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American Morning

Neighbor Against Neighbor in Vernon Hills, Illinois

Aired August 28, 2002 - 08:53   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: It is neighbor against neighbor in Vernon Hills, Illinois. A backyard theme park there is causing folks to take sides. You have the Zoll family, which has built a batting cage, badminton and basketball courts. But it was the latest edition, a 25-foot high trampoline, that just proved to be the last straw for this neighborhood. The Zoll say they are hearing neighborhood kids a place to play. The neighbors are not buying that. We are going to hear They say it is providing the kids a place to play.
We're joined by Mark and Lori (ph) Zoll. Thank you for joining us.

It look like you have your kid's wonderland behind you. Why invest, and have all those toys out there for your kids?

MARK ZOLL, VERNON HILLS RESIDENT: We're trying to keep the kids off the street, create an environment where the kids can come and enjoy themselves, and we can kind of monitor them.

We have a 12-year-old daughter. I think a lot of people realize that 12-year-olds, keep them off the street at this age, and make them consent to coming with parental guidance. It's hard.

LORI (ph) ZOLL, VERNON HILLS RESIDENT: It's a good thing.

M. ZOLL: And you know, we've created some stuff that we think is -- you know, encouraged them to come back here. They have a great time. We're not trying to hurt anyone, you know, we're trying to enjoy ourselves. That's about it.

LIN: I can't tell you how many times when I was a kid my mom told me, go outside and play in the backyard. But I got to tell, we didn't have anything like you have in your backyard. Why do you have to have so much and so big?

M. ZOLL: Well, I mean, you know, it's opportunity, it's the creation of the Internet. You see things on the Internet, you're like, oh, I like that. We just started buying stuff. The kids would say, that looks good, we'd lobby together and talk about it, and you know, we started buying things. You know, it just grew. We didn't realize that we were growing to the extent, but by the same token, it is our backyard, and we don't consider it that offensive.

KAGAN: You don't, but let's bring in some neighbors, including Bill Fury (ph) and Sylvia Mordini (ph). Neighbors, your neighbors over say they're just trying to have a nice place for the kids to play. In fact, they could probably welcome your kids if they wanted to come over and use the stuff as well. What's the problem?

BILL FURY (ph), VERNON HILLS RESIDENT: Are they talking to us?

KAGAN: Yes, we're talking to you.

Bill, go ahead.

Fury (ph): You know, what I'd like to say is we love kids, we came into this neighborhood because there are many wonderful families here. There are lots of -- there are over 100 kids here. And, you know, our issue is that we -- when we came to this neighborhood, there was a set of rules that governs what is to go on here, and it's to protect the integrity and provide a safe environment for everybody. Everybody has to live by the same rules, and it seems that our neighbors don't think that the rules apply to them.

KAGAN: Is there a specific rule that this equipment is too big or too large?

Fury (ph): You'd have to talk to the Village about that. They're the ones that cited them for the violations.

SYLVIA MORDINI (ph), VERNON HILLS RESIDENT: All of the rules and laws that were in place prior to moving in, and so we were all aware of what the regulations were, such as no fences allowed, no sheds is another example. And those laws have not changed.

FURY (ph): You know, we live in such a close proximity to each other here. You can see how close the houses are. We have to really concentrate on respecting each other and each other's lifestyle, and we're not seeing that happen from the Zoll family.

Mordini (ph): And teaching our children to respect each other.

KAGAN: It does look like a lovely neighborhood that you all live it, but no fences between the yards, and so that may be one of the ways to alleviate this, the stress between the different yards, but if you're right up against this, you have to look at this.

FURY (ph): Pardon me?

KAGAN: You have no choice, because there's no fence.

FURY (ph): We do not have a choice. We do not have a choice. We have to look at it. But that's not the issue. The issue is, there are rules and regulations, people have to abide by them. Everybody lives by the same rules. They need to live by the rules that we live by. It's just the fair thing to do.

KAGAN: Let me bring the Zolls back in on that. When you moved in this neighborhood, as your neighbors pointed out, there were a set of rules that they have to live by, that you have to live by. Just by moving in, weren't you agreeing to behave?

M. ZOLL: Well, you know, we lived by the rules, we do live by the rules. We don't know that the high ball, which is the apparatus that's in question, is -- we did meet with the Village yesterday.

L. ZOLL: Nothing has been determined as of yet.

M. ZOLL: Nothing has been determined that that would be an illegal device. It is definitely a gray area. As for the neighbors loving our kids and everything, they have called the police on our kids 19 times before any of the apparatuses ever showed up.

In April, our kids stepped off the bus at 3:15, and by 3:20, the cops were here. There was no batting cage, there was no high ball. There was the same apparatuses that were here in the spring. So I don't know that it's exactly...

L. ZOLL: Which their kids were here and played on.

M.ZOLL: So I don't know if it's exactly accurate what Mr. Fury (ph)'s saying how he loves kids and loves them. The bottom line on this was that Mr. Fury (ph) and his group of people back there didn't like the kids playing in the yard, and have told me such prior to any batting cage or any high ball.

KAGAN: Let me ask you this before we get into this match between the neighbors. What would each side be willing to do to resolve this issue? If it's this latest contraption, would you be willing to maybe take this one down and say the kids have plenty to play with besides this, maybe as an act of good faith?

M. ZOLL: It's possible.

(CROSSTALK)

KAGAN: Bill, hold on one second. I'll give you the last word. I want to hear from the Zolls. Would you be willing to take that down, that high contraption that just went up?

M. ZOLL: You know, we had the Village over yesterday, and we spoke of some negotiation. One option was to...

KAGAN: Got to do it in 10 seconds.

M. ZOLL: ... bring the high ball...

KAGAN: Real quick, Bill. I'm sorry, Bill, but really quick, what could be your compromise?

FURY (ph): Just like I said, we want everybody to live by the same rules. There's no exceptions in this neighborhood. We love kids. Kids are what we're all about. How dare somebody say that about us. Everybody's entitled.

KAGAN: Have to make that the last word.

MORDINI (ph): We just want to be good citizens, and law abiding citizens and good neighbors.

KAGAN: We'll leave it to Village committee. The controversy goes on in suburban Chicago. Zolls, thank you so much, and Bill Fury (ph), Sylvia Mordini (ph).

And we'll leave it at that.

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