Crystal Lake Again Turns Down High School Bleacher Permit Request
CHICAGO (CBS) -- It could be back to square one for a high school district in Crystal Lake, after the city council again refused to issue a permit for their two-year-old stadium bleachers.
The battle over the 50-foot high bleachers began in 2013, after Crystal South High School replaced a much smaller set of bleachers without getting permission from the city.
Angry homeowners sued Crystal Lake Community High School District 155, claiming the new bleachers hurt property values, invaded their privacy by allowing strangers to see into their homes, blocked the sun from their yards, created huge amounts of noise, and violated zoning limits.
A McHenry County judge, and a panel of the Illinois Appellate court rejected the district's argument it was not required to seek city zoning approval, and a judge has ordered the bleachers torn down. That order is on hold while the Illinois Supreme Court considers the case.
Meantime, the district has sought retroactive permits for the bleachers, but in April, the city denied their first request.
Wednesday night the city council rejected the district's latest request for a retroactive permit, which would have included some revisions to the structure, including moving the press box to the other side of the field, and reducing the height of the bleachers, and installing landscaping as a buffer.
The council told the district it would have to move the bleachers entirely, to the other side of the football field.
