A plan that would add lights to multiple courts at the River Forest Tennis Club is apparently over.
“The River Forest Tennis Club has withdrawn their planned development application,” Village Administrator Matt Walsh said Thursday morning. “Accordingly, there will be no public hearing on Jan. 15.”
A continuation of a Nov. 6 public hearing in front of the village development review board was postponed from Dec. 4 to Jan. 15 to allow public comment on the revised application.
Whether the application would be revised or resubmitted at some point in the future, Walsh said, “I am not sure if it is a permanent decision.”
Club president Dan Baker could not be reached for comment Thursday on the matter. Neither could Elias Yanaki, who served as applicant on the original application, and then recused himself from voting on it as a member of the development review board. Also on the development review board are club members Maryanne Fishman, Jane McCole and Ron Lucchesi.
When reached by phone Thursday, Fishman declined comment. McCole did not respond to an email seeking comment.
But an informal coalition of neighbors opposed to the lighting released a statement.
“We are grateful River Forest has a system in place to allow all citizens in the village to participate in the review process for proposed developments and express needs and concerns,” the statement said. “Thank you to village leadership, members of advisory boards and the RFTC for hearing our voices.”
The original amendment application would have added 24 poles at 30 feet tall, with two LED lights on each pole, covering all 10 courts, arranged around the outside fence at the club located at 615 Lathrop Ave.
According to a communication delivered to club members Dec. 3, the club had revised its application to light only Courts 1-3 and 6-8 to eliminate light spillage on the Jackson Avenue side of the club.
