Lyons Township High Got Heads-Up On Project Concerns

WESTERN SPRINGS, IL – Western Springs alerted Lyons Township High School about construction issues nearly three weeks before it ordered the school to stop a South Campus project.

Through public records requests, Patch obtained correspondence between the two entities.

On March 30, a village official emailed the high school about the construction of a discus facility on South Campus. She said the school's neighbors informed her about it.

"If the information they gave me is correct, you and I need to touch base as soon as possible," Heather Valone, the village's community development director, said.

The high school had not sought permission to build the facility, as it had the new softball field and scoreboard on the campus, the village said.

On April 2, Kelsey Fawell, a village planner, emailed a high school official about a phone conversation they had.

The village learned that the school wanted a discus throw area with bleachers for track meets, she said.

To do so, she said, the school needed to file a request to amend its conditional permit.

In an April 9 email, Fawell told the school official, Brian Stachacz, "Please note the work for the discus throw area cannot move forward without necessary Village approvals."

It is unclear when the school stopped construction. The school's spokesperson, Mary Lin Muscolino, did not return a message from earlier this week.

Asked about it, village spokesperson Selmin Cicek said in an email, "While we aren't certain of the exact work stop date (likely on or around April 9), the Village was made aware that the discus pad area continued to be utilized, and that's what prompted the notice of violation."

The notice was issued April 17, which Patch reported on a few days later. The village said it could fine the school up to $750 a day.

The village had received complaints from neighbors going back to March.

"Given the frequency and intensity of existing disturbances from Bennett Field (at South Campus), it is important to understand how the school and Village intend to ensure compliance with applicable local ordinances and to prevent further escalation of noise‐related nuisance conditions affecting neighboring properties," residents Brooke and Thomas Greco said in a March email to the village.