BBQ Best Catering – Uncle Bub’s BBQ Best Fast Casual – Uncle Bub’s BBQ Best Pizza – L & F Pizza Best Breakfast – Golden Basket Best Burger – DJ’s Sports Bar & Grill Best Video Gaming – DJ’s Sports Bar & Grill Best Coffee Shop – Brewed Awakening Best Seafood – Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen Best Family Friendly – Neat kitchen + bar Best Full Service – Neat kitchen + bar Best for Live Entertainment – Neat kitchen + bar Best Drinking Establishment – Neat kitchen + bar Best Sushi – Sushi House Best Sandwich – J. Fleming’s Absolutely Delicious Best for Outdoor Dining – J. Flemings Absolutely Deli‐
cious Best Ice Cream – Tasty Treat Best Fine Dining ( e) – Bakersfield & Vincitori Best Asian ( e) – Katy’s Dumpling House & China Chef Best Lunch – Standard Grill Best Salad – Standard Grill Best Indian – Saffron The expanded Westmont Street Fair & Car Show will open the season on Cass Avenue on Thursday, June 2nd at 6:00pm. With 3 blocks of ac vi es to check out, it’s a great way to get in a li le walking, listen to the live music, patronize our downtown restaurants or just enjoy a beer or so drink as you view more than 200 vintage autos. Held every Thursday through August, a full schedule of exhibit themes is available at www.westmontevents.com. The Taste of Westmont will take place in downtown Westmont on July 7, 8, 9 and 10th with updated informa on available at www.westmontevents.com . Up and Coming: The Bee – the formal restaurant in the Hilton at Oak Brook Hills is currently under full renova on. Opening in June, The Bee will relocate to an area presen ng great views of the golf course. The restaurant will feature hyper-local farming, which means grown on premises or backyard, their local honey and a new Neapolitan style pizza oven. Anna’s Place has received the necessary approvals to begin build out for a new restaurant and video gaming establishment on Ogden Ave, in the Pizza Hut strip mall just west of Cass Ave. While most video gaming places have no real kitchen and minimal menus, Anna’s with an established loca on in Westchester will have a full kitchen build out. Plans call for opening prior to receiving the video license which will clearly emphasize the food. Congratula ons to all of our winners and please remember to support our local restaurants and pass on your congratula ons. Look for the 2017 vo ng next March! June, 2016
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Oakwood - Dining Around Town
Up and Running (last six months): en re community. Partners in the Ditka Restaurant group opened two restaurants at 800 East Ogden Avenue in the St. James Crossing shopping center on Monday, May 23rd. Spli ng the site of the former Jimmy’s Island Grill are two new concepts. Route 89 (Da Coaches old playing number) opened with a downsized Ditka’s themed menu with Da Coach adding his touches. Small plates for sharing, think appe zers, range from dips to deviled eggs to Da Coaches Pot Roast Nachos. Sandwiches, burgers and a Smokehouse sec on featuring meat products from Linz Heritage Angus. There will even be a few brunch items served from 10am on Saturdays and Sundays. The bar menu reflects the same level of crea vity. Pompei – 200 W. Ogden Ave. – New ownership and a return to good food and service. Most Taylor Street special es are available including the Herb Chicken Ravioli. Pompei has been generously suppor ng local groups with Dine n Share nights and expanded holiday brunch offerings….and the best gelato for miles! Separately, Cucinova features individually constructed pizza, pasta and salads. All are prepared with the freshest of ingredients, adding each as you walk down the line (similar to Chipotle). A er finishing off your custom order, it’s brought to your table. Simple, quick and efficient! Gone But Not Forgo en: Woodgrain Pizza – 19 W. Ogden Ave. – former Connie’s owners and loca on offers fast (90 secs) casual pizza and salads in a warm se ng. The reviews have been strong! Potbelly Sandwich Works – 19 W. Ogden Ave. – be er than average na onal chain sandwich shop with subs, shakes, soups and salads…a few more items. The Sweet & Savory Spot – Due to a partner split, the last meal was served on Friday, April 29th. Temporary plans call for space for dessert catering in a commercial kitchen and perhaps a downsized loca on in the future. Yokohama Sushi - Re rement and illness is the cause for this long-standing 30-year Westmont Japanese restaurant to close. The final meal was served on Saturday, April 30th. The two remaining partners are looking at op ons a er the massive display of emo ons from the public during the last few days. Maura’s Mediterranean Restaurant – Filling the void created by the closing of Sweet and Savory Spot in downtown Westmont, Maura’s Mediterranean Restaurant opened May 17th 31 N. Cass Ave. One of the partners is the owner of the Emergency Care and Coco Froyo located in the same building. With a good looking menu featuring hummus, baba ghanouj, shawarma, falafel, kabobs and all kinds of combina ons, I will look forward to trying one of our new addi ons to the Westmont restaurant scene. Stax – The drive thru and walk-up fast food restaurant at 63rd and Cass Ave. shut down earlier this year. The property of the poten al Hardees franchise on Ogden Ave. has an offer pending. No word on the poten al buyer. Mariano’s – With great fanfare and expecta on Mariano’s opened on 63rd Street just west of Cass. Lines of shoppers waited eagerly for the 6am opening on March 15th crea ng record volume and sales during the first week. This newly constructed 70,000+ sq. . grocery store features a dozen food stands – think pizza, candy, bbq, bakery, sushi, crepes, raw bar, gelato, smoothie, coffee, sandwich, etc. – a beau ful glass enclosed dining area, a trail mix bar and extensive areas devoted to produce, fresh fish and meat. An outdoor pa o is now open also. Recently Reviewed (last six months): Taco Grill – www.shawurl.com/2kjp Saffron Restaurant & Banquet ‐ h p://shawurl.com/2ibf Amber Café – h p://shawurl.com/2 u Yu’s Mandarin - h p://shawurl.com/2dw9 Neat kitchen + bar - h p://shawurl.com/2c4k Looking for more restaurant ideas, follow the #chitowndiner on Instagram. VISIT THE NEW DINING AROUND TOWN PAGE ON THE OAKWOOD WEBSITE AT h p://www.oakwoodha.org/dining-around-town.html Fish and meat selec ons can be grilled on the spot at no addi onal charge making take home dining even easier. There’s even a wine and beer bar to “taste test” various beverages to accompany your store cooked meal. This will be a wonderful addi on to our south side redevelopment plan and will provide substan al sales tax for our June, 2016
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Oakwood - Social Committee
interested (with a $10 deposit, returned when the flags are). Call Frank at (630) 212-8084 to set up a me to get your flags. 2016 FUN! 2016 is already off to a great start! The Easter Egg Hunt had phenomenal turnout and everyone had a great me. Thank you to Vicki O’Malley and her crew for pu ng on a fantas c event! Sunday, August 21: End of Summer BBQ at Ty Warner Park from Noon – 3 pm. Bring your appe te and be ready for some fun at our annual end of summer bash! We have a lot of other events coming up quick, so be sure not to miss any of the Oakwood Fes vi es! Mom and Tot Group Update Saturday, June 4th: Fishing Derby / Beach Party at Westman Beach from 3 - ?. Come alone or bring the family for food and lots of fun! With the weather warming up, we are excited to get our children together at the zoo, parks, pool, and Ty Warner Splash Park. If you are interested in joining our Mom and Tot Group, please email Monika Rodriguez at [email protected] to get on our mailing list, also please join our Faceboook page. For those already on the email list, dates for a ladies night out and family dinner will be emailed soon. Friday - Saturday, June 17-18: We're domina ng Father's Day weekend again, with the sale on Friday and Saturday, June 17-18 from 8am - 4pm. Oakwood resident Frank Rogers has volunteered to quarterback the event once again, and will be handling the pos ng of ads in area papers and making yard flag strings available to anyone Brewing Exceptional Craft Beer...right here in Westmont!
Tasting Room: Thur 5p~9p, Fri 4p~10p, Sat 1p~10p, Sun 1p~5p
1115 Zygmunt Circle, Westmont, IL 60559
www.UrbanLegendBrewing.com
Private Parties/Brew Tours/Tastings available upon request (Wed & Sun Evening)
June, 2016
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Oakwood - Welcoming Committee
Jaros Insurance
Downers Grove, IL
WELCOME! WELCOME! We would like to welcome all of the new residents who have moved into Oakwood recently. We hope you enjoy the neighborhood as much as we do! Please let us know if you have any ques ons about the neighborhood or about the Homeowners Associa on. We can be reached by e-mail at : [email protected].  Independent agent/broker representing many
quality companies
 Writing broker for Oakwood Homeowners
Association for over 10 years
AUTO*HOME*BUSINESS*LIFE*HEALTH
Call me for a free, competitive quote!
Wes Jaros
630-963-2280
-Monika Rodriguez AAA, Auto Owners, Blue Cross, General Casualty,
Hartford, Met Home & Auto, Progressive, Safeco,
Travelers, & more
Oakwood - Communications Committee
reached out to the Oakwood Board of Directors. They understand many of the concerns that our homeowners may have, and are ac vely striving to address them to make this a posi ve ini a ve for everyone. They have offered to host and give a special presenta on at the June OHA Board mee ng at the Hilton property on our regularly scheduled night on June 7th at 7:30pm. We strongly encourage anyone interested and able to join us to learn about this opportunity. Staying in Touch By this point in the newsle er this quarter you’ve likely already seen the mammoth update to the Din‐
ing Around Town sec on. Lots of great things are going on in Westmont, and this is one great way to keep up with some of them. We’re also thrilled to announce the addi on of the Dining Around Town segment on our website, under the “Explore the Neighborhood” heading. Check it out for more images and links to the full restaurant reviews! More on the ini a ve and the impact on Oakwood on the following pages. The BIG news, this month though is the proposed addi on of what would be the only Natatorium in Illinois, as well as a new 330 unit luxury apartment building, and a renovated golf course over at Oak Brook Hills. One of the perks that Oakwood residents, especially in Phase III north of the High School are bound to like is the replacement of the Event Tent on that property with a permanent structure. There are quite a few of you who are likely to enjoy pleasant nights with the windows open now without hearing late night music from the events there. -Ma Johnson Communica ons Chair LAW OFFICES OF HUBENY & ZABA, L.L.C.
Jack Hubeny, your Oakwood neighbor since 1974
Concentrating in:
 Real Estate Law
 Probate
 Corporate and Business Law
Located at: 200 E Chicago Ave. Ste. 200, Westmont
Phone # (630) 455-0500 Fax # (630) 455-0505
Email: [email protected]
www.westmontattorneys.com
The owners of the Oak Brook Hills property have June, 2016
 Estate Planning
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Oakwood - Lake Management Committee
"No Dumping, Drains To Waterways" In Oakwood, we've experienced the impact of such dumping on more than one occasion in the past, and it's not only ugly, but can be a costly incident when the Village has to respond. On Saturday, May 7th, about 30 Westmont resident volunteers joined forces with 3 Westmont Village employees to clearly mark storm water sewers with a stenciled message and, in some cases, with a permanent le-like medallion. If you see anyone throwing anything in a storm sewer, please call the police, as this is an offense that carries a fine. These are a reminder that trash, oil, and other wastes run directly into streams and other waterways, such as our own Lake Charles. (There is no processing or filtering of the material.) Also, please do your part to help protect our lake. If you see trash, cans, cups, bags, bo les, or other items that have collected on top of the storm sewer, please move those safely into a trash or recycling receptacle. At least 2 Oakwood residents were part of the group. Did you know that there are about 2,000 of these storm water sewers in Westmont alone? I was one of the folks volunteering, and while my team was only able to cover about 35 of them, we were proud to have made a difference. I thank you, and the fish, frogs, and other wildlife that enrich our neighborhood will benefit from your ac on. "Please, no Goldfish" ner by one of the hawks in the area. The vic ms were at least 6-8" long. Thanks! -Denise Hayes Goldfish were spo ed recently in Lake Charles - BIG ones - the kind you see in small outdoor tanks - aka Koi. Others are s ll in the lake. Please try to catch and remove them. These are NOT GOOD for Lake Charles. In fact, they can ruin our lake. Please read this ar cle for an example of the damage they can cause: Please DO NOT release your pet fish into the lake. Part of the assessment you pay annually goes towards stocking the lake with beneficial fish, such as hybrid striper bass, large mouth bass, and channel ca ish. These species will be threatened by the gold fish. h p://www.newsmax.com/TheWire/goldfish-tellerlake-ecosystem-ruined/2015/04/08/id/637282/
#ixzz48YFjGaiu Thank you. Goldfish are very prolific and grow rapidly. At least 3 sigh ngs have occurred ay Lake Charles, where - fortunately - it was as they were being airli ed for dinJune, 2016
-Denise Hayes 8
Oakwood - Lake Management Committee
Eastern Shoreline Clean‐Up Event The annual Oakwood Eastern Shoreline clean-up took place on Saturday, May 21, 2016 from 9 un l noon. A group of dedicated volunteers worked to collect debris along our nature path, and to plant flowers and flowering seeds near the entrance sign. Gathering today (and enjoying the marvelous weather) were: Doug & Derrick Schwegman, John & Toby Habian, Monique Pasko, and Denise & Kevin Hayes. Our effort were supported by gloves and bags (and trash pick-up) by Jon Yeater, a cer fied arborist and member of the Westmont Public Works. The trash we pulled out was counted as part of the DuPage River Sweep project. (Jon's group was simultaneously cleaning out the pond by the Westmont High School.) Thanks to all who a ended! -Denise Hayes June, 2016
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Oakwood - Lake Management Committee

Fishing in Lake Charles FUN TIPS & RULES YOU SHOULD KNOW FISHING RODS ONLY -- NO FISH TRAPS - NO TROT LINES Hi neighbors! The summer fishing season is here and you should know the following before you cast your rod. • CATCH & RELEASE ONLY: Any fish you catch in Lake Charles, must go back to Lake Charles. If you see a fisherman keeping their fish, please advise them of this rule OR let the OHA Lake Management Commi ee know immediately. • TRY BARBLESS HOOKS: to be sure your fish is not seriously injured when you hook it. It is MUCH easier for children to unhook their fish this way too! Just snip the barb of your hooks and you are ready to go. • WET YOUR HANDS BEFORE HANDLING FISH: it keeps the fish’s protec ve ‘slime’ from coming off onto your hands. Win-Win! • RESIDENTS & THEIR GUESTS ONLY: Lake Charles belongs to you. Please report any non-resident fishing to the Lake Management Commi ee. • ENJOY FISH IDENTIFICATION: FISH ID CHARTS WILL BE POSTED on both bulle n boards in me for the Fishing Derby. Many species look alike. Learn to tell them apart. • SHARE YOUR FISH & other WILDLIFE PICTURES. We just may publish your photo in the OHA newsle er or on the OHA website! E-mail wildlife photos to Tadas Biru s at [email protected] • OAKWOOD ANNUAL FISHING DERBY: Saturday June 4th 3:00pm @ Westman Beach!!! God bless and Enjoy your wonderful lake! Tadas Biru s Member, Lake Management Commi ee [email protected] June, 2016
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Oakwood - Lake Management Committee
Boats on Lake Charles All boats on Lake Charles must be registered with the OHA and display a Red and White decal. Registra on is free. To register your boat, call Ken Brennan at (630) 323-5493. Discounted Lawn Cu ng for Oakwood Residents Eastern Shoreline Clean‐Up Event… TJ’s landscaping is offering the following volume discount rates to Oakwood residents: The Prequel! A few weeks before the official Oakwood Eastern Shoreline Clean-Up event, Oakwood residents Vyto and Jessica Zebrauskas enlisted the help of a small army, consis ng primarily of some visi ng nieces and nephews. Mo vated by pizza and awards for the most unique and most disgus ng piece of garbage, this crew took to the Eastern Shoreline and collected about 6 full bags of garbage! Cu ng for < 8 Homes Non-Corner Corner Lot $22.00
$25.00
$20.00
$18.00
$22.00
$20.00
$15.00
$18.00
Fer lizer Treatment Op on $39.00
$47.00
Grub Control Treatment Op on $59.00
$72.00
8 - 15 Homes 16 - 29 Homes 30 + Homes We know that from me to me people in Oakwood go the extra mile to help make their proper es and our common areas look good, and efforts like this are always appreciated! Last year we hit the 30+ home range. Watch our Sponsors page at www.oakwoodha.org for updates on the number of par cipants to this program. Thank you! To sign up for the service, e-mail John at TJ’s at [email protected] -Ma Johnson June, 2016
Service 11
Special Community Message - Oak Brook Hills Development
Right there you likely had one of two reac ons. Either you though “that’s interes ng”, or you though “uhoh”. Both very valid. Buckle up, Oakwood! Oak Brook Hills Resort, currently a Hilton, is owned by The Harp Group. The President of The Harp Group, Peter Dumon, reached out to me a few weeks ago, and I had a chance to meet with him, as well as MaryAnn Kaufman of Athle co and the chief architect of the project. In truth, they ini ally reached out to me in my role as a member of the CUSD201 Board of Educa on, but the bulk of the impromptu mee ng centered on Oakwood. The proposal is big, and they’re not holding back at all. Right now it’s for about 326 units, plus some retail, all wrapped around a parking garage (that you can’t see unless you’re in the air) that can house around 700 vehicles. I’ve seen the drawings… it’s pre y slick. Now, a LOT of people look at that, and they think “that’s a LOT of added rental property”. It sure is. And it’s rental property in a Village that’s worked under it’s Comprehensive Plan to reduce temporary housing from over 50% of the popula on to a current level of 47%. This seems to be going in the opposite direc on, and, well, it is. BUT, it’s different. There are no promises, and I’m not going to tell you that everything that people want to have happen will play out just the way they hope, but the current proposal is for the units to range from in the realm of $1700 a month for a single to over $3000 a month for a two bedroom apartment. This is in line with the “luxury” part, and certainly consistent with what they’d want adjacent to a Hilton. Per some research, there also seems to be a strong poten al market for it. All of you should have go en the postcard the other week on what is being proposed. The card has some general informa on, and points you to a site highligh ng some facets of the proposed project. They wanted to talk about what the people of Oakwood might think of this, and what their concerns might be. The project consists of several components. They are looking to build a Natatorium on the property that would house an Olympic class pool for lap swimming and diving training and compe ons. This is a big deal. Illinois does not have an adequate swim facility in the ENTIRE STATE, and when state level compe ons are held, we have our people travel to Wisconsin or Indiana. Were Westmont to house such a facility, it would be a guaranteed draw, and in conjunc on with the other areas of our Village that are really gaining momentum, we’re going to put Westmont on the map. So where would this go? The proposal is for it to be built where the parking lot for the Hilton is now. The owners’ intent is to leverage the parking space much more op mally. There are a lot of extras that go with this proposal. The facility would have a second pool that would have more ready access for warm up and also for community access, through the Westmont Park District, with whom they’re in talks. A Natatorium is a challenging investment though, which is why we don’t have one in the state presently. It’s expensive to maintain and hard to cost-jus fy. The proposal that’s been put forth is to couple this development with a few other projects, including a significant renova on to the Willow Crest golf course and the Hilton hotel, which over the past year has already undergone monumental upgrades from its days as a Marrio . The truly notable part of the proposal that makes the rest of these possible is the addi on of a new luxury apartment complex on the property. June, 2016
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I men oned the golf course. There are extensive (and expensive) renova ons planned for much of the course that hasn’t been updated since it was built. The hotel is being upgraded, including the view, which is spectacular (I’ve been in there). One aspect that a healthy por on of Oakwood will be happy to hear is that they’re also talking about removing the Event Tent and replacing it with a permanent structure. I know homeowners as far from the Hilton as Revere can hear the music from there un l past midnight on most weekend nights from spring un l fall, and this would cut that back drama cally if not en rely. Personally, I’m giddy at the thought of being able to keep our windows open on a nice night and not hear the music there. There’s a lot more to it, and you can see some of it on their website at www.WorldClassWestmont.com. Special Community Message - Oak Brook Hills Development
Upgrades and improvements aside, what this really is designed for is significant increases to Westmont income from added residents, and more people coming into town and shopping at our businesses. Westmont is working hard to be a draw, and this is a wonderful opportunity. ask ques ons. If you have concerns, and you may, this is an opportunity to address them. This is NOT a mee ng to either support or object to the project. This is an opportunity to learn more. What the OHA as an organiza on will be seeking is twofold: What are the nega ves for Oakwood though? Well, we’ve had me to talk about and ask a lot of quesons. Very valid concerns like fire and police support and storm water runoff are being considered and addressed by the Village. These aren’t the chief concerns for us though. What does concern us, and by us, I mean it should concern YOU, is the likelihood that this construc on will result in significant sediment runoff from that property to Ty Warner Park, and on to Lake Charles. While the criteria surrounding when dredging is needed is nebulous, this would almost guarantee that we would have to dredge Lake Charles. A dredging project of this size would cost the OHA, (meaning cost all of us) likely over $250,000, and that’s being conserva ve. This, I know, was the first thing to cross some of your minds when you first heard about this proposal. I brought this up in my mee ng, and I was very happy, and surprised, with their response: they’re willing to pay for the dredging. 1.) We want to ensure that we can con nue to maintain Oakwood as we are tasked to do, and prevent a scenario that would exceed our financial capabili es and put all of the things we do to make Oakwood a desirable place to live at risk. 2.) If we can reach an agreement with the developers to protect our interests, which we are confident we can, then we will be seeking the efforts of the people of Oakwood to support this project. They want to be good neighbors, and they’ve started by extending a hand and offering to address our concerns. All they’re asking in return is our support. The OHA will likely not be able to represent all of you on this, so we are looking to inform and facilitate. You may be for this proposal, and you may be against it. I believe that if you make sure you’re up to speed on it, you’ll find this to be a very good opportunity for our community. Either way, we ask you to share your posi on, but do so informed. That’s not all. For the homeowners along the golf course who have suffered from all the water runoff over the years, they are open to talking about pu ng in landscaping to channel the water be er and trees to help with the view. Right now we’re talking, and all of you should be a part of it. At our request, material from the developer pertain‐
ing to the project has been provided and can be found on pages 18‐19. This project may see some evolu on between now and the next Planning and Zoning mee ng on Wednesday, June 15th. Our mee ng on the 7th will be the perfect me to get the current status and really understand what’s happening. Now, I’m not going to tell you that this is all sunshine and roses. There are a lot of hurdles to overcome to make this project happen, and I’m not foolish enough to take addressing the cost of a poten ally massive expense like a dredging of Lake Charles lightly. We need to work out the details more, so there are some conversa ons s ll to be had. We hope that you will be able to join us then. If you have ques ons, whether or not you can a end, please share them with us at [email protected] so we can compile them and make the best use of the me. While an RSVP is not necessary, please also let us know if you plan to a end so we can assure there is sufficient space for everyone. As men oned, a good por on of that opportunity for all of you will come on June 7th at the Hilton at 7:30pm. The developers have offered to host our mee ng, and also then be our guest presenters to talk about this project. ALL members of the Oakwood Homeowners Associa on (ie, all of you that live in Oakwood) are not only welcome to a end, we EN‐
COURAGE you to a end. Learn more about this, and June, 2016
Exci ng mes, Oakwood! -Ma “carpe diem” Johnson 13
Westmont News: From the Village Board
Hello everyone! The warm weather seems to be finally here, so enjoy! As discussed last quarter, the Village recently went through the annual budget process. Check out the pie chart below. It is a great high level view of the Village’s expenses. Please refer to the Village website if you would like to view the en re budget (www.westmont.il.gov). If there are any specific ques on regarding the budget, let me know, I would be happy to walk through it. Addi onally, this year’s budget includes the following items worth no ng: Specific Department Reduc ons/Savings: -Police Department - $169K in savings -Public Works - $150K in savings Specific Program/ Expenditures: -Funding to finish the EAB tree removal project -Increase in funding for Life Safety Development Grants -Increase in funding for infrastructure & storm water improvements -Funding to improve the appearance of the railroad right of way -IT & Village facility upgrades On May 7th, over thirty volunteers assisted Westmont Public Works staff with the labeling of storm drains throughout the community. Village Staff and volunteers iden fied and labeled 264 storm drains with educaonal informa on that alerts ci zens to not put harmful materials into storm sewers, which ul mately affects our water supply. The more awareness we can raise the be er. Pouring any contaminant down the sewers is not only awful for the environment, it is very expensive to clean up. This event was a coopera ve project that included the Westmont First Commi ee, Environmental Improvement Commission, Westmont Public Works Department, DuPage Conserva on Founda on, SCARCE, and the DuPage Founda on. SCARCE assisted with the project by providing more than 300 storm drain medallions and adhesive. The medallions are about three inches in diameter and educate ci zens to not pour any liquids into storm drains. Furthermore, work has begun on a $2.1M streets resurfacing project. K-Five Construc on was the low bidder for the work and it should be completed by August. For a complete lis ng of streets affected, go to the following link: h p://www.westmont.illinois.gov/
index.aspx?NID=249 The Westmont Pet Promenade was also a big success. This was the 5th anniversary of the community event June, 2016
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Westmont News: From the Village Board
and as always only a short walk for Oakwood Residents. “Bubba” the alligator even made an appearance offering a few lucky children a ride on his back! Thanks again for all those who helped make the event happen. Don’t forget the Westmont Street Fair and Crusin’ Nights start June 2nd and repeat every Thursday through August 25th. Hope to see you there! Ways to Connect with the Village -SIGN UP FOR NOTIFY ME COMMUNITY ALERTS h p://www.westmont.illinois.gov/list.aspx -SIGN UP FOR VILLAGE OF WESTMONT FACEBOOK PAGE h ps://www.facebook.com/westmon lgov -The Westmont Village Board meets every other Thursday at 6:00pm in the Village Hall. If you cannot make the mee ng, they are televised and available on our YouTube channel. June, 2016
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Please feel free to reach out to me any me, Steve T. Nero Westmont Village Trustee & Oakwood Resident O: 630.981.6209 M: 630.776.8302 E: [email protected] Westmont News: From the Westmont Planning & Zoning Commission
showroom/service/etc. building on their expanded proper es. And finally, the big news crea ng lots of buzz, Tesla has announced a full serve Westmont loca on in the building at 50 West Ogden Ave, former home of the Lincoln Mercury dealership. Every community was in the running and Westmont won out on what could be another large addi on to our sales tax base. This quarter’s recap of Planning & Zoning features a great look at the one of the quirks of economic development – the hot and cold effect. Combined, March (2 items) and April (canceled due to lack of agenda) contrasted sharply from May which saw the need for a second mee ng date added due to high volume and a large presentaon. We’ll see the same thing in June, but that’s next quarter’s story! So, March had but two items, a new duplex townhome at 230 South Cass Ave. With 4 other proper es of this style already on the block, this was a rela vely straight forward presenta on. The second item packed the house as a text amendment was considered to allow for residen al development on the 18 acre parcel zoned B-3 that currently houses the Hilton Oak Brook Hills. While residents of the Town Homes of Willow Crest were in strong opposi on, and the P&Z voted 3-4 against a recommenda on, the Village Board approved the measure by a vote of 5-1 at their mee ng explaining that they would like to see what the applicant would like to develop. Last quarter, I spoke about the two categories of economic development that really jump out - our world class auto dealerships and our enormous number of restaurants. I would also add a third category to our economic engine, grocery stores. With the twice remodeled Jewel, expanded Nature’s Best, The Standard Market and newly opened Mariano’s, Westmont has picked up economic steam in this sales tax genera ng category. Numbers at all four are solid which is a tremendous asset for our Village. Back to the auto mile for a moment, Audi has started construc on on their huge new addi on which will add 40 plus service bays, three floors of new car storage and newly freed up space a er the transi on allowing expansion of the show room and service ameni es. Our June 8th P&Z mee ng will feature a major presenta on by BMW for a new and expanded dealer/
June, 2016
With April a washout, we move on to May which had a full agenda for our May 11th mee ng before the Oak Brook Hills presenta on was added and scheduled for a special night on May 18th. The May 11th mee ng involved a new house, a 16
Westmont News: From the Westmont Planning & Zoning Commission
business expansion and several home improvement projects but the biggie was Tesla’s announcement they were coming to Westmont and hope to open by end of the year. This represents a major victory for our Economic Development Team of Larry Forssberg and Jill Ziegler. While other towns lined up with incen ves, Westmont successfully captured this new dealer by having a highly successful, upscale auto cluster already in place. May 18th saw the biggest turnout in my 12 years as a P&Z Commissioner. The main room was full 45 minutes before the start of the mee ng, the auxiliary room in the Village Hall was filled to capacity and there were s ll about 20 folks standing in the halls. Everyone was here to weigh in on the viability of the planned expansion at Oak Brook Hills. Property owners would like to add a world class swimming Natatorium and a 330 unit, 7-story luxury apartment complex, renova ons to the hotel, golf course, grounds and ameni es. The mee ng began promptly at 7pm with the Pledge of Allegiance and the swearing in of all that would offer tes mony either for or against. As the designated public hearing for the Village Board, we will listen to everyone that maintains proper decorum and would like to speak on the issue. Shortly a er midnight (that’s five hours plus) one of the a orney’s requested and received a con nuance to our second mee ng of June on the 15th. Both sides at this me are quite far apart and it is my hope they will find some common ground before our next mee ng. Several Oakwood homeowners were present a er receiving the World Class Westmont postcard in the mail. The Village of Westmont Planning and Zoning Commission meets on the second Wednesday of each month at 7:00pm in the Village Hall. All mee ngs are televised live on local cable access channel 6 and then replayed at 10:00am Monday through Friday. Agenda items are then sent to the Village Board with the comments of the Commission for final disposi on. You can also view the agenda on the Village website – www.westmont.il.gov. The next mee ng will take place June 8th followed by June 15th and then July 13th – tune in! Hoping to see you at the Taste of Westmont or a Thursday Night Street Fair! Enjoy! Gregg Pill – Oakwood Resident The OHA is on Facebook now. Follow us at
http://www.facebook.com/OakwoodHomeownersAssociation
to stay up to date with notices on events and relevant news for our neighborhood.
June, 2016
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Supplement: World Class Westmont Project - Background and Benefits
Classy! Please note: The following material was provided at the request of the OHA by the developers pertaining to the proposal for the Oak Brook Hills property. This material, while inarguably promo onal in nature, is intended to be informa ve of the project at a high level. munity. The natatorium will provide space for swim programs for the schools, for community rehab and aqua-fitness programs and for local athletes (from triathletes to casual swimmers). The project will have a major economic impact on the community, increasing the tax revenue for the village and for the park, library, and fire protec on districts. It will have a pronounced impact on the schools, which will see hundreds of thousands of dollars in addi onal tax revenue. The schools will also have access to the swim facili es. What’s great about these benefits is the fact that the apartments are one- and two-bedroom units, which are not likely to add any children to the school district. Finally, the development will have Mercedes Benz shu le vans to bring residents and visitors to local dining and shopping. This added patronage of Westmont will increase the vitality of our community and will add to the local quality of life. World Class Westmont This project brings over 300 luxury apartments and the Natatorium at Westmont, a state-of-the-art swim complex to an underu lized parking lot outside the Hilton Oak Brook Hills Resort. The design integrates these three structures, forming a town square to emphasize the way the three units will func on. For example, the Natatorium will be one of the fastest compe on pools in the country, and it will be home to some of the top training programs in the na on. This will a ract athletes to live in the apartments for ease of access. Further, swim meets will bring guests who will stay in the hotel. This mutually reinforcing network will lead to shared resources and shared benefits, reducing the parking and traffic impact of the development, and increasing its value to the community and region. The project will offer significant benefits to the com-
June, 2016
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Supplement: World Class Westmont Project - Background and Benefits
Join Nextdoor Oakwood, the private website for our neighborhood
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Enter flyer code: EPRGET
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June, 2016
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Saturday, June 4th, 2016 At Oakwood’s Westman Beach Fishing Derby: 3 - 6pm Beach Party: 6 - ? Free food and drinks provided. Adult supervision required for younger kids. June, 2016
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