In a recent Wednesday Journal editorial [Election season begins, Viewpoints, May 23] Dan Haley once again appeared unable to stop himself from taking another swipe at the people who last year opposed the Albion high-rise project at Lake & Forest. Yes, some of the people behind the new VOICE group were part of the anti-Albion opposition, but as was clearly pointed out in the front page article [VOICE aims to run village trustee candidates, News, May 23] the new VOICE group, at its first meeting in the Main Library on May 12, attracted people with many other concerns besides responsible development. Issues like the increasing tax burden, affordable housing, economic diversity, protection of our village’s parks and green spaces, promotion of energy efficiency and finally, transparency and trust in village government, were also discussed.
So, for Dan and the Journal to say with regard to the upcoming April 2019 trustee elections that “VOICE can’t just be against anything taller than 60 feet” is an unnecessary and snarky comment that rings untrue and also contains an inaccuracy. The Lake & Forest land was properly zoned for eight stories (that’s about 80 feet, not 60) based on previous expensive consultant plans for appropriate development of Downtown Oak Park. Last October, against the vote of the Plan Commission which had held about 25 hours of public meetings (and I’d guess countless other hours poring over documents and reports), our current village trustees approved a 19-story building.
Now the hole is being dug, Oak Park will have to live with another behemoth building, and VOICE has emerged and is moving forward. And Dan, perhaps, you should, too.
Lorraine Owles
Oak Park resident
