Village of Lombard Legistar System

Jennifer Hagen,120 N. Ahrens Ave., Lombard, IL

Sharon Lechtenberg, 121 N. Ahrens Ave., Lombard, IL

Matt Kotilinek, 532 S. Addison Ave., Lombard, IL

Heather Piotrowski, 350 Greenfeather Lane, Elgin, IL

Marge Johnson, 17059 Timber Dr., Sterling, IL

Kim Gau, 227 Jill Ln., Streamwood, IL

Nicole & Scott Bobor, 206 N. Ahrens Ave., Lombard, IL

Ray Zukowski, 902 E. St. Charles Rd., Lombard, IL

Helen Zukowski, 902 E. St. Charles Rd., Lombard, IL

Megan Bofaroles, 1016 S. Summit, Villa Park, IL

Joseph Finuenis, 1016 S. Summit, Villa Park, IL

Will McCaleb, 595 Gundersen, Carol Stream, IL

Jessica Stallings, 595 Gundersen, Carol Stream, IL

Kendra Bowen, 902 E. St. Charles Rd., Lombard, IL

John McKean, 439 N. 3rd, Villa Park, IL

Siobbhan McKean, 439 N. 3rd, Villa Park, IL

Clark Colella, 96 S. Westmore, Lombard, IL

Alicia King, 125 N. Ahrens, Lombard, IL

Keera & John Price, 1128 E. Kenilworth, Lombard, IL

Tim Juran, Indianhill Dr., Bensenville, IL

Kirsten & Bob Schoenke, 1156 S. Edgewood Ave., Lombard, IL

Mary Schoenke, 1156 S. Edgewood Ave., Lombard, IL

Anna Rossi, 309 S. Lombard, Lombard, IL

Gary Dahogne, 309 S. Lombard, Lombard, IL

H. Marshall, 126 N. Ahrens, Lombard, IL

Jeff Gammon, 648 W. James, Villa Park, IL

Renee Esterday, 101 N. Ahrens Ave., Lombard, IL

Nicole Bobor - 206 N. Ahrens - putting up fence will be some sort of a deterrent to these

kids crossing the tracks. I agree that education is necessary, but then again, how many

children do everything that they are told? Education needs to come from the home also,

but who is going to educate us? We as residents have tried numerous times to get PD,

Fire, etc. to come out to our neighborhoods and only succeeded once. We are not the

only community that needs to do something about this, but I only am concerned about

Lombard. Even just use this as a "test" area to see if it works. We just cannot let this

go without something happening to stop another senseless injury or death. Tross: want

public right of way closed off completely? Nicole - yes.

Sharon Lechtenberg - 121 N. Ahrens. For over 20 years we, the people in this

neighborhood have been asking for some sort of help with the railroad issue. I feel it is

the Village's responsibility, not the railroads to protect their residents. There is also a

dangerous curve that causes even more of a threat. Go from Grace St. crossing to

Westmore. We may even have to fund part of another municipality in order to get this

done.

John Price - 1128 E. Kenilworth. If you do not want to install a fence, may as well take

Sebby directed Anderson to display and explain fence that is being considered.

Anderson: the one we are looking at is 6 feet tall, and will have a flat top. Eliminating

risk of anyone getting hurt on the spikes of the fence. Sebby: distance between private

property fence and where this fence will be located is an issue. Hatfield and Anderson

presented. Hatfield: 3 E's of Railroad Safety : Education, Engineering, Enforcement.

(see attached copy of presentation) Cul-de-sacs or entire right of way. Some is on

private property and we would need to get permission for these. Working with Villa Park

and have given them copies of our quotes. Verbally we have gotten an OK from UP that

the fence would fall within the "beautification of right of way". Would be our cost to

maintain and install. Would need at least 2 gates for maintenance. Landscape Buffer:

reviewed with committee members. Fence Locations: reviewed with committee

members. Explained cost summary. Sebby: residents do not want any sort of a path,

but what we are finding out now is that a 4 foot path would be here in order for us to

maintain. Tross: we have a building that would not have been allowed to be built under

our current zoning ordinance, the cul-de-sacs would also not be allowed, they are too

big. Say we do the whole fence, how do we get any leverage to those 2 buildings in

Villa Park. Anderson: our plan takes us to the end of our right of way up to the east end

of Westmore. Larkin: I like the cul-de-sac plan. Provides a consistent barrier from

Chase to Westmore. Difino: cul-de-sac option seems to make everyone happy.

Caution that if private fence goes away we have a problem. Sherretz: I am cautious

about the cul-de-sac plan not solving the entire issue. Murphy: cul-de-sac plan sounds

good, but if someone decides to take down their private fence, we end up back here

again with the same problem. By putting up the barrier now, we eliminate the entire

problem. Schwarz: section of private fence from Chase to Grace, how big are the

holes? Hatfield: 8X4 hole in one part, and another one in another area. Schwarz:

taking in account security and continuity I am favor of fence from one end to the other.

Nolan: private empty lot area would be picked up in the cul-de-sac plan? Anderson:

right. Hatfield: utility dependent. Nolan: in favor of fencing completely. Arnold: lived

here for 26 years. During that time, I have seen several people killed on the railroad

tracks and it was mostly their decision to be there. PD does operation lifesaver. Ask

citizens to become trained and be presenters. All of the brochures do not talk at all

about fences. We are only talking about the people on the south side of the tracks, not

the north side. Prairie to Westwood - posts there so that people cannot drive their cars

up, but it is definitely a walkway. Do not agree with cul-de-sac idea at all. Think we

need to take a look at the other side of the tracks. Mahal: been a resident for about 12

years, have children. Went to look at the tracks myself, part of the area is uphill.

Railroad tracks exist/crossing bars exist to protect at approved crossings. If cul-de-sac

idea is what everyone agrees upon, I will consider it in order to protect residents.

Blakeslee: do not support the cul-de-sac idea. If everything is not closed off

completely, on both sides, it makes no sense. I support education first. Not only in the

schools, it needs to start at home. Kaforski: one of my main concerns is that if we only

fence one side of the tracks, we create more of a problem. Only want continuous fence,

with no holes. Has staff contacted any of these resident? Hatfield: no, only residents

have talked with them. Kaforski: if we put up fence right up to the lot lines, we would

not have anything to maintain. Hatfield: the problem is we have utilities there that would

not allow this. Kaforski: what is the life on the coating on the fence? Hatfield: around

20 years, as long as it is not nicked or damaged. Kaforski: I stress education. Also, if

there is only fence on one side, are we liable if someone comes across from the other

side, can't get across and gets hit running back? Frerichs: Lombard resident for years.

Fencing makes as much sense as putting up fences at the streets so that the kids won't

run into the streets. I believe everyone today needs to be more responsible for

themselves, and I do not think that a fence will keep teenagers from crossing. Need

more education. Kuehl: has anyone looked into putting up a chain link fence?

Anderson: VP experience with chain link fence is that someone is always cutting it.

Kuehl: I would be in favor of the cul-de-sac program, need to clarify private property

fences and who will replace if they are removed. Really want to push education. Tross:

Gron asked me today if there are any other communities that have put up fences in

order to protect right of way area? Anderson: as you get closer to the city. Tross: put

up by UP or by community? Anderson: UP was willing to support putting fence in, but

no maintenance. Tross: this fence we are looking at now is a lot more acceptable for

us all/chain link fence is not acceptable. UP will give us something towards this fence?

Anderson: there is a pot that we are trying to dip into. Tross: liability issue - we would

only be liable if there is an issue and we do not address it. What school do the children

in this area go to? Residents: Schafer School. Tross: are they bussed? Sebby: bus

picks them up on St. Charles. Tross: checked Prairie and Westwood area/tot lot area/

no fence at all. Village of Lombard needs to protect it's public right-of-ways. Ahrens,

Chase, Highland, and only portion of right-of-way on Westmore. Sebby: all T&S

committee members felt that it is important to install some sort of barrier. All members

from PWC feel that education in imperative both at home and school. We all agree that

we cannot watch out children all of the time and that children do not always make the

right decisions. We are not going to eliminate walkway area, but will be putting up a

barrier. It appears that the public wants something physically in place to keep their

children from crossing the tracks. We need to reach a con census. Larkin: best to

have a continuous barrier/we have already talked about education for months. Difino:

we need to move forward and set an example for other communities. Sherretz: I am

only in favor of continuous barrier and we need to be the lead. Murphy: If fence stops

one child from crossing and saves just one life, it is worth it. We need to be proactive.

Need to put fence up continuously. We can't wait for Villa Park. Schwarz: when was

PWC first exposure to this issue? Tross: in May. Schwarz: your committee has not

had any exposure to the public or some of the other issues we have been presented.

One of the issues is District 45 and no changing of the boundaries for the school. Part

of the reason kids cross is that they go to school on that side. Nolan: I also feel that our

committee has talked about this issue and hashed out a lot more of the issues. This

neighborhood is different than the area on the North. Put the money for the fence if it

saves just one life. We spend a lot of money in this town and we can afford to spend it

on a fence. Sebby: the public wants a fence up there and it is something that we as the

Village should provide to them for safety reasons. Need to have a handle on this entire

area, and T&S is looking at a continuous fence. We, as the Village of Lombard, want to

provide a safe area for our residents. Tross: there is no walkway, it is railroad right of

way. We will have to maintain the entire landscape and maintain the fence.

Maintenance of the fence, landscaping, enforcement. Kuehl: public wants a fence, lets

give them a fence all of the way. Frerichs: I still do not favor a fence of any kind.

Kaforski: I am favor of the fence, but I do not want to have the easement maintenance.

There is no liability issue, correct? Tross: there is always liability. Blakeslee: I will

support the fence on both sides of the tracks. But first, education. Mahal: I think there

will still be hide-aways, but if it is a public request and committee supports it, I would go

the cul-de-sac option. Arnold: does anyone know how many kids get hit by cars in town

in a year? There are still going to be gaps if we go with the cul-de sac option if I am not

mistaken. Tross; this would close the gaps in the entire residential area, not the

commercial area. Arnold: would only support the cul-de-sac option. Tross: this is only

the beginning, the north side is yet to come. Sebby: there are different demographics

there, different neighborhoods. Howard Marshall - 126 N. Ahrens. How many people

really drive the speed limit? One out of a hundred obey the law. We say these kids

ought to learn. We already gave away a lot of the land to the railroad. Tross: it would

be wonderful that we could pass an ordinance that all railroad property needs to be

fenced.