The owners of a controversial backyard greenhouse in West Chicago say they will appeal a ruling this week that says they violated the city’s building permit laws when they built the structure.
Dan and Jody Bovey on Wednesday sought to postpone a final decision on whether they violated two city codes during the construction of the large geodesic dome greenhouse in their yard. However, an administrative adjudication officer refused the couple’s request. Greenhouse Grower Supply
“This (ruling) saddened us, but it was not unexpected,” Bovey said after Wednesday’s hearing.
The hearing officer ruled in November that the Boveys had violated two city codes and fined them $20,000.
“This is the Boveys’ own doing,” he said.
Bovey let the permit lapse in 2021. He paid a fine and obtained a new permit in 2022.
Bovey applied twice for new permits in August and was denied both times, according to the city.
In September, the city charged him with one count of nonconformance with an application for a building permit,and one count of failure to obtain a subsequent building permit upon expiration of a permit.
In mid-December, the Boveys submitted the architectural plans, but the city didn’t approve them.
Bovey contends the city then asked the architect to answer 36 requests, which they did. Then the city sent more questions on Jan. 11, Bovey’s attorney, Jeffrey Jacobson, told the hearing officer. He asked for more time for the Boveys to have the architect answer the city’s requests.
“My client has constantly been within a few days, maybe a week, getting the stuff to the city,” Jacobson said. “All the questions, they keep coming up with different ones.”
The Boveys have support in the community, with people displaying lawn signs saying “Save the Greenhouse.” Some have also donated money to help with their legal bills.
Greenhouse Cabinet Bond said on Thursday, “The city’s intent is not to collect. It (the order) is intended for compliance.”