Ever Petition for Zoning Change in Des Plaines, IL or Other Surr. Burbs? Cell ..

In a quick google search, I noticed that this property appears to have been rezoned for the fire station with a cell tower as an accessory use since 2008. However, it appears that, at that time, staff and the Plan Commission had reservations about permitting the cell tower. If you haven't already reviewed, http://www.desplaines.org/referencedesk/AgendasandMinutes..., do so. Perhaps you can review the internal staff and PC communication to better understand these concerns.

You might contact the Illinois Chapter of the American Planning Assocation to see if pro bono assistance might be available for your case. Here is the website: http://www.ilapa.org/index.html.

Good luck!

I'd advise you to meet with someone in the Community Development Department (assuming you haven't already). That's usually where these ideas originate and where the zoning ordinance change was drafted. These are also the people you're going to want to have on your side since they will be the ones giving the zoning board of appeals a "staff recommendation".

T-Mobile wanted to put a cell tower (somehow hidden) in the park in Berwyn. It was somehow going to look like a flag pole. The neighborhood had petitions signed and many people went to the zoning meetings. The town did not allow it because all the neighbors did not want it. That would probably be your first step. Any kind of variance also has the right to be fought by the neighbors of the property.

We had something sort of similar happen a few doors down from a summer home property that's been in our family for decades. It's in another state, so I wasn't privy to all that happened, but I do know that my dad went door to door with a letter he'd written to let everyone know what was going on and encourage them to get involved. Surprisingly, many did not know but once they did they took action. Letters were written and many, many people showed up at the town meeting where this matter was being discussed and decided on. We spoke about how when we bought the property in a residential area, it was with the understanding that it would remain that way. We highlighted the environmental dangers (which you could certainly do), the denigration of the lake, the reputation of the town, the unfairness to property owners as the value of their property would surely plummet. The sheer number of protesters brought the whole thing to a halt and the property has now, happily, been purchased by a family who is building a home there. We had a similar experience going up against a mining company in CO -- they thought it was just a bunch of mountain folk that could be railroaded, but the organization of the whole town shut them down. I don't know all the legal aspects, but I do believe a room full of citizens armed with well thought-out letters and the will to not let this happen to their neighborhood goes a long way. Good luck to you!