ELECTRIC AVENUE

If you've driven down Milwaukee Avenue at rush hour, you know how bad it can be, but you ain't seen nothing yet.  The Village has been asked to re-zone a piece of property south of the DoubleTree for ABT – the giant appliance store now bursting at its seams on Waukegan Road in Morton Grove. 

ABT wants to build a facility four times the size of its current operation – a total of 320,000 square feet – with a parking lot for 1,000 cars.  Each day, 20 trucks will ferry merchandise into the warehouse/showroom complex, and 95 trucks and vans owned by ABT will deliver merchandise to customers.

Needless to say, the neighbors at Glen Cove Estates are not happy.  They're worried about traffic and air quality.   Plan Commissioner Tim Doron is sympathetic and suggests that other members of the panel share their concerns about suburban sprawl.

Doron said, "All seven of us sit and think the same thing: Oh gosh, when is it going to end?  I mean it is a real tough dilemma we're facing because it's a very supercharged economy with low interest rates and the stock market's going crazy and everything, and we're paying the price for it."

In truth, Glenview is not powerless during this time of economic boom, but Doron dismisses the alternative to more sprawl.  "The Village could purchase the property – 26 acres at half a million dollars an acre – whatever – $13 million," he says.  There are 13,000 households in Glenview, and that'd be a heck of a whack on your tax bill."

WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS MATH?

The brush off was reminiscent of Trustee John Patton Jr., who – during debates on open space – implied that the acquisition of land by the Village would be prohibitively expensive.  Several months later, he joined other members of the Board in acquiring 10 acres along the Chicago River for less than $2.4 million and at no added cost to the taxpayers.

That was possible, in part, because the land was zoned industrial, and industrial property sells for a great deal less than Doron's "half million dollars" – the price that might be paid for an acre of residential land in Glenview.  The property where ABT hopes to locate is zoned industrial and could be relatively cheap – unless the Village agrees to re-zone it.

OPEN SPACE ON MILWAUKEE AVENUE?

Why not?  Glenview's premiere sports park will soon open there.  The Grove, the Forest Preserve and the River Trails Nature Center front on Milwaukee.  The land where ABT wants to build is already home to a sizable wetland.  Granted, the noise from Interstate 294 is not a pleasant thing, but the Tollway Authority is building noise barriers in many places and might someday do so for a recreational corridor in Glenview.

TAX REVENUE, GLORIOUS TAX REVENUE

Village managements is, no doubt, salivating over the prospect of sales tax revenues from ABT.  The questions for Glenview residents: What additional costs will we face with this megastore in our midst?  What road improvements and maintenance will be needed?  What extra police services?  Are we willing to further sacrifice quality of life – adding more concrete, traffic and pollution?  Do we really need the revenue?  Would we like more open space?

These concerns should be fully considered before ABT gets the green light.  Chairman Doron says the company could break ground this summer if the land is zoned for business use.  Tell us what you think. Just click REPLY, write and SEND.  Then stay tuned.  The company is expected to make a full presentation at the Plan Commission's next meeting at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 25 at the Village Hall Board Room. 

TOO MUCH NOISE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD?

Our reader DS writes: "While it may not be a major issue for an area with all new construction, it is very detrimental to the quality of life in residential areas where so much construction is going on because of teardowns.  There is not a single day in the week that is free of the noise of construction, not to mention all the other sources of noise, such as leaf blowers, lawn mowers, snowblowers, garbage trucks, etc."
   
Glenview Watch Responds:

Our Village Ordinance allows construction  from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays.  We surveyed 11 surrounding communities and found all but 3 (Des Plaines, Northfield and Lake Forest) ban noisy construction on Sundays.

Of those that allow Sunday work,  Northfield and Des Plaines push the start time back to 10 a.m. on Sundays.  Bannockburn bans construction on both Saturday and Sunday, but an official there admits that schedule is not ideal for all residents.  It keeps some homeowners from making repairs on weekends and could be considered unfair in light of the fact that lawn mowing – an equally noisy proposition – is not forbidden. 

Even so, with a majority of communities making Sunday a day of rest from the noise of tear downs and build ups, Glenview Watch wonders if our town shouldn't take another look at its construction hours. It may also be necessary to beef-up enforcement.

Glenview Watch observed construction underway at 7 a.m. near the intersection of Harrison and Central on Saturday, and residents on the southern border of the Glen complained that work began there at 6:45 am.  When they called police, they were told to take a number.

PEACEFUL PLACES

The start time for that nature walk at Harms Woods has been changed to 1:30 p.m. April 16.  All are welcome.  Meet in the first parking lot south of Glenview Road off Harms.

Like to learn more about prairie?  The Woodworth Prairie – a five-acre garden of native delights – is training docents to give tours during the spring, summer and fall.  We believe this is a paying, part-time job with wonderful benefits – sweet smells, bright colors and the fun of teaching kids about nature.  For more information, call Barb at 446-9912.

A TREE CRUSADE IN NORTHWEST GLENVIEW

When last we wrote, the Village was deadlocked over a requirement that the developer of Glenridge Meadows build a sidewalk for pedestrians and bikers.  The majority of residents said they preferred to keep about 40 mature trees that would have to be removed to install a concrete path.  Those trees give them privacy and shield them from the traffic on Landwehr Road.   On the other hand, residents of neighboring subdivisions might use a sidewalk to reach Winkelman or Field Schools, Glenbrook Hospital, the ice rink or Plaza del Prado.  What to do? 

THE VIEW FROM ON HIGH

In its excellent summary of the situation, the Glenview Announcements quotes Trustee Kent Fuller: "These trees are not perfect specimens.  We're not talking about old heritage trees here. There are some trees that will be coming down, but other trees will fill in." 

Village Manager Paul McCarthy reportedly blamed the developer, Warren James, for waiting until the entire subdivision was built – leaving no place for a sidewalk.  "They should have sold less units and moved them further away from the street," McCarthy said. 

Development Director Mary Bak also complained that the developer had delayed construction of the sidewalk until the project was fully occupied "so as to enlist the support of residents" in protesting the sidewalk.

A TEMPEST IN A TREEPOT?

Glenview Watch is surprised to hear our pre-eminent  environmentalist  endorsing the destruction of trees and dismayed to hear Village management grousing about the developer. Didn't the Plan Commission and the Village Board sign-off on this subdivision?   Didn't the Village  regulate construction?  Why is management complaining  now when we could have nipped this problem in the bud.   (A sidewalk might have been built around the trees before the first home went-up.)

Perhaps the Village should be more proactive on future projects.  Glenbrook Hospital, for example, agreed – reluctantly – to build a sidewalk as part of its planned expansion but took pains to say it would not do so until all the work was done.  Why?  Shouldn't pedestrians benefit right away – especially students and faculty from neighboring Glenbrook South?

With regard to Glenridge Meadows, the Board may seek a compromise when it discusses this matter on April 19.  Residents think the sidewalk could be built on the east side of Landwehr Road – a decision that would please the readers of Glenview Watch who wrote:

"The trees return oxygen to our air.  Bikers give us carbon dioxide.  Save the trees." – RW

"Only God can make a tree.  People from other neighborhoods can just jog and cycle in their neighborhoods on existing sidewalks.  A pox on them!" – BH

"The absence of man-made walks lends to a feeling of naturalness and rustic serenity.  If people yearn for sidewalks, the city of Chicago is loaded with them!  Keep the trees!" – JH
   
TAKING HISTORY TO THE CLEANERS

Reader JL writes: "No more dry cleaners, please!  The old  66 Station at the corner of Harlem and Glenview Roads had more charm than the newly opened dry cleaners, which, by the way, was built abutting an existing dry cleaning business.  Good planning for one of the most noticeable intersections in downtown Glenview.  NOT!" 

"I was born and raised in Glenview.  I can remember Heppner’s Farm, the Sugar Bowl and Rugens Store.  Wouldn't it have been nice to restore those original structures, and many others, to reflect Glenview's charm and history?  Where is the continuity in building an ultra modern hardware store across the street from the Glenview House?"

Glenview Watch Responds:

Too true, JL.  History seems to take a backseat to new development in Glenview.  In August 1998, our village board passed the Historic Preservation Ordinance – a law calling for the appointment of a commission  to "conduct an ongoing survey to identify Glenview's historically and architecturally significant properties and areas, to hold public hearings and recommend adoption of ordinances designating certain Glenview properties as landmarks."

At the time, Board President Nancy Firfer said she was too busy to nominate seven people to the new panel.  Instead, she charged the Plan Commission with deciding whether the historic Dahlquist Building, on the southeast corner of Glenview and Waukegan, should be saved.  That panel, with no historians on Board,  turned thumbs down on a public petition for preservation of Dahlquist.  As one commissioner explained, the building didn't meet the needs of the developer.

Ever hopeful, several history lovers asked to be considered for a place on the new Commission.  As the resumes came in, Nancy Firfer wrote, "It is very encouraging to see such a high level of interest for participation in our community. We will be contacting applicants in the near future as we continue our selection process."

Today, 20 months later, we're still waiting.

APPOINTING QUALIFIED PEOPLE

Glenview Watch notes that Firfer was quick to appoint her political pal Jim Patterson to the Plan Commission despite his lack of planning experience or expertise. We hope that people with a demonstrated love for history will find their way to the Historic Preservation Commission.

Our Reader, JW, said it all: "We certainly need and should have qualified, knowledgeable Glenview citizens on all the Village Boards and Commissions.  Experience as to what these citizens must consider and determine for our benefit should be an absolute requirement. Handing out these positions of responsibility and trust for only political reasons is totally wrong and immoral."

IT'S BAD ALL OVER

Sometime after midnight in 1994 Cook County Commissioners voted themselves and their President a pay raise.  The action produced a storm of public protest, prompting a promise that the Board would create an independent commission to deal with pay raises in the future.
   
That panel was never appointed.  Now comes word that the Commissioners are preparing to up their pay again – from $61,000 to $85,000 and to raise President John Stroger's salary from $115,000 to $170,000.  Give them your thoughts on the matter.  E-mail your County Commissioners Greg Goslin goslin@netpad.com and Cal Sutker: sutker@wwa.com.

AND NOW FOR SOME REALLY BIG NEWS

Chuck & Janelle are back from their winter wanderings and the Glenview Dairy Bar is in business again. This year's new dips: blue raspberry and toasted coconut.  It should be a great summer!


YOUR TURN

What's on your mind? Drop us a line by e-mail at GlenviewWatch@aol.com or the old-fashioned way. We're at 3537 Maple Leaf Drive, Glenview, IL 60025. Thanks for reading. Dean Schott and Sandy Hausman, Co-Editors of The Watch.

To read past issues of Glenview Watch, Click Here