THEY JUST WON’T TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER.  Block the Box has just learned that Mr. Altounian and Mr. Witmer have appealed the Historic Preservation Commission’s unanimous rejection of the Box; this means they will ask City Council to overturn the Commission’s decision.  We know you are tired of this—trust us, we know—but we have got to let the City Council know how important our building codes are, and how vital equitable enforcement is.

This isn’t about one piece of land, one street, or even one neighborhood.  Lake Forest’s building standards and zoning codes are hanging in the balance. 

Here’s why:  Condo 3/the Box has been turned down seven times now: 

- Plan  Commission, January and March of 2021; 

- Historic Preservation Commission, January 2020, June 2021, and July 2021.  On Nov.16, 2022, the Box appeared before HPC as part of a settlement agreement, and was unanimously rejected. 

- The City Council, by a slim margin, turned it down September 7, 2021. 

SEVEN TIMES this proposal was deemed incompatible with an historic residential neighborhood.  If the City Council votes on December 5 to push this through, the Historic Preservation Commission’s authority will be gutted. Lake Forest will be unable to enforce or defend its own building ordinances.  This precedent-setting decision would allow a 21,000 square foot, three story box with rooftop decks on less than half an acre in an historic residential district. 

The City Council will hear the appeal Monday, December 5 at 6:30, at City Hall in downtown Lake Forest.