In act of defiance, Stormy’s owner bypasses ‘red tape’ and moves ahead with mural

Chad Bidwill is in trouble. And he knows it.

In fact, he is asking for it.

After years of back and forth with Village of Northfield officials, Bidwill is aware that a mural on an exterior wall of his downtown Northfield establishment, Stormy’s Tavern and Grille, must undergo a public-review process. But facing what he considers to be arduous red tape, Bidwill decided to move forward without a permit.

“I’m obviously expecting some flak,” Bidwill said, “but Iet’s be honest, I’m just trying to make the building look better. … I’ll be the first one to cross the line a little bit and take a bit of a lashing and hopefully make way for other people to do it after.”

Bidwill said he has discussed an exterior mural with village officials on and off for about five years — an experience that left him frustrated. Bidwill said the layers of review did not seem equivalent to his request for Stormy’s, 1735 Orchard Lane.

Northfield Community Development Director Steve Gutierrez said a proposed mural could fall under at least two standards of review: one for signage and possibly advertisement and the other, the design guidelines specific to the village’s downtown district. Under either category, Gutierrez said, a Stormy’s mural would have to begin with a permit application for review by the Village Board’s Architectural Commission.

In Bidwill’s original concept, the mural featured the Stormy’s name and logo, making it a sign, as defined by the Village, and subject to signage regulations (size, color, lighting, etc.). When he learned of the process a couple of years ago, Bidwill pivoted to a design without the Stormy’s markers. But, with Stormy’s location, certain exterior changes, such as a mural, are subject to design guidelines for Northfield’s downtown commercial district. He was told the entire process could take half a year.

So, Bidwill gave up.

“It was like four or five meetings to get approval,” he said. “I am just trying to paint a nice mural, draw some interest and be different. I mean, why not?”

Fast-forward to this year. Bidwill noticed public murals catching on in neighboring communities, such as Skokie, Northbrook and Wilmette. With that in mind, he reintroduced his mural idea to Village staff in the hopes of learning of a more lenient process.

That didn’t happen.

“It’s like they are always trying to find red tape instead of finding a way to get through it and work together,” Bidwill said, adding, “It took a long time for me to say, ‘OK, screw it, I might as well just do it.'”

An artist — renowned Chicago muralist Afrokilla — began working on Stormy’s mural on Sunday, Aug. 11, and Bidwill hopes the piece is complete in a week or two. The mural — which is being created on the building’s east wall, facing an alleyway that leads to the restaurant’s parking lot — revolves around Chicago sports teams, such as the Bulls and Bears, and includes plenty of color.

Gutierrez said in cases where non-permitted projects are underway or complete, the Village typically works with a potential applicant — in this case Bidwill — toward compliance. If an agreement can’t be reached, a fine or citation may be administered, he said.

With work already started on the mural, Bidwill said he has heard from the Village, which requested he stop or face a citation. As he promised, he will face the citation, saying his team will finish the mural and at the same time file an application with the Village in the hopes of retroactive approval.

“I’m trying to change it up a little bit and hopefully, it will make a little bit of a wave and … this loosens up some of that red tape,” he said.

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