An Illinois dentist filed a lawsuit in federal court against the village of Hoffman Estates after his proposal to rezone residential property for a dental office was denied, the Daily Herald reported Aug. 9.
Eight things to know:
1. Sam Akmakjian, DMD, is the owner of Long Grove (Ill.) Dental.
2. Dr. Akmakjian owns two plots of land in Hoffman Estates, Ill., that are zoned for residential use.
3. Dr. Akmakjian proposed rezoning the land for a 5,200-square-foot building that would house his dental practice in 2019.
4. Although the Hoffman Estate's planning and zoning commission approved the proposal in August 2019, the village's board ultimately denied it after hearing from several neighbors that spoke out against the plan.
5. Dr. Akmakjian submitted a revised plan for a 4,500-square-foot building this year, which was also denied.
6. The lawsuit claims that the village approved an expansion of a neighboring car wash in 2017, which he said ruined the viability of his two residential lots.
7. The lawsuit seeks to compel the village to rezone Dr. Akmakjian's property and award damages of at least $1 million. It also seeks rewards for attorneys' fees and other costs.
8. Village officials declined to comment on the lawsuit to the Daily Herald.