How would you feel about standing at your kitchen window or getting out of your car at Pasquesi Home and Garden on a clear day and hearing the roar of a chopper flying low over your head?
It could be an emergency rescue mission landing at Lake Forest Hospital, or a police copter scouting for a lost child or a fugitive.
But what if it's a wealthy non-resident who just wants the convenience of accessing his Ferrari dealership from Michigan?
The Issue
In the charming towns of Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, and Knollwood, Illinois we are facing a ridiculous issue that threatens the peace, safety, and character of our communities.
The new non-resident owner of Lake Forest Ferrari in Lake Bluff wants to construct a valet helipad at his dealership so that he can be dropped off there and work, while his Bell 429 Turboshaft helicopter then flies to the Waukegan airport to refuel and to be on call to then go back to the dealership to pick him up after his work to then fly him home to Michigan or to another one of his 40 other car dealerships.
He says that this will only happen once a month—he wants to do this “hot drop” over our community and homes, and land twice a day each month right next to Pasquesi Home and Garden, Bernie’s Book Bank, Lake Bluff Racquet Club, the Knollwood Club, and homes along Waukegan Road because all of his other non-Ferrari dealerships have a valet helipad and this is how he rolls.
Forget the fact that he could just land directly at Waukegan Airport, drive the 10 miles to and from work, and then fly his helicopter wherever he needs to go—he needs his own valet helipad at his new Ferrari dealership no matter what and doesn’t care about the negative impact it has to nearby businesses and residents.
Does his personal convenience justify the increased noise, safety concerns, and disruption to our communities
when he could just use Waukegan Airport 10 miles away?
Of course not, it's ridiculous! Waukegan Airport is just 10 miles from the dealership.
Why This Matters
Noise & Disruption
This isn't about his convenience—it's about altering the peace, serenity, and character of our local environment for the marginal benefit of a single individual. Introducing a helicopter landing area in Lake Bluff would disrupt the harmony we treasure. The noise pollution alone is enough to disturb both wildlife and residents and nearby shoppers.
Safety Concerns
Helicopters pose real safety concerns, with potential risks of accidents—approximately 100–120 happen every year—that could endanger lives and properties in our neighborhoods.
Community Character
Our community shouldn't be transformed to serve the desires of someone who can already fly his helicopter or private jet to nearby Waukegan Airport and drive a Ferrari to his new Ferrari dealership.
Key Objections from the Village Board
At a recent Lake Bluff Village Zoning Board meeting on March 18th, trustees and residents raised serious concerns:
No Public Good
Saving time for one executive is not a “public good” or “community benefit” for which the village should grant zoning exceptions. This variance serves a single individual—not the community.
Noise Standards Already Set a Clear Bar
Lake Bluff has widely and strictly enforced noise restrictions. Gas-powered leaf blowers and pickleball are both restricted due to noise. If those don't pass muster, helicopters for executive convenience don't come close.
A Dangerous Precedent
Approving this opens the floodgates. Any “busy executive” with enough land could request the same variance for their own convenience. Where does it end?
Alternatives Already Exist
AbbVie already operates a helipad nearby. A board member offered to facilitate introductions so this CEO could use that pad and drive five minutes to his dealership. Waukegan Airport is ten minutes away. The applicant's own presentation inadvertently made this point—showcasing AbbVie's elaborate facility next to the spray-painted circle they plan to put on an existing parking lot, as if to minimize the impact of their proposal.
Children and Families at Risk
The proposed location is the grass strip beside the car storage building and the Lake Bluff Racquet Club, where children attend summer camp on the adjacent grass. A children's therapy center is also nearby—helicopter noise would be deeply disruptive to kids in therapy sessions.
We recognize the importance of businesses and wealthy individuals contributing to our economy and tax base, but the owner bought his business without a helipad—he can operate it without one too.
There are ~45 other Ferrari dealerships in the United States and none of them have their own helipad on property because they are also in similar mixed-use commercial and residential areas and local communities and zoning laws make it very difficult to pass them.
Let's stand together to protect the character and serenity of Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, and Knollwood. We urge the Lake Bluff Village Board of Trustees to reject any official proposal the new owner submits for his helipad and to preserve the essence of our communities.
This should be a no-brainer—but out-of-town owners with money hire attorneys and consultants and threaten to move to get what they want. We need you to act now!