Special to The Citizen
AURORA -- Controversy continues over a controversial building proposal in Aurora.
Cynthia Koepp and John Place are seeking a variance to demolish historic Lake House and move another historic building, Webb House, onto the Lake House property. Interested parties, including neighbors of the project site, have aesthetic and legal concerns.
"It's not really all that historic," said Place during an Aurora Zoning Board of Appeals public hearing Wednesday night. "Lake House is rated poorly by the National Historic Register, and Webb house is rated good."
The Holland family, which owns the property next to the project site, strongly oppose the variance, which is being considered because Webb house is too large for the Lake House property under current zoning laws. Their legal representative, attorney Kristopher J. Vurraro, voiced several legal objections to the variance, and submitted a statement to the board.
Zoning variances and codes are in place for particular reasons, such as drainage and noise and light pollution, Vurraro said. Eroding those requirements would set a detrimental precedent in the Village of Aurora, he said.
It would be "premature and improper" to make a decision at this time, Vurraro said, because the issues need exhaustive study by all village boards.
Though his wife was not on hand, John Place presented a packet to the board and defended the project as benefit to Aurora.
"We want to restore something to the village which is an asset," he said. "This will be a benefit to the community, including saving an historic building."alternatives
Read the full report in Thursday's edition of The Citizen.
Cynthia Koepp and John Place are seeking a variance to demolish historic Lake House and move another historic building, Webb House, onto the Lake House property. Interested parties, including neighbors of the project site, have aesthetic and legal concerns.
"It's not really all that historic," said Place during an Aurora Zoning Board of Appeals public hearing Wednesday night. "Lake House is rated poorly by the National Historic Register, and Webb house is rated good."
The Holland family, which owns the property next to the project site, strongly oppose the variance, which is being considered because Webb house is too large for the Lake House property under current zoning laws. Their legal representative, attorney Kristopher J. Vurraro, voiced several legal objections to the variance, and submitted a statement to the board.
Zoning variances and codes are in place for particular reasons, such as drainage and noise and light pollution, Vurraro said. Eroding those requirements would set a detrimental precedent in the Village of Aurora, he said.
It would be "premature and improper" to make a decision at this time, Vurraro said, because the issues need exhaustive study by all village boards.
Though his wife was not on hand, John Place presented a packet to the board and defended the project as benefit to Aurora.
"We want to restore something to the village which is an asset," he said. "This will be a benefit to the community, including saving an historic building."alternatives
Read the full report in Thursday's edition of The Citizen.
