Tours to continue at Bettendorf Castle

FOX RIVER GROVE – There will be future tours of Bettendorf Castle.

Michael Strohl, the owner of the McHenry County landmark at 418 Concord Ave., was found not guilty Wednesday of violating Fox River Grove village ordinances when he allowed busloads of visitors onto his property last summer.

"There is nothing in zoning ordinance which prohibits defendant from showing invited guests his property," McHenry County Circuit Court Judge Michael W. Feetterer said in his written decision.

Bettendorf Castle is a house and grounds modeled after a castle in Luxembourg and includes turrets, a drawbridge and a dungeon.

In August, the village filed charges alleging that Strohl had violated the rules of the residential zoning area in which he lives by inviting visitors to his home and letting them tour the exterior of the castle.

Village officials also charged that Strohl violated the rules of a special-use permit, which governs running a business out of a home – a permit that Strohl does not have.

Village counsel argued that the visits were in line with what Strohl had previously and unsuccessfully petitioned for permission to host.

In February 2011, Strohl asked the village to create a special-use permit for certain residential areas. He wanted permission for properties of historical significance that abut business districts to be considered for "public" use and allowed to host tours, events and other activities.

Strohl's goal was to host tours, weddings and events, but his request was met with complaints. Neighbors said opening the castle for events would create parking problems and traffic hazards, and the request failed at the committee level.

Before the issue came to the full board, Strohl withdrew the request.

He did not, however, stop trying to share his home with interested parties.

With the help of the McHenry County Convention and Visitors Bureau, he hosted tours in July and August, inviting 40 to 50 people to his home each time, walking with them around the grounds and speaking about the history of his castle-residence.

Given the fact that Strohl never accepted payment for the tours he hosted during the summer, Feetterer found Strohl not guilty of the alleged permit violation in addition to his ruling on the zoning ordinance.

"We are very pleased with the outcome of the court case, and I would like to thank Robert Hanlon for representing me and the McHenry County Court system for the fair verdict," Strohl said. "We plan on having guests at the castle in the future."

"Obviously the village is disappointed, but it will abide by Judge Feetterer's decision," said Richard Naughton, attorney for Fox River Grove.

Village Administrator Art Osten Jr. said that village officials will take time to examine the judge's decision before deciding how to proceed.

Another settlement

One of the Bettendorf Castle owners' neighbors has settled a lawsuit accusing her of having a Chicago Police Department employee illegally run license plates of people who attended events at the landmark home.

The lawsuit was filed by Ralph Casten, whose attorney, Robert Hanlon, said he was a visitor to the castle and that Diana Durso as well as "known and unknown co-conspirators" obtained, disclosed and used Casten's personal information from motor vehicle records, as well as those of at least 50 other people who have visited the castle.

Durso did this because she was at odds with castle owner Michael Strohl, because she did not want the property on Concord Avenue open for events and tours, the complaint alleged.

Durso wrote down or directed others, including neighborhood children, to write down license plates numbers of cars parked along the street and then gave them to someone employed by the Chicago Police Department, the complaint said.

The police department employee then allegedly ran the plates through LEADS, or the Law Enforcement Agencies Data System, and gave personal information, such as the vehicle identification number, the owner's name and address, and their driver's license number, to Durso.

"[Durso] selected numerous individuals to contact in order to harass or intimidate Bettendorf Castle visitors to dissuade them from performing any work at the castle or even visiting the castle," according to the complaint.

Vincent Mancini, an attorney representing Durso, previously declined to comment on the allegations.