Why Planning Matters

Campton Hills has a long tradition of detailed planning, from Green Infrastructure, to development of the Town Center to the 2012 Comprehensive Plan. These plans should be thought of as snapshots of a moment in time. They were meant to be living documents that the community could use as the basis for future action. The current administration has failed to build upon and update these plans; you cannot draw a straight line between any aspect of the “Village’s Vision Statement” that governs the re-zoning process and our prior infrastructure and comprehensive plans.

Stop Micromanaging Residents!

Re-Zoning and the New Zoning Ordinance

Keep in mind that the Village is attempting two things during the re-zoning process and they’re both bad. First, they want to reclassify the zoning of hundreds of parcels in the village. So your F may become and RE3 or your RE may become an R, etc. In some cases, this is necessary. For instance, certain court-ordered subdivisions in the area with very small R lots are still classed as F – an obvious error. Correcting it has no tax consequences for anyone. If the Village allows urban homestead on R lots, it doesn’t impact their use unless they have an HOA restriction.

In addition, the Village is attempting to pass an overly broad, 127-page Zoning Ordinance that affects the land use of every parcel in Campton Hills. Removing the unnecessary and inappropriate restrictions in this ordinance is the most important change we can make in this process.

Stop Micromanaging Residents!

Special Use and “Grandfathering”

Many residents, realizing the new Zoning Ordinance will take away some of their property rights, have questioned the Village. They are often told not to worry, that their use will be “grandfathered” or that they can apply for a “Special Use Permit”.

Of course, Special Use Permit applications can be denied. But even if you get one, or the Village “grandfathers” your use and doesn’t enforce against you, a subsequent owner won’t get that consideration.

Perhaps you have a couple of horses, a horse barn, a paddock and small outdoor arena. You’ve invested six figures and it is awesome. What about your buyer a few years down the road? Will they love your improvements and kill the deal when they discover they can’t keep them? Will they reduce their offer AND ask you to remove them?

Don’t be fooled. Special Use is exactly what it sounds like.

Stop Micromanaging Residents!

This Changes My Entire View…

Campton Hills resident Hollie Bauron and her husband Raphael purchased a home in the Foxfield subdivision in 2020. It was represented as zoned “F”. Hollie contacted the county to confirm the zoning and associated restrictions. Unfortunately, Campton Hills informed her that her parcel was actually an “R-1”.

The truth is that the Village wants to change it to an R-1 and this really affects the semi-rural lifestyle of her family, including their chickens. Hollie has invited President Mike Tyrrell and all the Trustees to her home to see what she is doing and how neat, clean and manageable a sustainable backyard homestead is.

After their visit, one Trustee announced to the Board, “This changes my entire view on livestock”. Sadly, this has not yet deterred the Board from proceeding with both reclassifying Hollie’s parcel AND prohibiting her sustainable use on her property. Why?

Stop Micromanaging Residents!

Community Involvement in Re-Zoning

Recently, the Village claims of efforts in 2013 “It was well attended, spanning three sessions and with direct interactive public participation. From the resident participation the Village’s Vision Statement was developed.”

Most of us think 2013 was a long time ago. It certainly seems to be long enough ago that no minutes of those meetings available to support contentions about community involvement.

Three years of work by a “steering committee” followed, but no minutes of that ‘body’ are available either.

The Village also states that “In late 2019, there were four sessions specifically geared toward taking public input on the draft zoning amendment.”

The next attempt at public involvement was in 2019, when on October 28th, the Planning Commission minutes state:

6. DISCUSSION OF PROGRESS OF THE DRAFT ZONING ORDINANCE PUBLIC WORKSHOPS

  • Chairman Johnson recapped the progress of the workshops.
  1. i. First workshop Camiros did a presentation on the proposed zoning changes.  The new codes are a comprehensive plan tailored to fit Campton Hills.  Was lightly attended by the public.
  2. ii. Second workshop had a few more in attendance from the public.  Raised concerns on the rezoning of lots would identify them as non-conforming in historic Wasco.

There was also an agenda for a public workshop on October 23, 2019 posted but it is not clear if the workshop was held and no minutes are available.

Does this sound like a genuine effort to get the community involved?

Follow us on Social Media