!["If every single lakefront owner wanted to do what is happening [here], it's certainly not going to be one of our most valuable resources in our community anymore."](https://www.thecooldown.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/image-80.jpg?w=1920&h=800)
A billionaire who destroyed the natural features of his consolidated lots on Lake Michigan drew ire for the plan, which set aside everything so he could construct a megamansion.
After the land was leveled, the Winnetka Village Council held a meeting in September about potential protections and regulations for lakefront bluffs and steep slopes, the Chicago Tribune reported.
In January, the Illinois city's park district approved a $3 million donation from Justin Ishbia, the landowner and a private equity investor. It was just the latest development in a saga that began in 2020, according to the news outlet.
The Tribune detailed the razing and published before-and-after photos, and the news was shared on Reddit, sparking outrage.
One angry commenter did well to encapsulate the situation, writing: "Why the f*** is this legal?"
"Yep!" another Redditor said, perhaps getting carried away with frustration. "Hope this rich a****** loses everything into the lake when erosion takes over!"
It seemed like the city was left holding the bag, but it had basically approved the project, which could've added another property to the 3.7-acre tract via a controversial land swap.
Council trustee Tina Dalman, during the September meeting, said she wished the village had the option to deny Ishbia's land consolidation, which is set to feature a $43.7 million 68,344-square-foot palace.
"That's where that could have been stopped if we had greater control and we didn't," Dalman said, per the Tribune. "That building is being built as of right [now] in compliance without variances. That, I think, is the heart of the issue. How can we address that so that we don't have a hotel-size use in a residential area?"
Dalman said sound engineering might mitigate the negatives of bluff removal, but a marine engineer who addressed the board said removing bluffs generally causes "irreversible erosion," the Tribune reported, noting extra sand then washes away and "creates deeper pockets under water closer to the shoreline." The cascading effect leads to larger waves, which cause more damage to remaining bluffs that would have otherwise been protected.
"The common sense is the lakeshore is one of our most beautiful assets. If every single lakefront owner wanted to do what is happening at 205 [Sheridan Road], it's certainly not going to be one of our most valuable resources in our community anymore," trustee Kim Handler said per the Tribune, referencing Ishbia's address.
While the destruction of the bluffs and land cannot be undone, residents, trustees, and others channeled their displeasure about the situation to pressure officials to cancel the land swap. As a result, the donation could help with upgrades to nearby Elder Lane and Centennial parks in the form of an accessible pedestrian path, a dog beach, and shoreline protection. It also sparked a conversation, which may be even more valuable.
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