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La Grange Today
By the People, for the People
La Grange Resident Criticizes 'Aggressive' Billing for Development Code Changes
Jonathan Robinson says the village's high costs will prevent him from continuing his efforts to protect homeowners from new developments.
Published on Feb. 11, 2026
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A La Grange, Illinois resident named Jonathan Robinson proposed changes to the village's development code as part of a formal 'text amendment' process, which requires the Plan Commission to hold a public hearing. Robinson paid $1,500 to reimburse the village for its costs, but was later billed an additional $1,200 for the village attorney's time, which he says is unreasonable compared to how other suburbs handle such hearings. Robinson says the 'aggressive billing' will prevent him from continuing his efforts to protect homeowners from new developments in the area.
Why it matters
This case highlights the challenges residents can face when trying to influence local development policies, as the high costs associated with the formal amendment process may deter community participation and make it difficult for individual citizens to advocate for changes that could benefit their neighborhoods.
The details
Robinson proposed changes to La Grange's development code that would require the Plan Commission to record its meetings and force developers to hold meetings with nearby residents. While the commission initially favored some of Robinson's proposals, they disagreed with his ideas to further restrict developments near single-family homes. Robinson was billed $2,700 for the village's costs, including $1,500 for the village attorney's time 'sitting at the hearing,' which he felt was unreasonable since an attorney did not even attend a previous hearing for a different text amendment proposal.
- On January 1, 2026, Robinson proposed changes to La Grange's development code.
- In January 2026, the Plan Commission held a formal hearing on Robinson's text amendment proposal.
- On February 10, 2026, Robinson told the Village Board he was unable to continue the hearing process due to the high costs.
The players
Jonathan Robinson
A La Grange resident who proposed changes to the village's development code in an effort to protect homeowners from new projects.
Ben Schuster
The La Grange village attorney who billed $1,500 for time spent at the hearing on Robinson's text amendment proposal.
Beth Augustine
A La Grange village trustee who said she supported some of Robinson's ideas, like requiring developers to hold neighborhood meetings and recording Plan Commission meetings.
What they’re saying
“The village attorney is not there to assist me. The village attorney is present for the village staff and board to utilize and to ensure the process stays reasonable and legal.”
— Jonathan Robinson, Resident (Patch.com)
“I hope we're still talking about those soon.”
— Beth Augustine, Village Trustee (Patch.com)
What’s next
The La Grange Plan Commission is scheduled to further discuss Robinson's text amendment proposals at their meeting this week.
The takeaway
This case highlights the challenges residents can face when trying to influence local development policies, as the high costs associated with the formal amendment process may deter community participation and make it difficult for individual citizens to advocate for changes that could benefit their neighborhoods.
