SWIMMING DOWN GLENVIEW ROAD

It was a long day for Glenview's Director of Public Works Friday.   After dispatching a crew to the scene of a mid-morning water main break near the intersection of Pfingsten and Glenview Roads,  Bill Porter learned of a second major break – this one at about 2 p.m. on Glenview Road between Raleigh and Drake.  A repair team worked in the pouring rain until about 9 p.m. to make repairs.

At one point, water was cut to a number of homes, and police were forced to divert traffic through the Circles – a stately neighborhood not accustomed to heavy traffic.  Residents there said it was bumper to bumper, and they had a hard time getting out of their driveways. Porter said the morning break occurred in an old section of pipe that was scheduled for replacement, but he was surprised by the eastside break and pledged a full investigation.

PLANNER CASTS DOUBT ON FUTURE OF DOWNTOWN GLENVIEW

Since 1995, Village leaders have been pushing for more condos and townhouses downtown – acting on the advice of a consultant who said more people would bring more exciting businesses to the vicinity of Glenview and Waukegan Roads.  Two Optima projects were approved to attract national chains, like the GAP, to Glenview.

This week, the consultant said we could continue to build downtown, adding another 820 residents, but that wouldn't change our business prospects.  Pete Pointer said  there are already enough people living in the vicinity to attract stores, and adding more residents will not improve the odds of attracting national retailers. New development will, however, increase traffic and the need for parking.  Pointer warned Glenview not to approve new, high-density housing at the expense of places to park cars.

Meanwhile, a traffic consultant reports trouble along Glenview Road.  Benes and Associates studied the intersections of Greenwood, Shermer, Harlem, Church and Waukegan.  Three got a grade of "D" – the lowest level of acceptable service.

If downtown continues to build,  Benes said two of those intersections – Waukegan and Greenwood – would get so bad during the afternoon rush hour that delays would be "extreme," and drivers would often be forced to wait through more than one cycle of the traffic light.

When Trustee John Patton asked if an increase in traffic and growing driver impatience might put pedestrians at risk, the Benes consultant said yes – but the severity would be less since cars would be moving so slowly.

INSIDERS AND POLITICAL PALS TO PLAN VILLAGE FUTURE

Village Board President Nancy Firfer announced her choices for the Comprehensive Plan Committee Tuesday.  That Board will draw a map for our future – a 10-year guide for development in Glenview.

Given the complex problems faced by this community, you might expect Firfer to search for people with strong planning qualifications.   Instead, she picked members of current government bodies and her political pal, Susan Isenberg.

A former member of the District 225 School Board, Isenberg managed to alienate fellow Board members, administrators and staff with her abrasive and questionable conduct.  The outcry was so loud that  225's caucus refused to slate her for re-election.

In making the appointments, Firfer claimed these were not "political" choices, but Trustee John Crawford disagreed.  Without mentioning her name, Crawford said Isenberg had railed against members of the Glenview First party at Board meetings and in the Glenview Announcements.  "She is political to the very fiber of her being." 

One member of the Village Board who spent years studying the subject of downtown density and opposing over-development was not expected to get a seat on the committee, but under pressure from several Trustees over the weekend, Firfer decided to include all Trustees.  Firfer even appointed herself to the panel as a non-voting member of the panel.

Other members include Plan Commissioner Howard Silver, Zoning Board President Ty Laurie, Appearance Board member John Hedrick, Ralph Lynch (an appointee from the Chamber of Commerce), attorney Mark Steger who was active in the fight to save Wagner Farm and Rita Planey, a parent activist from School District 34.

Trustee Rachel Cook questioned the absence of someone from the League of Women Voters.  That group has been in the forefront of research and advice on community planning, and its members were insulted by Firfer's sleight. 

"It's a group, of course, that we all like and respect," said Firfer, "but we don't really formally have any, we've never, I shouldn't say we just have never historically, it's not that we couldn't and certainly if you'd like to add somebody, if you would like to do that I certainly wouldn't, I just was trying, the only reason, y'know the only specific group that we usually have is the chamber because they represent a physical presence in this community that has an impact on what we do – impacts them as well as impacts us, and we historically have not had formal organizations represented because we have a lot of those in town."

The new committee's chairman, Trustee Larry Carlson, applauded Firfer's team.  "You've got people who've lived in Glenview all their lives.  You've got people who haven't lived in Glenview all their lives.  You've got a lot of different perspectives, and I think this is a pretty good committee."

ABT GETS THE OKAY

The Village Board gave unanimous approval to ABT's plan to buy land and build a 350,000 square foot superstore and warehouse with 76 loading docks and a sizable parking lot on Milwaukee Avenue. Despite public qualms about traffic, noise and air pollution created by a fleet of 95 vans and trucks, the Trustees rolled out a red carpet for ABT's tax dollars and sent the welcome wagon  with a 50 percent sales tax abatement deal.  Abt will recoup up to $11 million over 15 years.

Community leader and future ABT neighbor Nancy Diveris questioned the need for that  incentive and proposed that residents get a tax break too.  "Nobody's forcing ABT to come here.  These people are going to make big money here," she said.

Mr. ABT responded:  "We still are a family business ... We don't have Home Depot's billions.  We don't have that much money . . . We do need financial help."  Glenview Watch notes that smaller businesses in need of financial help usually consult a bank.

Trustees Pappo and Crawford pressed ABT about noise problems, noting that semis will arrive in the wee hours, loaded with consumer electronics, and sit, engines idling, until they can unload, but Trustee Patton dismissed that concern, pointing out that the ABT site is adjacent to the Tri-State Tollway.

Patton said that at night he can hear traffic from I-294 at his home east of Waukegan Road.  Some neighbors in the Circles were amazed by Patton's bat-like powers of hearing.  They had never noticed any highway noise and wondered – if he does hear it – whether Patton can really tell the difference between 294 and the Edens.

In the end, ethical questions and concerns about quality of life were swept away by euphoria over anticipated sales and property taxes.  ABT’s consultant predicted District 225 would realize more than $400,000 a year.  District 34 could get $700,000 in property taxes, and the village is projected to get $900,000.   Construction should begin in September with a grand opening in autumn 2001.

MORATORIUM  – AND TREES –  STILL STANDING

The Board also voted to keep its tree moratorium in place until it can come up with an ordinance next month.  The decision was a slap to the Plan Commission, which had voted unanimously against a law protecting trees.  In public testimony, builders argued that they try to save trees because they increase the value of property, that no crisis exists and that Glenview has more trees than at any other time in its history.  (They did not mention that asphalt and concrete are also at an all-time high.)

Trustee Patton found that a compelling argument, noting that he had done "research" on the history of trees in Glenview – studying old-time photos on the wall at Hackney's restaurant, and Trustee Carlson expressed frustration at the prospect of  regulation.

"It is, as usual, the few slash and burn builders who are the ones who are causing this problem," Carlson said.  "I've given it a lot of thought, and I haven't come up with a way to beat them, but somehow we have to come up with something that is going to stop them from clear-cutting their land every chance they get."  (How about a tree ordinance, Larry.)

Leadership on the issue came from a member of the public, Alexis Reynolds, who felt tree preservation should be a priority in "Tree City."  She proposed that all property buyers be given literature explaining which trees are most valuable, and that they be required to do a tree inventory.

"A 100 year-old maple was recently cut down in our neighborhood," Reynolds explained, "and people were up in arms because the guy said, `I didn't know what it was.'" 

Reynolds also proposed that builders or homeowners who want to cut down trees be required to issue a public notice two weeks beforehand and make trees available to anyone willing to transplant them.

THE VILLAGE GIVETH WHAT DEVELOPERS TAKETH AWAY

The Trustees agreed to buy 1,080 trees for medians and parkways along Chestnut Street and Patriot Boulevard at the Glen.  Staffer Amy Ahner said the Village could buy through the Suburban Tree Consortium for only $227,000. 

The Board also okayed a contract with Wilmette to supply additional water for the Glen and other new homes in the Village.  The cost: $4.5 million.  Most of that money will come from the TIF funds generated by Glen redevelopment, and Village officials say current residents will see no increase in their water rates.

BANNERS AND BLARNEY

Next came a proposal to buy street and park lights for the Glen with "arms" that allow hanging of  flags and banners.  The bill for 530 lights was nearly $795,000 – not including installation. 

Trustees Crawford and Pappo questioned the need for banner arms that added $300 to the price of each light.  Ahner said the banners could be used to promote events like Glenview's street sale.  "Banners are a celebration of the community," she explained.

"The Park District has banners that they put on our street lights, the library does.  They're used by all kinds of organizations as well as just celebrating the seasons," said President Firfer. Always a woman in fashion, she noted that, "You go to almost any community, and the main roads have the banners.  They're very attractive."

Trustee Pappo said she did not think this concept was compatible with the Glen's bike path.  "It would be a harsh contrast to a natural experience to have banners advertising anything.  I find it troublesome that we're going to spend over $200,000 on these things."

Trustee Carlson wasn't sure what to think and asked if there was someplace he could go to actually see how  banners look.  He was gently informed that banners hang in downtown Glenview.  (Which may tell you how much banners do for our streetscape.)

Trustee Crawford suggested scaling back on the number of lights equipped with banner arms, but Village Manager Paul McCarthy objected, referring to possible volume discounts from the  manufacturer.  "I guess one of the concerns I have when you're trying to save a hundred dollars or two hundred dollars on the pole, if we don't decide what we're going to do expeditiously, the unit cost may go up $500, so it's your gamble."

Crawford apparently thought that was a bit of blarney.  "You're exaggerating a little, Paul," he said.  Since neither McCarthy, Ahner nor members of the board knew what the financial implications of a change might be, Crawford proposed putting the decision off until the board's next meeting on July 18.

MORE TO COME ...THREE SCHOOLS SEEK PERMISSION TO EXPAND

Faced with growing enrollment, District 34 asked for and won permission, Tuesday, to build onto Westbrook and Springman schools and to construct a new middle school at the Glen. 

BOARD OKAYS GROWTH ON GREENWOOD

A new nine-home subdivision was okayed for Greenwood near the Glen.  Trustees Carlson, Pappo and Cook voted against it arguing that the density was too high and positioning of homes – their backs to the street – was not very neighborly.  Carlson warned that the area is in for a good deal more development, and the Board might be setting a dangerous precedent.   "There's two other parcels that are apparently for sale up there . . . and I think we're going to see more of those older large parcels come in for development."

BUSINESS AS USUAL – BOARD MEETS FOR SIX HOURS!

Despite their decision to start Tuesday's meeting at 6 p.m. – necessitating a bountiful buffet dinner in the Board room – the trustees were unable to finish business before midnight.  Marathon meetings are a drain on Board members who have enough trouble tackling the difficult issues of our day when they're awake.  Six-hour municipal sessions are also a disservice to the working public and detract from citizen efforts to stay informed.

As a service to our tireless public servants, Glenview Watch asks readers to suggest ways that Board meetings can be streamlined?   Should honors for winning high school teams and brave public officials be given at special luncheons?  Should more of the Board's work be done by committees?  Does Nancy Firfer need presidential lessons?  Click "reply," write and send.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul."  – George Bernard Shaw

READERS WRITE:

SS welcomes the news that ABT will be coming to Glenview.  "Even 50 percent of the sales tax dollars generated by 100 million dollars in annual sales is a far greater return than we would receive from another housing development in that area.  The location would not draw an "expensive" subdivision, and do we need expansion of the Salem Walks and other low income housing which would increase our student base but not increase our revenue base for the school districts?"

The Watch replies: From a practical standpoint, there's no question that Glenview will see big tax benefits from ABT, and while we have a philosophical problem with welfare  for large, successful private businesses, that is the reality of our world.  Had we not come up with the cash, ABT might have chosen to move elsewhere.

The argument that housing might be built at the site and more kids sent to our schools was raised by the developer, but it was a false threat, perhaps used to make the ABT deal look even more appealing.  The land in question is zoned for industrial use.  Anything built at that site is likely to generate considerable tax revenue for our schools without putting kids into classrooms, and some uses might have created far less traffic than ABT with its fleet of delivery trucks and suppliers.

Responding to our report about AT&T cable, Biff Thiele shares this tale of woe:  Last summer, we decided to remove a utility pole on our yard that was about to fall over.  We called the phone company, the cable company and Com Ed. I dug a four foot deep  trench. Then Com Ed came out, dug their trench to meet mine and buried their lines along with the phone lines.  They removed the pole, leaving AT&T/TCI's cable hanging from the street to a tree.

After weeks and weeks of phoning AT&T/TCI, someone finally showed up. But, rather than connect us up and bury their lines, they assessed the situation and left. The ground began to freeze as October came upon us. They sent an engineer out and he began to run the lines along an easement, but, a neighbor came out and questioned his right to dig there. He said he would check with the Village.  I said fine, lay the lines in our yard until you get approval. Winter came and they said "Whoops the ground is frozen."

Spring came early, but, AT&T did not. Finally a new engineer came out last week after JULIE. painted and flagged our yard for him. By now, I had again trenched for the cable and buried the lines myself.  The engineer looked everything over and said we need to remove these cables hanging in the tree and bury the lines along the easement. DUH!!! Then she left to go to the Village to locate easement documentation.

Well, next month is a year we've been waiting on the new AT&T/TCI to perform something - anything. The Com Ed trench has long since settled and grass is growing where the phone and power lines are buried. But AT&T/TCI's old cable  is still hanging from the tree and still hooked up to the utility pole on the street, while the new cable remains out on the easement.

SJ has been birdwatching: "I heard about your feeling regarding the hawks at the Glen and felt I had to respond.  Those hawks have been in the area for many years and don't just have their habitat at the Glen.  They also spend a lot of time at the Glenview Park District Golf Course.  Many golfers have watched these hawks for years.  Also, we have them visit our neighborhood (Lake and Pfingsten)."

The Watch responds: You're absolutely right, SJ.  In fact, the hawks – displaced from their base and golf course digs – are turning-up all over town.  They are, actually, a bit of a problem in the northern part of the Glen where rarer grassland birds nest.  Hawks prey on the baby grassland birds.   That's why the Environmental Review Committee discouraged planting of trees – great roosts for hawks –  near the prairie.  Time will tell whether such advice from that panel of scientists and planners will be heard over the bulldozers building the Prairie Glen industrial park.

Bob Walker feels crowded by new construction.  "When shops were on the corner of Waukegan and Glenview Roads," he writes, "there was a deep setback to storefronts.  Now, Optima seems to be crowding the curb.  The same is true of the other Optima building (on Dewes).  Was this approved?  Does the Village monitor construction to be sure it's done according to plans?"

"Also, I feel that the various boards are being over worked.  There are too many details to be handled by so few.  Things fall through the cracks.  We need more competent professionals interested in serving on these governing boards."

Glenview Watch responds:  The Village Planning Office recommended and the Village Board approved elimination of setback requirements for this project, feeling that downtown should be different from the rest of Glenview.  The idea is to create a "pedestrian friendly" place for business – an in-your-face design for those who want your dollars.  In Chicago, the big daddy of downtowns, that was once the way, but lately Mayor Daley has been crusading for more landscaping, ornamental fences and open space.


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.

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