Harley Davidson has eyes for Glenview. The nation’s premiere motorcycle manufacturer wants to build a 40,000-square-foot store at The Glen with a test course where buyers could practice their riding skills and mechanics could check repairs.

Harley’s retail outlet would be located north of Willow Road at Patriot, sharing the 40-acre site with Home Depot or Costco. In making its case before the Glen Redevelopment Commission, the Wisconsin-based company said it wants to serve the lucrative suburban market. Already, the firm claims one-third of motorcycles in Glenview, 43 percent in Wilmette and 37 percent in Winnetka are Harleys.

A traffic analyst said the property would generate fewer cars, trucks and motorcycles than a restaurant or store, while a fiscal analyst predicted the business would produce $150,000 in sales taxes. When the TIF ends, he added, District 30 would get about $80,000 a year, District 225 would net $60,000 in property taxes, and the village would get about $30,000 – spending $27,000 to provide police, fire and other municipal services to the new business.

Barry Brown, director of operations for Harley in Chicago, added color to the GRC hearing with his long white beard and a pony tail. He told the commission that a store here could be open in time to celebrate Harley’s 100^th anniversary in 2003. By then he predicts the average bike will be selling for $25,000.

There are no homes in the immediate vicinity of that potentially noisy business, but public comment will be invited on Harley’s plan at the GRC’s next meeting at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, August 1, in the Village Hall board room.

The main north-south street through The Glen, Patriot Boulevard, has opened, connecting Willow Road and Lake Avenue, but construction has closed Chestnut Street at the railroad tracks along Lehigh Road through July 24.

Rumors are circulating that school may not start on time for kids at Glenbrook South due to delays in construction, but Assistant Principal Pam Taccona says that’s wishful thinking by some students. Internal renovations are right on schedule. New walls are up, lockers will arrive next week, and registration and book sales will take place from August 13-22 in the school’s field house with parking in the north lot.

Additions to the building will not be finished until fall 2003, but that was anticipated and should not impact students. Taccona adds that work on a new intersection will begin soon, allowing buses and cars to access the school from Lake Avenue. A synchronized light will be installed at that site just west of Pfingsten Road, improving the flow of traffic.

Glenview’s Park District is buying 10 defibrillators – high-tech devices used to shock the heart into beating again in cases of sudden cardiac arrest. The defibrillators cost $2,500 apiece and require eight hours of training for staffers who will use them. Already, one is available at Park Center. Others will be placed at Flick and Roosevelt pools, at both public golf courses, at the Glenview Tennis Club and The Grove.

On a related note, the Park District was saddened to learn that a former judo instructor Tom Milazo had suffered a fatal heart attack in Skokie last week. More than 20 years ago Milazo had an attack while teaching at the Glenview Ice Center. His life was saved by paramedics from the fire station next door.

Glenview is a hot spot for picnics, according to Park District Commissioner John Winand. He visited Flick Park one Sunday morning and observed 15 people setting up grills. They had brought four 50-pound bags of charcoal and hundreds of paper plates. Later in the day, Winand returned to find 250 people at the park, eating and drinking beer. They had no permit, no safe place to dispose of hot coals, and the field house restroom was locked. Vehicle stickers indicated the picnickers had come from Berwyn, Cicero and Chicago.

Glenview police are reluctant to enforce park district rules – feeling that the parks should educate the public first about a requirement for permits and a ban on alcohol. In response, the Park District Board has voted to take a first step -- putting up signs at Flick and Johns Parks. Commissioner Chris Warren proposed that pictures be used since many park visitors don’t speak English, and Commissioner Tom Pontarelli agreed – joking that they could show a martini glass with a line through it to send the no alcohol message.

Off-duty policemen may be hired later to warn those in violation of the rules. Park District employees once tried to do the job but found that without a badge they had no credibility. Picnickers simply ignored them. "We need to have some official people in the parks," said Commissioner Judy Beck. "Put them on a horse if necessary."

"Would a cow be okay," quipped Winand.

Warren thought the situation might also improve when the village gets around to making rules for the use of Gallery Park. In the mean time, the Park District commissioners joked that they could solve their own problems by giving picnickers maps to The Glen’s Gallery Park.

In the midst of the debate at last week’s meeting, Commissioner Steve Schulte arrived – sunburned and carrying his golf clubs. The other board members burst out laughing, and Schulte joked, "Some of us have to work!"

In a story headlined "Too Many Golf Courses, Not Enough Golfers," Sunday's New York Times reports that despite the popularity of Tiger Woods and televised tournaments, high priced golf courses may be in trouble. Some lenders are warning "the golf course business is on the brink of a free fall."

The problem: Overbuilding and – perhaps – the fact that golf is harder than it looks. The Times quotes a report by the National Golf Foundation: "Golf picks up 1.5 million to 3 million new players a year, but it loses nearly an equal number because of a failure to transform passing interest into long-term commitment."

The trend could mean trouble for Glenview's new championship course operated by Kemper Sports Management at The Glen, but Sunday's article suggests a silver lining  --  profiling a man who chose to play a smaller, cheaper course. If he's typical, then Glenview's new Park District Course -- The National Nines -- could prove a popular place for North Shore duffers.

By a nearly unanimous vote, the Glenview Village Board approved a public investment of about $78 million at the mixed use retail center or MURC, with more than half of that money to be paid back over time. The downtown area of The Glen will feature a large shopping mall, apartments and town homes along with roads, sidewalks, parking and a central area called Navy Park. The total investment also includes about $8 million for preservation of Hangar One, a $5 million interest-free loan to the Von Maur Department Store and a $12 million investment in the multiplex cinema and mall.

The public investment increased by about $8 million when the Glen Redevelopment Commission complained the area had too little parking. Developer Oliver/McMillan proposed two additional garages – the extra cost to be paid by Glenview. Noting that the developer would benefit from those additional spaces, trustees asked village management to negotiate, and the developer eventually agreed to pay $2.1 million in cash and shared revenue for the garages, bringing Glenview’s bill to $5.4 million.

Don Owen, The Glen redevelopment director, justified the heavy public investment by claiming other communities provide free land, large cash incentives, property tax relief or sales tax relief to developers of what he called lifestyle centers. "Of those four common incentives, we’re only doing the one," Owen said. "We actually are getting [$20.6 million] for the land, and we’re not allowing any property tax or sales tax relief."

Trustee Mike Guinane challenged Owen, noting that Oliver/McMillan plans to sell 10 of its 45 acres to Kimball Hill Homes for $20.6 million. "The developer is, in essence, getting 35 acres of land for free," he said.

Owen seemed not to understand the point. He said the developer would be sharing revenue from the shopping mall with Glenview, but thought the details were "more complicated than the community would want to know." In essence, he said, Glenview would share in the proceeds once sales reach a certain level – getting its $12 million back at the rate of $400,000 per year over 30 years. Von Maur would repay its $5 million incentive at a rate of $150,000 per year over 33 years.

Speaking at a rapid clip, Owen added that money loses value over time, so "the combined $17 million in revenue actually has a present value of about $8.5 million."

By contrast, he figured the $20.6 million that Glenview will get now for land will be worth $28.5 million in 30 years. Subtracting that figure from the total investment, and ignoring the extra money for additional parking he explained that the village would only invest $40 million.

"Why are we willing to invest $40 million?" he asked. "We’re creating the lifestyle center that the community called for through its planning effort, [and] this $40 million investment is going to create over the next 20 years another $170 million revenue stream back to the community [in sales and property taxes], and so we are receiving back four times the investment."

Trustee Guinane pointed out that revenue sharing with the developer was fraught with risk for the village. If profits did not reach a certain point, there might be no payments from Oliver/ McMillan in a given year, extending the life of the agreement. "Is this standard procedure, to give interest free loans?" he asked.

Don Owen didn’t like the term loan. The $17 million was, he said, an investment – and, yes, lots of other places provided such incentives. He mentioned McCormick Place in Chicago and a development in Florida.

"But do we have a guarantee from the developer that he will pay this back?" Guinane asked.

"No," said Owen.

"Would the developer be willing to guarantee that tonight – that he will pay this back?" said Guinane.

"No," said Owen. "This deal has already been negotiated."

"I"ve been wrestling with this project since I was elected to the Village Board," said Guinane. "I’ve read so much about this MURC deal. My wife is crazy over the MURC. She doesn’t want to hear MURC anymore!"

"When Boeing requested $60 million to bring their corporate headquarters here," he continued, "the deal went before the Illinois Legislature, and [state lawmakers] cut the [incentive payment] to $50 million. Here we have a developer from California. He’s coming back for $5 million more!"

Owen defended the developer, saying it was the Glen Redevelopment Commission’s call for more parking that had triggered the additional expense.

Interrupting Guinane with apologies, Trustee Rachel Cook offered her take on the situation. "One of the reasons that I came to public service was that I was so concerned about development at The Glen," she said. "The rudest awakening that I had was when I got on board and realized that we were in implementation. We were committed from the first contract that a previous board signed for the sale of the first parcel of land to do the whole development, because every parcel of land on The Glen is integrally related to the other."

Explaining that there is "a lot of residential development," she cited the financial drain on our schools and park district and said the MURC "has to generate revenue – lots of revenue – for a long period of time."

Trustee Donna Pappo, a former PTA president, said when the TIF ends – more than ten years from now – District 34 would face annual deficits of $1.3 million to educate kids from The Glen without extra revenue from the MURC.

Manager McCarthy was more succinct in his assessment: "Without this," he said, "School District 34 is screwed."

Retelling the oft told tale of how we got into this pickle, Manager McCarthy said "the dye was cast" when Glenview decided to become a developer. We did that, he said, to control growth at the former Navy base. "The community wanted to maintain the quality of life," he said.

To make sure tax money went to District 34, he added, the MURC could not be placed in District 30 on Willow Road – a location that experts said might ensure its success. Referring to the risky internal location of the MURC, he added, "we could have done this simpler, quicker, easier and neater, and the village of Glenview’s parochial interests would have been served far more effectively if we didn’t care about the collateral damage that would occur to School District 34."

Editor’s note: It drives us a little crazy to hear this argument again. Glenview could have controlled development by using existing zoning laws and secured plenty of open space through negotiations with the Navy. It was arrogant and irresponsible of the manager and trustees to think they could or should become developers. The job of a developer is very different from the role of a government official, and the protection we deserve as citizens has been seriously compromised by trustees trying to do both jobs.

We find McCarthy’s claim ridiculous – that Glenview could prosper if we were not so noble, so committed to protecting our schools. The connection between a strong community and good schools is obvious, and as a matter of pure self-interest, Glenview must assure adequate funding for public education. Unfortunately, the way to do that was to control the schools’ population by building far fewer homes than the village has allowed at The Glen – and as things now stand, we’re adding more than 300 additional units at the MURC alone.

The MURC deal was put to a vote, and all but Guinane agreed to proceed. Trustee Jeff Lerner was absent.

The Village Board approved purchase of a $125,000 fountain for Navy Park despite the fact that no pictures or designs were available. Trustee Rachel Cook argued that a much larger fountain was already planned for Gallery Park. It would be visible from the MURC, she said, making the smaller fountain redundant. What’s more, the long-term maintenance costs for the fountain could be an unnecessary burden. Only Trustee Guinane joined her in opposing the expense. Trustee John Crawford, who campaigned on a platform of fiscal responsibility, said he wasn’t sure about the fountain but would trust the developer and the Glen Redevelopment Commission, which felt it was worth having.

The board also okayed the Gateway Shoppes – a two-building development of stores and restaurants at the new METRA station.

Glenview’s long-time bond consultant Ron Norene told the trustees last week that by December of this year the village will have more than $80 million in Glen-related debt – money borrowed through the sale of bonds to finance construction of roads, sewers, parking decks, Gallery Park and other public features in the new area. The money is supposed to be repaid from Glen property taxes, which flow into a special fund known as the TIF.

If there are not enough dollars in that fund, Glenview taxpayers would pick up the tab, but Norene assured the public that is not likely to happen since planners foresee ample TIF money. In the event of a shortage, TIF dollars pledged to the schools could be used to repay debt. "There will not be a default," Norene concluded.

After that presentation, the trustees voted to sell $41.8 million more in general obligation bonds on August 7 – bringing total debt to $82.5 million. Norene predicted the market would charge us about 4.3 percent for the loan to be paid back in 11 years. "Those are numbers that are extremely favorable," he told the board, and reports of an economic slowdown in this country haven’t "done anything to the municipal bond market – not a thing."

Officials now predict the TIF arrangement will end in 2012, sending property taxes directly to the schools, park district and village. In the mean time, Redevelopment Director Owen says The Glen’s financial stability is "very sound," with a total anticipated cost of $425 million and expected revenues of $200 million for land and $600 million in property taxes over the life of the TIF. While expenses far exceed revenues now, Owen said the balance will begin to shift by 2006.

Glenview residents who live on Laramie and Forest streets just north of the Skokie Courthouse are asking the public to join them in protesting last month’s decision to take down more than 50 trees at the former site of Portland Cement. A Minneapolis-based company – Lifetime Fitness – plans to build a gym there and had intended to preserve the18-foot wide swath of forest. Skokie’s Plan Commission voted unanimously for that plan, and the Village Board was already voting to approve it when a member of the public asked to speak.

The man complained that most of the trees being preserved were Buckthorn, an invasive, non-native plant that can drive out other species. He did not feel the trees were worth saving, and the developer proposed an alternative. Lifetime Fitness could remove the trees and erect a three-foot berm planted with ornamental trees.

No one pointed out that mature Buckthorn provides habitat for birds and is a useful screen from noise and light pollution, so the trustees voted unanimously to go with the new option. It took about four hours to cut down the old Honey Locust and Buckthorn trees.

Neighbors, who once enjoyed peace, quiet and privacy, are now subject to the sights and sounds of the Skokie office corridor and the Edens Expressway while they wait for new trees to mature. "We feel like we’ve been run over by a truck," says Bert Geldermann.

He and others on the Skokie border want the developer to put up a high wooden fence similar to the one built along Lake Avenue near Dominick’s at The Glen, and they’re asking for your help. Send an e-mail to the attention of Skokie’s Village Manager expressing your views. The address: info@skokie.org or Village Manager, 5127 Oakton Street, Skokie 60077. You can also write to Lifetime Fitness to let them know how you think a good corporate neighbor should behave. E-mail markz@lifetimefitness.com.

The annual North Shore Garden Walk will take place from noon-5:30 p.m. Sunday, July 29. There are five sites including Northbrook homes at 4095 Pamela Lane and 1105 Adirondack and a Wilmette garden at 1040 Ashland Avenue. For details or a map, call Karen at 291-9434 or send e-mail to hannah753@yahoo.com.

Wagner Farm will have a series of open houses beginning the weekend of August 18-19.

The League of Women Voters will offer voter registration from 8-11 a.m. Saturday, July 28 at Glenview’s Farmers’ Market in the METRA parking lot north of Prairie and Lehigh Roads. Bring two pieces of identification, including one with a current address.

The Grove hosts Civil War Days from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 28 and Sunday, July 29.

A free tour of the Air Station prairie is set for Saturday, July 28 from 9 until noon. For details, call Rob at 729-3487.

Some readers had trouble reaching a website recommended by one of our readers. It tells which convicted sex offenders are living in Glenview. If you want that information, go to a search engine like www.yahoo.com and type in Illinois Department of Corrections. On that agency’s home page, you’ll find a link to the site where you can search for names by zip code – 60025.

Henry Hill is concerned about village finances. "As a Glenview resident, I find no reassurance in the fact that the village is about to borrow another $41.8 million. The Glen is somewhat analogous to a boat – a hole in the water that you pour money into. There is nothing like a TIF supported project. If you need more money, just extend the term of the TIF a little longer. The schools and the Park District can wait -- or can they? By the way, you didn't indicate whether that new loan will be part of our general tax obligation or is to be financed solely by the TIF."

The Watch replies: We’re talking about general obligation bonds, which will be paid for by the taxpayers if TIF dollars (revenue from The Glen) are not available. As indicated in our earlier story, village officials and consultants think there will be plenty of TIF money to pay the tab.

You’re right about extending the TIF. Already, village planners have added four years to its life expectancy, but by law it cannot go for more than 23 years, and District 34's Finance Director says she doesn’t mind waiting. As long as Glenview supplies make-whole payments for every child who attends from The Glen, Pat Siegel says she is happy – that compensation is as good as it would be without a TIF. The only potential problem is that repayment of bonds are the priority, and if the TIF runs short on cash, the schools need not be paid.

Bob Campe, a member of the District 34 School Board, corrects our reporting on the exclusive party thrown for former Trustees Firfer, Fuller, Patton and Schmit: "While our superintendent was invited, I can verify that most board members were not."

The Watch replies: We were not invited either and relied on reports from party guests who saw some District 34 board members at the gala. They may have been invited in their capacity as members of the Comprehensive Plan Commission or some other village board.

Richard Day takes us to task for suggesting that Cook, Crawford and Pappo should not have shown up: "I was very troubled with your characterization of John Crawford and Donna Pappo attending a recognition event for outgoing Trustees and President Firfer. You referenced the Stockholm Syndrome. You applauded Rachel Cook for not attending until you found out that she would have attended but had a scheduling conflict. You miss a very important point. It is healthy and useful to disagree, but not to be disagreeable. The people who were stepping down were opponents, but not enemies. We should treat them respectfully and thank them for their contributions and their time. The fact that we fundamentally disagreed with some of their decisions in no way diminishes what should be our respect for them as people."

The Watch replies: We are troubled by Day’s attitude. We feel President Firfer, Trustees Patton and Schmit did Glenview a major disservice and should not have been honored with an exclusive party paid for by the taxpayers. During their terms, they displayed considerable arrogance, disrespect and disregard for the wishes of citizens and blocked participation in local government by qualified residents who wanted to serve but were not part of Glenview’s political elite. What’s more, they aspired to be grand developers of The Glen – abandoning their governmental responsibility to protect us from the potential dangers of development.

We also disagree with Day’s assertion that people should not be disagreeable. History has clearly shown that people in power do not yield to opposition unless they are made to feel uncomfortable. We doubt women, the disabled, African-Americans and other minorities would have won civil rights without some pretty disagreeable times in this country. We fear the Vietnam War would have dragged on with many more lives lost had young Americans not made the Washington establishment profoundly uncomfortable. It wasn’t agreeable, but it was productive and necessary in the scheme of social change in a democracy. 

Actions speak louder than words, and the desire of Cook, Crawford and Pappo to attend a party for Firfer and friends suggests that all is well in the village when, in fact, much disagreeing remains to be done. We wish they would keep the pressure on rather than partying with their political opposition at a private club.

Peter Grant is concerned about Fourth of July damage to Glenview’s public golf course: "My wife and I were amazed that so many people parked themselves in steel-legged yard chairs on the two putting greens at the extreme northeast corner of the course. I thought sitting on, much less gouging the greens, was verboten. As nostalgic as I am about the golf course, if this is going to continue I say move fireworks to The Glen."

Jodi Kennedy asks: "Could you please be sure to advise your readers when a meeting addressing the move of the fireworks will be discussed? I, as well as many others, resent the move from their current location for decades to The Glen. Does the Park District’s Executive Director have an e-mail address?"

The Watch replies: You can reach Tom Richardson and others at the park district through a central e-mail address: gvpd4fun@aol.com. We will certainly keep readers posted on when and where Glenview will debate the future location of Fourth of July Fireworks.

FM questions Park District hours: "Why is the indoor children's pool in the Glen closed on Saturday and Sunday afternoons? We would like to bring our granddaughter to swim there. In addition, the pool is only open from 1-3 during the week. Why shouldn't it be open from 1-5 every day of the week? How can they cover their overhead costs by closing the pool at prime demand times?"

The Watch replies: During the summer, when outdoor pools are open, Splash landings has public swimming from 6-8 p.m. on weekends, from 1-3 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. on weekdays and 6-8 p.m. on Fridays. Other times, the water complex is used by Park District campers, people taking lessons or having pool parties. Hours will change in the fall, but public swimming times will still be limited so the Park District can offer those other revenue-generating activities.

SC takes exception to one of last week’s letters about large, noisy groups having picnics at Johns Park: "I was under the impression that Johns Park, as well as all other parks in this village, were public – paid for by residents through tax dollars, money from the state of Illinois and fees paid by non-residents. Specific parks do not belong to their neighborhoods, and people from outside should not be prohibited. AL says there are large groups of people there having parties and cookouts. That’s exactly what parks are for.

"Lastly, AL wrote: ‘It seems to me that many of the people using the park do not even live in Glenview.’ I'm trying real hard not to read into that comment. This world would be a better place if some people would try to move past the mentality that’s inferred. Besides, AL wouldn't have a clue where the people using Johns Park live unless he/she went up to each and every one of them and asked.

"There’s a whole list of ordinances that regulate what people can and cannot do while in a park. If you see or hear someone doing something illegal, call the police and let them deal with it, but just because you don't like something that's going on doesn't make it wrong or illegal. The parks are public, and that means they're for everyone!"

Nancy Diveris writes about the noise problem faced by neighbors of the new Abt: "Abt promised that there would be no disturbances early in the morning during construction or operation of their new superstore on Milwaukee Avenue. On Saturday, July 7 at 6:30 a.m. the west side of Glenview was awakened by the horrendous, deafening noise of a helicopter. The chopper worked for about 90 minutes to place air_conditioning units on the roof of the new building.

"We immediately called the police who were worthless and pulled the old ‘there's nothing we can do.’ I told them to contact an emergency village employee and they would not. They said to call on Monday. During the business week, I called Village Building Director Phil Knudsen. He said he would make sure it didn’t happen again. ‘No kidding,’ I told him. ‘They're finished now!’"

The Watch replies: Knudsen tells the Watch he’s sympathetic to Diveris and others who live within earshot of Abt. "Nobody likes to be woken up early in the morning by noise like that!" he says. Village policy is to warn offenders before issuing citations, and Abt has been warned. So, too, has the company that supplied the helicopter.

Amy Brossard is brimming with questions: "Did anyone get hired for that plum job of Manager at Wagner Farm? Are they going to live there?"

GW replies: The Park District is considering four candidates for the job of director. While the farm’s current caretaker lives on the property and will continue to do so, the new director will not.

AB: "Any new commission members in addition to Grant Ireland ? Is the historical commission doing anything interesting?"

GW: The village is still looking for a landscape architect or someone with related credentials to serve on the Appearance Commission. Apply by sending a letter to the Village President at 1225 Waukegan Road, Glenview, IL 60025. The Historic Preservation Commission is still waiting for property to be referred for consideration. If you know of a building, tree or piece of land that should be designated historic, call Village Hall at 724-1700 and ask for Helen Weisman.

AB: "If a resident wants to look up Glenview ordinances, how do they do it, and how is the ‘talk to your trustee’ night going so far?"

GW: While Glenview’s code is available at the library, not all ordinances are included, so it’s best to check with the Village Manager’s office. Call 724-1700 and talk with Assistant Manager Joe Wade at extension 201. Trustee nights are going well. About half a dozen people came to the first two meetings, and most of their problems have been resolved. The next one is set for July 25 at Village Hall. If you or someone you know would like to chat one-on-one with a trustee, come by between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m..

AB: What happened to the sushi restaurant that was supposed to come to the Waukegan and Glenview Road location? Whatever happened to the North Branch restaurant? I thought they were planning to reopen in Glenview?

GW: Wasabi’s is reportedly having trouble with financing but may still be coming. North Branch has not applied to open again in Glenview.

AB: Is Prestige Leasing going to tear down the two old bungalows just north of its location?

GW: Only one of the buildings belongs to Prestige, and it will be torn down.

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 from you and consider readers' remarks an essential part of our newsletter. Thanks for reading!  – Sandy Hausman and Dean Schott

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