On Thursday, July 9, 2026, I witnessed a four-hour Development Review meeting that was staged by the Village of River Forest. Surreal would describe it best.
Despite the fact that no aspect of the application to build an apartment complex at Madison and Ashland complied with a single review standard, the board voted a unanimous yes, without deliberation. Each board member received a clear and concise handout listing the multiple noncompliances.
We can only assume from this that these board members would gladly have an unsightly apartment complex of this magnitude in their own backyards, because that’s how close this development would sit next to lovely older RF homes. This begs the question, what are the board members qualifications to serve on a board meant to protect the quiet enjoyment, beauty, and privacy of our homes?
Jayne Gould
River Forest