Federal Claims Dismissed Again In Lawsuit Over Winnetka Lakefront Regulations

WINNETKA, IL — A federal judge in Chicago has dismissed a lawsuit filed by lakeshore property owners challenging Winnetka’s lakefront building, construction and steep slope protection regulations, according to the village.

Federal District Judge LaShonda Hunt granted the village's motion to dismiss all of the federal claims on Monday, according to Communications Manager Josie Clark.

“The Court explicitly rejected the plaintiffs’ federal constitutional claims, including the claim that the Village’s ordinance constituted an unconstitutional taking of their properties,” Clark said.

The lawsuit stems from a 2024 ordinance that added shoreline regulations intended to protect the village’s bluffs. The ordinance amended the village’s zoning code and allows lakeside property owners to build or rebuild structures on steep slope sections of their bluffs if they meet the new regulations.

The lawsuit was filed on May 2, 2024. In that filing, the property owners called the ordinance a “blatant and unjustified attack on Plaintiffs’ property rights rests on false premises.”

A federal judge originally dismissed the claims on Oct. 7, 2025, and gave the group of lakefront property owners until Oct. 30, 2025, to amend the complaint and state a valid claim, and that the claim was again dismissed on Monday.

“The Village is pleased that the validity of the ordinance has once again been confirmed and remains confident in the fairness of the open and comprehensive process that was used to consider and adopt these important lakefront regulations.” She also said, “The Village is hopeful that this litigation is now over and is confident that state law claims would likewise be dismissed.”

Winnetka moved to change its zoning laws after controversy surrounding construction of a lakefront estate owned by Justin Ishbia. Residents objected to the removal of bluffs along part of the 3.7-acre coastline tied to that property.

“The Village will continue to defend the protection of one of the Village’s most significant assets and continues to invite any resident, including any lakefront property owner, with specific ideas on how to improve the ordinance to submit any recommendations to the Village," Clark said.