SENIORS LAMENT NO HOME AT THE GLEN

Senior citizens are growing restless about the lack of affordable housing they were promised at the Glen.   At a recent forum, they pressed Village Board President Nancy Firfer on the matter, asking how they could "get on the list" for a place at the low-cost residence.

Firfer: "We haven't announced, that hasn't been announced yet.  We haven't done a, um, we haven't sold that piece yet.  Watch because that'll be announced in the Announcements.  It'll be on cable."

Senior Citizen: "You said that about three months ago."

Firfer: "Well we haven't fin –  this is, this deal, the reason it's slow, it's slowed-up because. . ."

Citizen: "Would we call Village Hall?"

Firfer: "Eventually you would call whoever we end up selling it to.  It'll be a, it'll be a builder, a developer who will then be doing it, and you'll be able to find the name of that if you haven't seen it anywhere else you can call Village Hall and they can direct you to it, but when we announce it, we had, as I said, we haven't finalized a deal, and that's why, and yes, it was supposed to be before, but we keep redesigning it a bit to make it nice.  One of the things that's been a challenge is to get the quality we want, and these developers have been terrific in working with us, but we're, we, we're not an easy client because we want to do it right.  You only do it once, and so we want to make sure it's done right."

In fact, a citizens' group, Glenview Elderly Housing North, is still searching for state funds and grants to underwrite affordable housing for seniors at the Glen.  Its Board Chairman, former Village President Paul Thomas, says there may be an announcement this fall, but he cautions that the facility they plan will not be the bargain that Patten House is.  That downtown Glenview high-rise is federally subsidized, so its 87 senior residents pay $200 a month on average, and because rents are based on adjusted gross income, some folks actually live there free.   Thomas hopes the new facility, if built, will cost no more than $800 or $900 a month.

The Village is also negotiating with Bethany Methodist Corporation, a Chicago company that owns and operates retirement communities, assisted living and nursing homes.  Bethany would like to build about 200 "deluxe apartments" at the Glen, offering residents over the age of 55 a full range of services: a dining hall, deli and snack shop, wellness center, recreation, transportation and social services.  Executive Vice President Steven Friedman says this will not be "low-income housing," but will be more affordable than what Hyatt has to offer.

PARK DISTRICT COSTS TO INCREASE

Glenview's new fencing ordinance could cost the Park District big bucks.  If the Village requires chain link around construction sites for the new recreation center, the nine-hole golf course and the sports field complex known as West Park, the bill could total $300,000.  Park District Director Tom Richardson says it may not be necessary to fence the golf course since excavation has already taken place.

Meanwhile, the tally for Wagner Farm legal fees is in.  The Park District spent more than $322,000 to condemn and acquire the property.  The Wagner estate refused to accept an original bid, claiming the land was worth more.  In the end, Glenview paid $7.2 million and officially took title to the farm on July 28.   Officials hope to announce several planning committees for the property in early September.  If you have ideas for the future of Wagner Farm and would like to serve, call the Park District's Bob Quill at 657-3222.

VOLUNTEERS FILL A TRUCK FULL OF TRASH

About 25 people took part in a river clean-up last Saturday, filling a pick-up truck with trash in just two hours.  They moved along the north branch of the Chicago River near Kohl's in an area known as the Techny Basin.  The volunteers found plenty of  plastic bags and paper, cans and a mess of tennis balls.  They also collected an enormous stash of beer bottles and cigarette butts.  "I guess we know where the teenagers are hanging-out at night," said organizer Gary Riskin.

A District 34 teacher, he also found the work "educational."  Volunteers saw crayfish holes, large fresh water mussels and a snapping turtle's shells, a great blue heron and a white egret in the course of their riverside ramble.  Another clean-up is set for August 19 from 9-11 a.m., beginning in Kohl's parking lot.  For more information, call Gary at 724-7418. 

LOYOLA ACADEMY RAMBLES TOWARD THE DUMP

Loyola Academy, a Catholic secondary school located near Lake Avenue and the Edens, may be planning a new sports campus in Glenview.  Officials hope to raise up to $25 million for the new athletic facility, perhaps to be located three and a half miles west of the Academy atop the Lutter dump.  A survey was sent to Loyola families and alums last week to generate interest and money.

GLENVIEW'S NEWEST SHOPPING CENTER TO EXPAND

Target and Kohl's will soon have company at their shopping center on Willow west of Waukegan.  A craft store called Michael's, Office Max and Famous Footwear are expected to open this fall, and at least three chain restaurants are en route.  Sweet Tomatoes is a California-based eatery with a substantial salad bar, fresh soups and baked goods.  Chipotle Grill is a high-end fast food Mexican chain owned, in part, by McDonalds, and Bennigans is a full service family restaurant. 

As Glenview prepares to welcome these franchises to feed our masses, residents of Evanston are fighting to keep Starbucks out.  Friday's Tribune quotes community organizer Maureen Glasoe who helped collect a thousand signatures to stop Starbucks from locating at the corner of Main Street and Chicago.  She says Starbucks does not fit with the neighborhood and will generate more traffic in an already congested area.  "Main Street is one of the last bastions of independently-owned businesses," Glasoe says.  "Evanston already has plenty of Starbucks.  We don't need more corporately-owned chains on the street."

NORTHFIELD PLANS FOR WAUKEGAN & WILLOW

Get ready for more maintenance free living.  Having sold its new homes, condos and townhouses at Heatherfield near Willow and Waukegan, the James Company juggernaut is planning more development across the street.  Fox Meadow is unlikely to have either foxes or meadows.  It will consist of 25 single-family homes priced around $800,000 and 31 attached villas that will sell for around $600,000.   The complex will also include a two-acre wetland preserve and a 10-acre park with three playing fields. Access to the 30-acre property will be off Willow, and some residents are raising concerns about the impact on traffic.  A public hearing will be held at Northfield Village Hall on August 14 at 7 p.m.

VILLAGE BOARD PREVIEW – ANOTHER LONG NIGHT

On Friday at 5 p.m. there was still no sign of the giant informational packet that usually comes from the Village Manager's office to Glenview's public library and to the Trustees, so we could not confirm the agenda for Tuesday's meeting, but the Trustees were expected to take up some hot topics at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday:  

The Tree Moratorium:  Right now, residents and developers must get a permit if they want to take down a tree with a trunk that's ten inches or more in diameter.  East Glenview resident and tree advocate Grant Ireland thinks that rule is wrong since it takes red or white oaks at least 50 years to get that big.  He notes that Northbrook protects trees with trunks of six inches or greater.   Those trees can still be removed, but they must be replaced, inch for inch. 

The Teardown Moratorium: Some homeowners and developers are furious over delays at the height of construction season and may wish to address the Board.

The Historic Preservation Commission:  With Trustee John Patton Jr., (and his vote) on hand, President Firfer may introduce her nominees for the new Historic Preservation Commission.  Some appear ill-qualified for the job.  Observers say Firfer delayed the introduction, fearing she might not have the votes to approve the nominees at the last Board meeting when Patton was absent.

Environmental Protection for the Prairie:  The Trustees may also discuss "environmentally significant area" status for the prairie.  Trustee Kent Fuller postponed that topic until the developer of a neighboring industrial park, Catellus, could be on hand.  Environmental advocates think ESA status should be extended to Catellus property where rare grassland birds have been nesting.  The developer could still build but would do so under the watchful eye of our Environmental Review Committee.  Fuller feels that covenants – separate legal agreements with the developer – could provide adequate protection, and Catellus might be more comfortable with that arrangement.

PART-TIME JOBS FOR PRAIRIE FANS

People who like nature and kids are invited to apply for part-time positions with Glenview's Woodworth Prairie along Milwaukee Avenue and Greenwood.   The University of Illinois operates the site, providing tours for students from the last week in August to the first week in October.  Training for tour guides will be provided on August 18 or August 25 from 10 a.m. to noon.   The job pays about $8 an hour.  For more information, call Karen Ramirez at 630-372-0762.

HOWARD'S ARK

At the start of Tuesday's Plan Commission meeting, acting Chairman Howard Silver read an amusing tale of a modern day Noah.  Ordered to build an ark, he tells the Lord that it can't be done for at least five years.  "Please forgive me.  I did my best, but there were some big problems.  First,  I had to get a building permit for the ark's construction, but your plans did not meet their code.  I had to hire an engineer to redo the plans, only to get into a long argument with them about whether to include a sprinkler system.  My neighbors objected, claiming that I was violating zoning ordinances by building the ark in my front yard, so I had to get a variance from the city Planning Board.  Then I had a big problem getting enough wood for the ark, because there was a ban on cutting trees to save the spotted owl."

Noah also struggled with the EPA, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission, the IRS and the Army Corps of Engineers.  At the end of his story, the sky cleared, the sun began to shine and a rainbow arched across the sky.  Noah looked up and smiled.  "You mean you're not going to destroy the world?" he asked hopefully.  "No," said the Lord.  "The government already has."

The tale drew smiles, but they didn't last long.  Within minutes, the commission was deliberating the case of a man who wanted to build two homes on a large lot at 3025 Central.  A small house stands on one side of the property, and the petitioner hoped to build a new house next door while using the old house for storage.  To do that, he must get the Village to "sub-divide" his lot.

First, he was told that he may have to install a sidewalk.  Then, he was informed that he must plant four trees along the parkway at a cost of $1,300, but he cannot cut down any existing trees with a "caliper of 10 inches or greater" on the lot because of an existing tree moratorium –  unless he gets a special permit. 

Under the 60-day teardown moratorium, the house he plans is too big – even though the footprint of the building is well below existing limits on impervious lot coverage.   He can't get subdivision until he knocks down a garage and shed that are too close to the back lot line, and some Commissioners thought he should also tear down the house.
   
"The only thing you can do is pay interest and taxes on the property," said Commissioner Joseph DiMattina laughing.  

Legal questions came up, but the panel's lawyers, Commissioner Linda Witt and Planning Director Mary Bak, were absent. Acting Chair Silver, who had clearly implied a dislike for onerous bureaucracy at the start of the meeting, could think of no way to help the petitioner.  Neither could any of the other Commissioners, so after nearly an hour of discussion they told him to call the building department and come back in two weeks.

The would-be home builder asked if he might be able to start in October when the teardown moratorium expires.  Commissioner Jack Bevington passed the buck: "I can't tell you October.  The Board of Trustees established a moratorium.  The Board of Trustees will take the moratorium off when they feel it's appropriate to do so."

Editor's note: Trustees will take the moratorium off when they get an acceptable teardown ordinance from the Plan Commission.  The Plan Commission spent no time working on that ordinance Tuesday.  

BEVINGTON BARKS AT  D-1 DETRACTOR

The commission was also asked to consider a change that would make first floor offices legal in the downtown or "D-1" district of Glenview.  Officials originally banned new offices in favor of high-density residential development that would feed pedestrian-friendly shops and restaurants.

Mary Sacoff, a citizen who has led the fight against high-density construction in D-1, told the commission she supports the goal of a thriving commercial environment -- the clear intent of consultants who crafted a "vision plan" for downtown Glenview.  Their report mentioned "retail" or "retailing" 68 times.

The request for a change apparently originated with two real estate companies – North Shore and Stone Realty.  Both have new first floor offices in the D-1, and Sacoff questioned their right to be there:  "Since real estate is their business, one would expect these firms to be familiar and in compliance with Glenview's zoning requirements."

She urged the Commission not to approve "arbitrary, helter skelter uses" and suggested that any changes wait until a comprehensive review of the area is complete.  She reminded the panel that their job is to assure "orderly" and attractive development downtown.

Commissioner Bevington appeared outraged.  "Thank you for giving me advice as to what my job is as a plan commissioner," he said.  "I'm sure I couldn't have done it without you."  Sacoff was taken aback.  So was her husband Bob who scolded Bevington for his sarcasm.

The Commission voted not to change the rules for downtown development.  There's no word on whether the two errant real estate offices will be fined $50-$250 a day for violation of Glenview's zoning ordinance.

"FRIENDS ONLY" MEETING AT VILLAGE HALL

Opponents of a referendum for District 34 schools held a strategy meeting at Village Hall Thursday night.  About a dozen people showed-up, but only half supported the cause.  The others were interested citizens or members of the League of Women Voters, a respected watchdog group that tracks important issues and voter trends.

When one started taking notes, the group's leader demanded she stop and explained that this was not a "public meeting."  After heated debate, the seven "unwelcome guests" decided to leave.

A SPY IN OUR MIDST

M is a life-long Glenview resident who loves a practical joke.  He supported the Glenview First ticket in our last local election and sent us this story: "I was at Hackneys on Lake last Thursday, waiting in line when I overheard a lady ask the reservation desk, "Where is the Village United Party meeting."  The kid pointed "upstairs," so I waited a couple of minutes and climbed up the red Hackney steps to the private board room.  Sure enough, there was big Jim Smirles sitting on his throne, surrounded by political advisers holding piles of papers. Dressed in a suit I asked, "Is this where the Glenview First Party meeting is?" Big Jim just glared at me, while the other people looked confused.  I smiled at them all and said "Good luck in April 2001.  Lets go for 2!"  As I walked down to the smell of onion loaves,  I could hear the Board room door slam."

READERS WRITE ABOUT DANGER

KS says: "In light of the recent tragedy at Depot Square, I will once again try to avoid tragedy right under all of our noses and eyes.

"There is a large Nitrogen tank, at least five feet tall,  sitting next to the sidewalk on Glenview Road near Harms Road.  It has been there for years!  There was some yellow "caution" tape around it, but it has worn away.  I have called the Village more than once to talk with the Department of Streets and the Engineering Department.  I even paid a visit to Village Hall where I lodged a complaint with the receptionist and one of the engineers.  There was a lot of shoulder shrugging all around.  No one seems to be interested in finding out who the tank belongs to or how to have it removed. 

"Take a close look at it, but leave your children at home.  It has warning and danger signs all over it.  It has valves on it that look like they could easily be opened.  Of course I didn't try.  But if I was 8 years old and exploring, I just might turn one of those valves.  I have not spent the time to look up what a good shot of nitrogen would do to one. Probably nothing, but common sense tells me that someone should be looking into getting rid of this tank!  Even if it's empty, it looks pretty heavy.

Perhaps the Streets Department could move the tank to some secured area and leave a really nice note, maybe on cute flowered stationery, telling the owner where to call when they come looking for it.   Let's avoid another needless tragedy, Glenview!"            

THE EARLY POOL CATCHES A CUSTOMER

SB is ready to join: "A week or so ago you printed the costs of joining the new community center at the Glen and I think the prices are very affordable.  Now I would like to know if you or anyone yet knows the hours the community center will be open.  I work downtown and like to exercise very early in the morning before getting on the train and am hoping against hope that the swimming  pool/fitness center will be open at 5:30 for the "early birds" of Glenview.  Also, which pool will hold water aerobics classes?"

The Watch replies: Good news, S.  Park Center will be ready for you at 5:30 a.m., Monday through Friday.  Doors open a little later on the weekends, and all of this stuff will be explained in a brochure that goes out in early October.  That leaves you about three months to sign-up for the aerobics class and pack your athletic bag.  Enjoy!

RIVER WATCH

MG writes: "Last Saturday morning,  I joined 25-30 "environmental extremists" (as the Announcements likes to call us) to clean up junk from the west fork of the north branch of the Chicago River. We had no problem finding refuse all the way from Willow, past the new Kohl's, all the way down to the south end of the big retention basin.  But the highest concentration of crap was adjacent to the new Medical Arts Building, which is under construction at 2401 Ravine Way.  Between the building and the river we found yards of ragged silt fence, broken styrofoam insulation, broken surveying sticks, numerous remnants of construction worker's lunches including enough Marlboro miles to earn a leather jacket and the discarded packaging of just about every material it takes to build a building.  A developer is currently working on the parking lot which is less than three feet from the bike path that goes around the basin. On Saturday, they had piled dirt from the parking lot construction on the bike path.  At another location, the asphalt path was crumbling at the spot where the developer was laying some pipes.

"First question; why was a developer allowed to build a pre-cast concrete slab with no landscaping between the parking lot and a Village owned "natural area?"  Second, why can a developer dump garbage in a public park and damage the taxpayers' bike path and our Village does nothing about it?"  

The Watch replies: We brought this problem to the attention of Trustee Kent Fuller who was active in organizing the clean-up.  He pledged to ask for an investigation by village staff.

JERRY KRAUSE FOR VILLAGE BOARD?

Mack says, "I have forwarded polaroids of property damage by builders of homes on Pleasant Lane east of Wagner to Ms. Firfer and been totally ignored.  The pictures were probably tossed.  They showed  hazardous streets, plugged sewers, property damage and no accountability.  How about some responsiveness from the Village, some compassion,  problem solving and competent management!  Village Hall is  making Jerry Krause look good!"

BEAM ME UP, ZCLOSER

From Biff Thiele comes this letter responding to Zcloser.  "I believe that it is a given that anybody who quotes Spock from Star Trek on a serious issue is not in touch with reality!

Sadly Z, it's pretty easy to keep up with your cheap shot mentality. Actually, most of us are waiting for you to catch up. I'll try to use as many of your own examples (in quotes here), while you struggle to pick up the points you missed.

"1.  Nobody's building 12,000 square foot homes on half acre lots. DUH! It's about recognizing such loop holes exist and eliminating them.

"2. Let's DO be realistic, Z. The moratorium was a necessary evil to stop those who use existing ordinances to maximize personal gain, without concern for the affected neighborhoods. No one wants to ban large homes or additions. But, an ordinance is needed to keep new homes and additions proportional to existing neighborhoods. If you want a 7,000 square foot home, then you need to build it in a neighborhood where it doesn't dwarf surrounding homes.

"The ‘punitive' moratorium as you call it, gives Commissioners the time they need to put together a comprehensive ordinance that will serve ‘the needs of the many' (concerned neighborhoods), which far ‘outweigh the needs of the few' (irresponsible builders). Nothing stops the Commissioners from ‘completing their process.'  The moratorium only stops the builders. Based on your statements to the contrary, it would appear that it is you who has a ‘lack of vision.'

"3. What myself, Mr. Feit & Mrs. Morrison have done is something called grass roots community action, and we are quite happy with our ‘victory,' thank you very much. CAP asked for a moratorium. But, it was your builder friends -- those who can only see the homes being built, rather than the neighborhoods being affected -- that created the need for ‘crisis management.' You see, for the affected neighborhoods that your ‘rhetoric' ignores, a crisis already exists.

"4. As for ‘lack of accountability' - come on Z Baby!! Isn't that a two way street? How about accountability on the part of the builders?  And on a more personal level, where's is your accountability? I sign my name, when I give my opinion.

AND, OF COURSE, AOPENER MUST HAVE HIS SAY

"Zcloser seems to be spatially disoriented –  perhaps too much time watching Star Trek! Zcloser says he has not seen a 12,000 square foot house on x acre in Glenview (thank God!) yet he fully supports current zoning laws that permit it. Hello! again.

"Had Zcloser attended or watched the Plan Commission and/or Board of Trustee meetings March to date, he would be aware of 6,000+ sf replacement houses in neighborhoods of 2,000-3,000 sf houses, 7,500 sf replacement houses in neighborhoods averaging 3,500 sf, 4,000+ sf replacement houses in neighborhoods of 1,500-2,000 sf houses and so on, all over Glenview.

"These out-of-place oversized behemoths don't seem to bother Zcloser because they have been built in compliance with current zoning laws. Hello! again. And, of course, they are not being built in Zcloser's neighborhood! Nor does the canyon or Lincoln Park effect that has devastated the Henley and Dewes neighborhood by building so far back into a lot to get maximum square footage that neighbors now look at brick walls where they once looked at green trees, bushes and blue skies! Similar effects plus just OVERWHELMING MASS of replacement houses afflict other neighborhoods.

"Zcloser says he welcomes any size house that complies with existing Zoning laws into his neighborhood. Really? I wonder how Zcloser's spouse or neighbors would feel about a teardown followed by a replacement house DOUBLE or TRIPLE-SIZE next door, especially from their patio or deck? You may well find yourself the pariah of your neighborhood, Zcloser - so best you remain, ‘Zcloser!' And please don't move to my neighborhood, Zcloser, because we support  proportionality, the common sense, altruistic (refer to Webster's, Zcloser) and good judgment concept pioneered by Richard Feit and embraced by the citizens group representing Glenview residents from R2,3,4 and 5 zoning districts called, Citizens Action for Proportionality  that has repeatedly welcomed teardowns followed by larger replacement houses that FIT IN, SIZE-WISE and make sense, but do not dwarf or overwhelm existing houses.

"Hardly ‘Extremist Rhetoric' as Zcloser calls it but the neighborly concern, respect for existing home - owners rights and basic ‘We, not Me' attitude that, if exercised by architects, builders and clients would have avoided a moratorium in the first place. But, because of more and more neighborhoods being pillaged by monster-size replacement houses over an 18-month period, aided by builder-biased zoning laws, the citizenry from all zoning districts (the ‘many,' Zcloser) and the Board of Trustees said enough is enough and it's time to stop the pillaging so that the Plan Commission can develop sensible resident-oriented zoning laws for the benefit of all residents of Glenview – not just the architects, builders and their clients,(‘the few,' Zcloser). And so, the Board of Trustees, in their unanimous vote August 1st, has stimulated Village government to prioritize the needs of its residential neighborhoods (‘the many,' Zcloser) over the ‘Me, not We,' ‘More Bulk = More Profit,' (‘the few,' Zcloser) and their domino devastation of neighborhoods with monster-size houses.  Finally,  Zcloser claims to be just a simple homeowner, but it seems more like Zcloser may be. . .just simple.


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