DON'T SEND MONEY

Six months ago we asked readers to help with the costs of producing The Watch.  Many responded to our call, enabling us to cover expenses for our website, postage and duplication of copies mailed to readers or left at Glenview's public library.  If you sent a donation at that time, we thank you again and say, "Don't send money." 

To the rest of you – a gentle request.  Please consider making a contribution to our cause: better public information about our village and our neighbors. Checks should be made payable to Glenview Watch and mailed to 3537 Maple Leaf Drive, Glenview, IL 60025. 

We are not a charity, so your donation is not tax deductible, but you can feel good about joining  an important and growing group in Glenview – people who care about our future and want to support a public forum for news, analysis, and discussion of the issues. Thanks for your help.

– Sandy Hausman & Dean Schott

LIBRARY MAY GET NEW DOWNTOWN LOCATION

Glenview residents who want their library to stay downtown may have cause for hope.  After a joint meeting with village trustees, the library board has agreed to delay a decision for 90 days while officials explore several possible sites downtown including one on Glenview Road, not far from the current location.  The land around the Patio Shops – located between Waukegan Road and the railroad tracks on the south side of the street – would be sufficient to accommodate a large new library with ample parking, and some planners think its construction would spark the long awaited rebirth of downtown.

If efforts to acquire a downtown site are not successful, library board members may vote to build at The Glen, where land has been set aside for them.  Board members have ruled out the current location of Village Hall and the police station, feeling it is too small and not pedestrian friendly.

Meanwhile, discussions continue over the ideal size for a new library. Board members now think 80,000 square feet would give them enough operating space.  Right now, the library uses about 45,000 square feet for programs with an additional 15% of the building devoted to hallways, stairways and restrooms.  An architect working with the library says compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act will require devoting about 30% of the new building to those common areas, bringing the need for space to just over 110,000 square feet.

MURC GETS THE GO FROM PLANNING BOARD, BUT SPARKS FLY FIRST

The Glen Redevelopment Commission, set-up to function as a planning, appearance and zoning board for all properties at The Glen, gave its approval to a mixed use retail center Wednesday, but two members voted against the project, and Chairman Howard Silver expressed strong reservations before giving his support.

Silver began with a protest against calls for the GRC to wrap things up before the anchor tenant at the MURC, the Iowa-based department store Von Maur, gets cold feet.  "I take strong exception to the demands that members of this board roll over and play dead for any developer."

He pointed out that by law the GRC must perform a good faith evaluation or risk court challenges of projects it approves and cited a case in Lisle where citizens successfully challenged plans for a big box store because their Plan Commission was biased and did not hold a fair public hearing.  "We don't want that to happen here," Silver said  in urging fellow members to give the MURC a professional, independent review.

Editor's note: While Village President Larry Carlson and Trustee John Crawford were quoted in the Announcements suggesting the GRC finish its work quickly, Silver only attacked Crawford, saying he viewed the GRC as a "rubber stamp."

Crawford told the Watch that he and Carlson do not view the GRC as a rubber stamp, and he did not object to continued discussion of traffic patterns and town homes.  He did, however, want a green light to begin work on infrastructure and conversion of Hangar One so Von Maur could open in February 2003. "The taxpayers of Glenview and the school districts have too much at stake in the development of the MURC for the village trustees to sit by and let delay in implementation of this venture endanger its success," Crawford said.

DEVELOPER WON'T BEND ON THE BIG STUFF

During Wednesday's hearing, developer Paul Buss said his team had already addressed some commission concerns with more parking and a 14-foot brick wall covered with ivy to shield Kemper's golf club from a view of Von Maur's rear end.  Buss was unwilling, however, to give up five-way intersections leading to and from the shopping center.  A traffic consultant admitted that they are more complex than four-way intersections but felt they worked well for this site and would be safe. 

Buss also refused to consider a larger village green, arguing that it would not boost retail sales.  In deference to Commissioner Mary Novotny, who complained that a fountain pictured in early drawings of the site had disappeared from plans, the developer presented a series of water spouting options.  The panel rejected a large fountain priced at about $250,000 but they liked a smaller, cheaper one. Commissioner Jack Bevington asked how high the water would go.  "It goes up as high as your budget allows," joked the project's landscape architect. 

Novotny and fellow Zoning Board Member Ron Greco objected to the five-way intersections and to town homes that will be at least 45 feet tall.  Echoing the consensus of the ZBA, both voted against the MURC.  Commissioners Bevington, Mark Igleski, Bruce Burch and Linda Witt expressed support for the project – Witt saying she looked forward to shopping there.

SILVER SPEAKS HIS MIND

In a prepared statement, Silver gave his honest opinion of the MURC –  what he called the "single most important thing this board has so far encountered."

"As a plan commissioner for the past 16 years, I've learned quite a bit on how to build a town, and I have some real problems now because the petitioner has asked us to ignore the rules of good urban planning.  Not only are we throwing out the book, but we're also being asked to approve such unconventional items as not one but two five-way intersections, something that every traffic expert I've talked to laughs at and that no town would dare approve today."

"The petitioner, which includes our village, in many cases pushed the envelope of reasonableness for the sake of this mall and the marketing of homes.  I'm concerned further because we have heard many times that the reason that things can't be done a better way is because that is the way Von Maur wants it.  I become upset every time I picture two brothers sitting somewhere in the middle of Iowa controlling the fate of Glenview for generations to come."

"Professional pride and common sense would dictate that I should not support this project, yet . . I recognize some of the real life facts in this case.  First, as a condition of the project the petitioner was handed Hangar One – a big, hulking dilapidated barn that has no real value other than as a memory of better times at GNAS, and has been told to make the proverbial sow's ear into a silk purse at much financial risk to himself and to Glenview."

"Second, I believe that the village has painted itself into a corner with the TIF.  I'm not here to debate the merits of the TIF.  In fact, I've supported it in the past and still do, but I need to be realistic about where we are today.  If we don't get the MURC developed, it will have a terrible effect on our schools and village for years to come, and our proud triple-A bond rating, something that we share with only about 60 governments in the entire country, will go down the toilet.  Unfortunately, that's not a threat if [the developer] walks. It's a promise."

Silver said he liked the idea of having an exciting and viable town center but called on the village board to "negotiate away the many sticking points that we have identified and that they know in their hearts really don't belong."

VILLAGE BOARD DUST UP OVER NEW GLEN BUILDING

At their regular Tuesday meeting, the trustees clashed over plans for a much smaller matter at The Glen – a new building in Gallery Park that will contain electrical equipment and controls for the man-made Lake Glenview.  Assistant Redevelopment Director Amy Ahner asked for $38,400 to plan the 1,200-foot structure and predicted the building would cost up to $350,000.

"That seems like an awful lot of money to me for a simple structure," said Trustee John Crawford.

"Do we need such an expensive structure?" asked Trustee Mike Guinane.  As he began to elaborate, Manager McCarthy jumped in, but Guinane would not be interrupted. "Excuse me, Mr. McCarthy," he said.  "Before you start. . ."

"I'm sorry," said McCarthy, "but I'm talking to Amy."

"I'm talking to Amy too," said Guinane.  "My concern is we're spending thousands – hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars here at The Glen, and we can build a house for $350,000.  I don't know how many bedrooms and bathrooms this one is coming with.  Can we do something to bring the cost down?"

Ahner said the building was to have a special overhanging roof to provide shelter for park patrons and would be served by water and sewer lines.  The estimated price would also include its driveway, and in order to match public pavilions in the park – buildings that cost $425,000 apiece –  costly building materials would be needed.  Her estimate did not include equipment to be kept there – a well and pump to maintain the lake and gear to control the park's electricity, but Ahner argued,  "we have a significant investment into this park, and this building holds a lot of that investment. It needs to be a secure building."

Later, she admitted the single-story structure to be situated on the north side of Gallery Park would not be very visible.  Instead, it would be shielded by the tennis courts, tucked in between a bike path and the lake.

McCARTHY DESCRIBES DILEMMA – "A SPICY MEATBALL"

Village Manager McCarthy thought the essence of the problem lay with design guidelines established by a previous board.  All developers have had to comply, "and that's a pretty spicy meatball," he said. "If the board wants to put this inside of a dumpster, that's fine, but the board can't do that and. . .comply with the design guidelines."

"Well, Mr. Village Manager," said Crawford, "the only people who will be using this well house will be the maintenance and engineering people employed by the village or the park district, and I really think we ought to take another look and decide whether we want to spend $350,000.  If we decide that we don't, let's have a redesign and save a couple of hundred thousand dollars."

LERNER AND CRAWFORD CLASH

"For the benefit of those that are new," said Trustee Jeff Lerner, "we're five or six years into this project.  We're three or four hundred million dollars into this project, and I don't see the point in backing up and starting a whole new concept of redesign.  This is the end of the project, not the beginning, and I don't think you're going to save a significant amount of money in terms of the whole project.  You're going to have a multi-million dollar park with a cardboard box.  It's not going to make any sense. . . I think it may be a little late to change the rules of the game."

Trustee Mary Beth Denefe agreed.  "I think it's too late in the game to start changing things of this ilk."

"Granted the money we're suggesting could be saved here is small compared to the millions of dollars we've spent," said Crawford, "but I think you should be aware that Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (the architectural consultant for The Glen's design guidelines and master plan)  had some very grandiose ideas."

Crawford reminded Lerner that Skidmore had proposed a $2 million boathouse, which Crawford and his allies on the board shot out of the water last year. "I don't think anything that has been recommended by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill was written on tablets of stone," he said. 

"I think this is too expensive, and I am not done criticizing some of the big ideas some people have for spending the millions of dollars available from the TIF under the assumption that this is free money that comes off the trees. . .Every dollar spent from the TIF is money that comes from the taxpayers."

WILL TRUSTEES STOP THE TRAIN WRECK?

Trustee Rachel Cook expressed frustration over the need to carry out plans formulated long before she joined the village board.  "The train left the station before I got on board," she said.

Lerner said he could see her point but felt a sense of obligation to those who originally planned The Glen.  "We have a responsibility to carry out the vision, whether we agree with it or not."

Trustee Donna Pappo replied that the board was also charged with "preventing this train ride from becoming a train wreck by putting on the brakes when we have to."

"We have to start containing costs at The Glen," said Guinane.  "It does seem that we're spending millions and millions every meeting, and I'm concerned about that. . .It's extending the life of the TIF and taking money from the pocketbooks of homeowners in this community."

He urged the staff to "somehow contain the costs."

Lerner suggested that the village staff are "looking out for our interests."

"I think staff has done a pretty good job of watching out for the interests of Glenview taxpayers," said President Carlson.  "This building's going to be there for the next 50 years.  We don't want to cut corners on quality."

"Well I'm not saying we should build a lean-to," said Crawford.

Lerner then moved to approve the money for building plans.  Denefe seconded it, and all but Crawford voted "aye."

Editor's note:  The role of guarding public tax dollars belongs to our trustees who are elected by the voters to make sure public money is spent wisely.  This is not a job that can or should be delegated to village staff.  The board should routinely question expenditures and be on the look out for ways to save money.

$21,000 TO PROVE PRAIRIE AND RIVER  ENVIRONMENTALLY SIGNIFICANT

Glenview's Development Director Mary Bak appeared before the board to ask for a contract with Conservation Design Forum, an environmental consultant hired to document natural features of the Air Station Prairie and to help restore the Techny Basin.

The village board had expressed interest in declaring the basin, the Chicago River and the Woodworth Prairie on Milwaukee Avenue  environmentally significant  – making them eligible for special protection from the impact of development. 

To achieve that goal, someone must make a presentation to Glenview's Environmental Review Commission.  Specifically, Bak said the consultant wanted $12,500 for the river area and $8,500 for Woodworth – a site owned by the University of Illinois.

Asked why the university could not do the Woodworth job at no charge, Bak sighed. "We've been very unsuccessful in getting a lot of information out of the University of Illinois about what's out there."  Manager McCarthy agreed, adding that university resources are limited.

Watch editor Sandy Hausman suggested the board talk with Dr. Evelyn Tyner, a Glenview resident who has studied and photographed the prairie for years and with the prairie's former director, Dr. Al Rouffa, a retired professor who loves to talk.  She also informed the board that a not-for-profit group called Friends of the Chicago River had just completed an extensive study of the north branch and suggested the group be invited to present its findings.  Bak said Friends of the River had already been approached and were not interested.

Editor's note: We called Dr. Dennis Nyberg, director of the Woodworth Prairie, at his UIC office.  He answered the phone after one ring and expressed strong interest in working to secure environmental protection for the preserve.  He also mentioned a dozen published studies about the prairie.

At Friends of the Chicago River, executive David Ramsay said his group had no interest in serving as a paid consultant to the village but would be glad to provide testimony that might ensure its designation as environmentally significant.

COOK CALLS FOR COMPETITIVE BIDS

Trustee Cook pondered the fact that Conservation Design Forum wanted $12,500 to evaluate 100 acres along the river and $8,500 to study the 5-acre Woodworth site.  "That makes me cross my eyes," she said.

Cook pointed out that CDF had received a great deal of business from Glenview and thought some cost comparisons might be wise.

Bak said the law did not require competitive bidding for this job and that CDF already had valuable knowledge of Techny since the company had done work there. 

President Carlson questioned the need for extensive studies to proceed with ESA designation, adding that, "We have a naturalist on staff and an Environmental Review Commission."

He seemed particularly uncomfortable with the idea of paying for a study of Woodworth.  "It's very obviously a prairie.  It's very obviously a scientific study area.  I sure think that wouldn't require a lot of high-priced experts to figure out."

"Well you've got a pretty ornate process" said Village Manager Paul McCarthy.  "This is part of the cost of compliance that we've created and imposed on ourselves."

Editor's note: The Environmentally Significant Areas Ordinance does not specify the need for an "ornate process," although elaborate proceedings took place before The Grove and Air Station Prairie were declared  ESA.   We believe that those proceedings may have been overkill, and as society becomes increasingly comfortable with the importance of environmental protection, it may be less necessary to go to such lengths. 

THE BOARD AGREES TO SEEK BIDS

In the end, the board gave unanimous approval to Cook's request for competitive bids, leaving open the possibility that no consultant will be hired to assess the Woodworth Prairie.

CARLSON MAKES POLITICAL PEACE

In a move that surprised many, Village President Larry Carlson appointed Grant Ireland to the Historic Preservation Commission.  Ireland ran for trustee on the Glenview Good Government Ticket while Carlson belongs to the opposing Unite Glenview party.

"Grant, welcome aboard," said Carlson. 

"I appreciate your support and confidence," said Ireland.  "I guess it's true we were on opposite sides, but we ended up all on one side, and I think that's a great testimony to our community to come together after the election."

Carlson thanked Ireland for his willingness to serve, and a sizable crowd in the audience applauded the moment.

Editor's note: After those angry, divisive years of government by Nancy Firfer, the gesture of inclusion seemed a small miracle to some.  While it may have alarmed stalwarts in the UG ranks – folks who fear Ireland will use the post to launch his next political campaign –  the choice was probably a safe one for Carlson.  The Historic Preservation Commission plays almost no role in Glenview.  Its members are still waiting for someone to propose the preservation of something.  What's more, Ireland is not a political person.  He dislikes going door to door and is unwilling to spend the money it takes to get elected to anything in 21st century America. On the other hand, the gesture may win Carlson a measure of goodwill from his political opponents and by making them part of the establishment, giving them the chance to participate fully in local government, he begins to defuse some of the outrage that fueled two contested elections here.

COMMISSIONERS WANTED

The village is actively seeking candidates for other volunteer boards.  A vacancy remains on the Appearance Commission for a landscape architect, and one of three seats on the Fire and Police Board is open.  The individual selected will help choose and promote officers and serve a judicial function as part of disciplinary hearings if members of the police force are accused of wrongdoing.  For more information, call Joe Wade at 724-1700, extension 201.

If neither job appeals to you, sit tight.  Next month, Trustee Rachel Cook told the board she will propose changes to the commissions that could create additional opportunities for public service.

PARK DISTRICT DUMPS DOG PARK AND SCALES BACK ON SKATING

In response to public fears that a skate park would bring crowds of unruly teenagers to their neighborhood around Rugen Center, the Glenview Park District scaled back plans for that facility and approved a simple "street course," which will appeal to younger, less experienced roller bladers.  The board also bowed to community complaints and ditched plans for a fenced dog park, noting that the one-acre site was too small anyway.

The new Swenson Park will also feature a picnic shelter or enclosed pavilion, basketball court, baseball diamond, soccer field and two playgrounds.  The Rugen Center will be torn down.   Future hearings will allow the public to offer specific ideas for development of this new recreational area.

FUTURE WATCH

Glenview's Comprehensive Plan Commission held the first of four public hearings on what citizens want their village to become, but some left shaking their heads over consultants hired to guide the process.

Milwaukee-based Planning Design Institute (PDI) showed more than 50 citizens some projects on which they had worked – mostly west coast, mixed use developments with an urban feel. The residents were not impressed.  They thought the designs were too dense, lacked trees and flowers and were not appropriate for a suburb in the Midwest.

Lawrence Witzling, president of PDI, said some of Glenview's older strip malls are reaching the end of their "life cycle" and should be evaluated for their utility and viability.  He seemed open to residents concerns about traffic, commented on the lack of bike lanes in the village and listened attentively to complaints about the lack of continuous sidewalks on some streets.

One woman said Glenview has had enough development and should slow down, while another predicted the village will have a difficult time finding people to fill the minimum-wage retail jobs being created here. 

A resident of the downtown area suggested PDI come to a concert at Jackman Park to better understand what Glenview wants to be.  She complained that too many town homes are going up in the area and cited a lack of definition for the future of downtown.

Dick Feit, who lives in east Glenview, said that when it comes to teardowns and construction of "McMansions," the village should have greater respect for the property rights of neighbors.  He expressed concern that the village is losing its moderately sized housing.

Another citizen urged the consultants to make planning a "resident-driven" process.  She said the village consistently favors developers, but Witzling told her, " We cannot ignore or insulate this process from the developers."  He said he knows developers, works with developers, and they provide many benefits to a community. "Your homes were all built by developers," he concluded.

Feit took exception,  saying his home and many others in older neighborhoods were not built by developers but by builders for people who wanted a mix of sizes and architectural styles.
"Developers build houses that are about the same size," said Feit.  Getting the point, Village President Carlson told the consultants: "My neighborhood is tract houses built by a developer."

READERS WRITE:

AR can't understand why trustees who expressed misgivings about the cost of a wellhouse at The Glen approved a request for $35,000 to design it: "I was shocked that more trustees didn't support John Crawford's fiscal restraint in voting ‘no.'  If the trustees feel obligated and handcuffed to rubber stamp everything that comes before them concerning The Glen, as Trustee Lerner suggests,  isn't it a charade even to bring these things before the board for "approval?"

WAB has an idea for a new library: "I realize that Dominick's agreed to keep the downtown Glenview store for five years in order to get approval for their store in The Glen.  Has anybody considered that site for either a new post office or a new library?

The Watch replies: Dominick's invested some money in renovating the store and now reports that it is quite profitable.  We doubt that the company would want to sell, and its loyal customers would almost certainly object.

DM offers her thoughts to village planners: "I realize the importance of The Glen and the overwhelming amount of money that has been and will be needed to complete this project, however I urge you to give a little thought to our current downtown.  The percentage of dollars needed to charm up this area is minimal compared to the Glen, and the surrounding neighborhoods are hungry for some attention."

In last week's Watch, a reader bet us that village dollars would pay for a party in honor of retired trustees Nancy Firfer, John Patton Jr., Kent Fuller and Joyce Schmidt.  This week, the manager's office confirmed that food for the private affair at Valley Lo will be paid for with tax money, but alcohol will be sold through a cash bar.

Berky writes about crowding at Niles North and West.: "I'd like to know how many new students District 219 expects. Maybe Oakton Community College, which purchased the old Niles East building when enrollment was down,  would be willing to lend it back"

PM takes us to task for misspelling. He wondered why Glenview residents weren't exercised over the enormous amount of money being spent by the village.  We wrote "exorcised."  Perhaps our subconscious was working overtime –  thinking it might be time to drive out those free-spending devils at Village Hall.

BP writes about eyesores in the neighborhood: "We live on Monroe Street, just north of Chestnut.  There are several dilapidated houses on Monroe that have been abandoned and boarded up for over a year.  Is there anything the neighborhood residents can do to effect the demolition of these eyesores?"

The Watch replies: Glenview has a detailed property maintenance code and a staffer who understands it.  Give Leslie Carr a call at 724-1700, extension 239, and ask her what can be done.

YOUR TURN: Share your views on local issues and news. E-mail to glenviewwatch@aol.com or snail mail to 3537 Maple Leaf Dr., Glenview, IL 60025.  We look forward to hearing form you and consider readers' remarks an essential part of our newsletter. Thanks for reading!  – Sandy Hausman and Dean Schott

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