Two architects on the Glen Redevelopment Commission raised serious questions about the design, durability and long-term appearance of a shopping center planned for The Glen. After reviewing plans for the project, Commissioner Mark Igleski asked about painted fiberglass reinforced plastic used to construct cornices. Igleski feared the molded plastic might fade and degrade over time, and Commissioner Bruce Burch challenged the use of plywood and a thin layer of lightweight concrete to construct third-floor apartments.

"It’s a standard system that we use quite regularly," said an architect for the developer.

"I can’t believe that it would hold up," said Burch. "I’ve been in buildings in Chicago that have had that material, and it’s cracked within the first year." He also expressed concern about the venting and roof design. "You’ve got high buildings where ice will be impacted in the gables, and there’s no indication in the drawings as to how that’s going to be handled," he said, raising the specter of ice falling on pedestrians.

The architect claimed snow and ice were unlikely to build up on the steep mansard roof, and village officials, who normally insist on gutters, had given this project a pass. "Because of the number of gables, we would end up having so many gutters and down spouts all over the building that we thought it wasn’t going to look very good," the architect explained.

"So water will flow from the roof down to that lower roof and then to the sidewalk?" asked

Chairman Howard Silver.

"Yes," said the architect.

"Like Niagara Falls?" asked Silver.

"No," said the architect. "These roofs are at about 70 degrees. We’re not concerned about water running down vertical walls. We don’t put gutters on vertical surfaces. This is just slightly less than vertical."

"We had a contractor once who left a water and ice shield off one side of a dormer, and he had to redo it because in the first winter they had damage inside," Burch warned, adding that gables and dormers can channel water so it does pour onto sidewalks below. He found it hard to believe that village staffers had cleared the plans without gutters.

The architect said certain details were still in development, and in any event, "It’s a building department issue. We can make sure the village staff is comfortable with this."

But the commission was not prepared to sign off.

"I am not ready to approve this – to let staff just handle this," said attorney and Commissioner Linda Witt. "These are serious issues."

The architect promised to return with more information about building materials and design at the GRC’s next meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, December 5 in Village Hall.

There have been a few accidents at the intersection of Patriot Boulevard and Independence Avenue – the main street through a deluxe James Company development at The Glen, and residents of the area submitted petitions demanding the installation of stop signs there. Redevelopment Director Don Owen said the village was already planning to remove some trees and tall grasses from a median along Patriot to improve sight lines and asked its traffic consultant, Benes and Company, to weigh in.

Benes agreed on removal of vegetation and proposed banning parking near the intersection but said the number of accidents was too low to warrant four stop signs. The police department was also consulted. It favored stop signs, as did the village manager’s office. "We put a lot of money into the landscape, and we’d like to save as much as possible," said Owen.

"The traffic engineer’s report recommends against four-way stop signs," said a puzzled Trustee Crawford. "The report indicates there aren’t sufficient accidents to warrant controls."

"It seems that the situation is much more egregious than what is actually described in our packet," said Trustee Denefe. "The neighbors actually submitted petitions, which I find quite striking, so obviously the neighbors in this area seem to think that this is a big problem here. The consultants looked only at accidents that were documented. My understanding is that there have been numerous near misses witnessed by many neighbors."

Denefe recalled that Glen planners intended to put some kind of control at that intersection anyway as the volume of traffic into the new community increased. "Maybe," said Owen. "In 2004, after The Glen Town Center opens, we will actually do traffic counts to see if a signal is warranted."

"I just read the report here," said a flustered Crawford. "It says no traffic signal is anticipated there. This is really confusing! I’m not going to object to a four-way stop, but I think we ought to make it a matter of record that we’re not going to establish stop signs every time we get a petition from a neighborhood. This is a very poor way to handle a safety matter, and I think it’s about time this village board established a traffic and safety commission and not some haphazard way of deciding such questions."

Responding to Crawford’s concerns, Village Manager Paul McCarthy said stop signs should not be supplied just because residents want them. "My vision of hell is to have a plebiscite every time someone wants to put a stop sign up and that we have them governed by politics rather than by pure public safety considerations." McCarthy said this situation was unique given the evolving nature of traffic at The Glen.

President Carlson called Crawford’s attention to the last page of the traffic consultant’s report. "Based on projected traffic volumes, it appears that the peak traffic signal warrant may be met at Patriot and Independence when The Glen redevelopment is completed and fully occupied."

"That means if there’s a problem now, it’s going to get worse," he said. "Should we not be proactive, take care of the problem now, get people used to that being there, so as there are more people living there, they’re used to this?" Carlson wondered.

Crawford chose his own paragraph from the consultant’s report: "Currently a signal is not warranted at the intersection."

Trustee Donna Pappo was sympathetic to the neighbors but concerned about traffic problems that a four-way stop might create. Referring to the consultant’s study she said stop signs could increase the potential for rear-end accidents, energy consumption, vehicle emissions, noise and traffic jams. "When [The Glen Town Center] is built and a movie lets out, we want to move those cars in or out, and road rage is going to contribute to some of this frustration."

Village Manager McCarthy cited other possible problems. "Stop signs have been described as dangerous placebos in the wrong place," he said. "When you put a stop sign in, I guarantee you’re going to have cars speeding up to make up for the time they lost at an improperly placed sign."

Despite those warnings, the trustees faced a crowd from The Glen in the audience and eventually voted unanimously to create a four-way stop. The very next day signs were installed.

Editor’s note: This action must have galled residents of the Prairie Lawn and Peachgate neighborhood – four streets located between The James Company development and Lake Avenue. While a road now connects the two communities, a gate divides them, making it impossible for the Prairie Lawn people to easily access The Glen. They had been promised a new way to leave or enter their neighborhood, but the gate remains locked, and they must use Lake Avenue – a fast-moving, often crowded roadway where plenty of accidents have occurred. Too bad for the people of Prairie Lawn. They lack the money and the voting power of Glenview’s newest neighbors, and Don Owen does not return their calls.

For more than an hour, Glenview trustees and the public debated possible restrictions on business signs, but there was considerable confusion about what was being considered. Several businessmen came to object – including a dry cleaner who wanted to keep his $5,000 electric sign that advertised weekly specials and the owner of the Dairy Bar who said many of his customers – young children – could not read and needed colorful paper signs to help them pick the right cone or sundae. Neither business would be effected by the proposal that new neon window signs be banned for three months while the plan commission considers permanent restrictions.

The Chamber of Commerce sent a representative to argue that the business group was doing a fine job of policing area merchants. Dean Poulos, who was affiliated with Homer's Ice Cream -- a business that closed some years ago, said the chamber had established a committee of business leaders and citizens to deal with problem-merchants. He acknowledged that existing neon signs would be "godfathered in" under the proposal but said a temporary ban would handicap new businesses in difficult economic times.

Two people from Scenic Glenview – a local group hoping to beautify the village – testified that the community would look nicer without neon. The group’s president, John Hedrick, quoted from two recent surveys. Forty-one percent of residents rated signs in local business windows along Glenview and Waukegan roads as "poor or somewhat poor," and a poll of about 100 villages in the Chicago area found more than two-thirds had regulations for window signs and neon. He urged the trustees to avoid the "carnival atmosphere" that neon can create.

Joan Dement agreed, saying the real problem is merchants who frame their windows with neon. "Glenview has spent a great deal of money restoring a village look downtown," she said. "This is not a city. It’s not downtown Palatine or Mount Prospect. [Outlined neon windows suggest] strip malls." Dement said she had never heard of the Chamber of Commerce sign committee but would be pleased to serve on it.

Trustee John Crawford thought a ban on new neon might not be necessary, proposing instead that businesses be required to visit the appearance commission for approval of signs while the plan commission debates possible restrictions, but President Carlson felt a temporary ban was essential. "If we send this to the plan commission without a moratorium, I think we will see every neon sign salesman in Northern Illinois banging down the doors, using scare tactics, saying that if you don’t put up the biggest, brightest neon sign in the next three months, you’re going to be out of business and in the poor house."

Eventually, the board voted to bar any new neon window signs for three months while the plan commission considers the subject. Village Manager Paul McCarthy said he hoped that panel could send a recommendation to the board by early February.

There was not a word of debate when Glenview’s new fire chief appeared to ask for an extra $3,000 to pay for a new roof on the downtown fire station – a project for which he already had $90,000. No one bothered to mention that Glenview’s comprehensive planning consultant recommends moving the fire station so that more retail development can take place downtown.

The trustees also approved construction of six new condos above offices at 755 Milwaukee Avenue.

Trustee John Crawford tangled with Village President Larry Carlson at last week’s meeting of the Glenview Village Board. His beef – Carlson’s hiring of a Chicago law firm, Seyfarth and Shaw, to provide an opinion on whether cars provided to high-level village staff could be taken away without sparking lawsuits for breach of contract.

For months, Crawford had been asking for information about this benefit – wondering who had cars, whether the benefit was reported to the IRS and whether staffers were required to track personal use and reimburse the village. More than a dozen managers get a free car for business and personal use, free gasoline and maintenance. While Crawford has urged the board to consider this benefit, he had not proposed abolishing the perk and seemed irked that Carlson leaped to that conclusion. "I don’t know how much we paid to Seyfarth and Shaw, but there was no reason for that, because nobody on this board has suggested that we abrogate any contracts unilaterally. . .We wasted a lot of money on an outside opinion. [President Carlson] was fighting windmills like Don Quixote, because nobody ever suggested that [contracts be broken]."

"Thank you for your opinion Trustee Crawford," said Carlson. "I felt that I saw a legal situation possibly arising. I learned in business school many years ago that if you see something like that happening, you involve the people who can give you specific legal opinions early on in the process rather than waiting until things are so entangled that they can’t be untangled."

Glenview resident Luke Bierman has been working to reform the way Illinois chooses judges for years. He is director of the American Bar Association’s Justice Center and is concerned that voters don’t always select the best people for the job. His fear was confirmed on election day when eight sitting judges deemed unqualified by at least four bar associations were returned to the bench. Among them, James T. Ryan who refused to allow a woman charged with a traffic offense to leave the courtroom for a bathroom break until she soiled herself. Ryan also upheld a speeding ticket for a woman who was racing to the hospital to give birth and told a couple of girls who testified in his courtroom that they had better tell the truth or they would go to hell. Bar associations worked hard to inform the public about Ryan and the other judges they deemed unqualified, but all got the 60 percent needed from voters to stay in office.

Bierman and other critics have argued for merit selection of judges – a system where panels of legal experts would recommend good people for appointment. They have argued that voting isn’t the right way to choose judges since their job is unlike that of a politician. We want them to do what’s right under the law – not to represent popular wishes in the courtroom. That’s why 39 states have adopted some degree of merit selection.

In Illinois, however, the public would have to give up its constitutional right to elect judges, and Bierman says the idea has proven unpopular with voters. A poll by the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform found nearly 80 percent of people want to keep their right to elect judges, although many don’t bother to vote for judicial candidates.

So reformers here are studying plan B – public financing of judicial races. That would give well- qualified candidates like Jim Wascher of Northfield a fighting chance. Wascher was endorsed by all 12 bar associations that rate judicial candidates. His opponent, Glenview resident Sandra Tristano, was deemed "unqualified" by seven associations, but she outspent Wascher more than two to one, ran television ads and triumphed on election day.

For those who choose to dismiss this problem, we paraphrase the words of a Tribune staffer: "Anyone who opposes reform of judicial selection should have to stand in Judge James Ryan’s courtroom with a full bladder or a spastic colon."

To find out what you can do, visit the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform’s website www.ilcampaign.org and consider making a donation. You can also attend a League of Women Voters’ dinner at The Grove on December 10 where Bierman and Cindi Canary, director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, will speak. For details, call Pat at 847-291-5342 or Ann at 847-724-2463.

– The former Arby’s on Milwaukee Avenue is being remodeled for another Pita Inn, the thriving middle eastern eatery now doing business on Dempster Street in Skokie and on Elmhurst Road in Wheeling.

– Two new businesses are planning to occupy the building that once housed St. Francis Health Center at 1742 Glenview Road. No word yet on when Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches and the Georgia Nut Company will open.

– Ground has been broken for Harley Davidson on Willow Road.

– The Creme de la Creme day care center at The Glen has finally won approval from the GRC, and St. David’s Church is asking for permission to open a child care facility.

– Parents in need of practical advice can attend a free conference sponsored by School District 34's Parents in Partnership from 8:30-12:45 Saturday, November 16 at Springman Middle School. Twenty-five seminars will be offered on a range of topics from Internet safety to setting limits for pre-schoolers. A continental breakfast will be served and day care is available for children under 3 years of age if you pre-register. Please call the district at 847-998-5005 for details.

– The Glenview Navy League helps kick off Toys-for-Tots at the Hotel Moraine in Highwood Friday, November 22. To learn more about this holiday benefit for low-income kids, call Bobby at 312-751-4980.

John Kareken was dismayed by our election coverage: "I thought your election eve special targeting selected candidates was a bit unfair for a publication that claims journalistic standards. You didn't leave much time for opposing views. Then you made it a diatribe sandwich with a post-election report remarking on only the spending habits of Republican candidates, while remarking primarily on the stalwart party credentials of the Democrats. Didn't have room to mention the new Illinois governor's campaign war chest? What was the big deal with the Tristano election? Who was closely watching it? Why? Judge Tristano must have really irritated somebody in the tofu and prairie grass camp."

The Watch replies: You’re right. We didn’t bother writing about Blagojevich or any other statewide candidates. His war chest was massive, and you don’t want to get us started on the Daley-Mell-Madigan machine. Instead, we focused our attention on people being elected from Glenview. Susan Garrett and Kathy Parker were well-matched when it came to campaign cash.  More than half a million dollars was spent on that race!  We're still looking at reports filed by Elaine Nekritz and Mary Childers, but Mark Kirk had money to burn. He raised more than three times what the average incumbent congressman took in for the mid-term election. As for the race involving Sandra Tristano, it was a closely-watched fight here in Glenview because she's a local woman who -- through husband Mike -- has strong ties to the Republican party and to local politicians like Larry Carlson. What bothered us about that race was not only the disparity in spending but the clear message that credentials don't count when a candidate can afford to advertise on tv. Despite the fact that all of the bar associations liked Wascher and few felt Tristano was qualified, Tristano carried the day with a campaign ad featuring her superimposed in front of an American flag.

The Seasoned Observer, someone who has worked for District 34 and had children in its schools, responds to critic John Ranz who defended former school board member Larry Miller in a letter to The Watch. Ranz and Miller led the opposition to an increase in taxes for District 34 schools: "Ranz felt I did not show Mr. Miller the respect that anyone deserves who volunteers their time and effort to serve the community on boards and committees, and I agree that he’s right in regard to those who serve. Mr. Miller certainly deserves credit for serving, and my comments probably were read as personal criticism. I am sorry for that. My observation when attending District 34 board meetings during his term in office was that Miller’s public pronouncements often appeared to be pre-scripted soundbites that were media ready and designed to provoke controversy. Perhaps he saw that as his role on the board.

"I certainly have no knowledge of his contributions to the board in the matter of financial expertise that went on behind the scenes, and I trust that they were as valuable as Mr. Ranz says they were. I do find it peculiar that while deriding personal attacks, Mr. Ranz has no problem in charging that the dedicated board members and community facilities study group members who disagree with his point of view and endorsed the referendum and the construction of Attea ‘misled’ the community. The word suggests that either they are liars or fools who somehow allow themselves to be manipulated by a devious cabal of school administrators.

"I respect their dedication and the combined wisdom they showed in addressing the current overcrowding of our schools. They parlayed free land, a state grant for millions of dollars, and low bond rates to deal with our current and future needs. Sure, the school looks modern and new. No doubt Springman did too, compared to existing schools when it was built 50 years ago. It is a tribute to those board members and school administrators of five decades past that the object of their foresight is still viable today.

"As to the numbers, walk into other Northfield Township middle schools, which feed into the Glenbrook High Schools, and you can count class sizes of 14-15. Walk into a Springman class, and you will typically find 26-28 students. Those are not projections. That is the way it is now, and it has nothing to do with boundaries, since all of District 34's seventh and eighth graders currently attend the one school. While the district's education fund is in no condition right now to hire the teachers to lower those numbers, the availability of classrooms at Attea will at least keep them from going higher as the district's enrollment continues to grow."

The Watch replies: We are not in a position to endorse or oppose a tax hike for District 34, but we want to share an opinion on student/teacher ratios. Harvard University Professor Caroline Hoxbe is an economist who has looked at studies of class size and achievement. "No one claims that if your child were in a class of a hundred students, it wouldn’t matter whether class size was reduced, but classes of under 30 students are small enough that additional reductions don’t make much of a difference," she told The Watch. Hoxbe says suburban districts like ours can reduce the ratio of students to teachers, but they’ll spend a lot of money to do so, and that money might be better spent on after school programs, a longer school year or higher pay to attract the best teachers. Hoxbe says the myth of smaller classes producing smarter kids is perpetrated by misinformed parents and by teachers’ unions.

Bob Campe defends Larry Miller and his performance on the District 34 School Board: "Although I no longer live in Glenview (or Illinois), I still consider it home and may return one day. I read with interest the October 27 letter from Seasoned Observer. He or she is correct in many comments, including the need for a school. I have known Larry Miller since the early 1990s when we served on a citizen task force together. We have not agreed on many topics or votes, but I have always listened, and respected Larry's right to voice his opinion. He has done the same to me. I do disagree with the writer when it is suggested that Larry had an ineffective term as a school board member. Larry was an involved and dedicated member of the Board of Education who happened to be on the short end of many votes and decisions. I imagine this may have made Larry frustrated, but I would not say ineffective. Larry's decision to become involved as a volunteer, in my book, made him effective. One is effective by doing, not necessarily by winning. I also noticed that Larry always signed his name to his letters to the editor, taking ownership of his public comments. Perhaps other ‘seasoned observers’ should take note."

PST is concerned about bending of zoning rules: "As a former resident of Winnetka, having served on the Zoning, Plan Commission and Design Review, I am very aware of the struggles that erupt between homeowners and village boards. I continue to be disturbed by the attitude taken by homeowners that if they butt up against zoning limitations, they are entitled to automatic approval.

"The guidelines and restrictions are for the good of the community, and limits serve to protect our property. They should not be pushed aside because of a resident’s personal preference. I know people feel they should be able to do whatever they want (and they always want more) with their properties, but where does it end? I, for one, do not want to pay the extra price for flood control abatement because the neighbors have paved over the landscape.

"What is it with people that says bigger and more is better? When I read about the requests at The Glen for adding patios and decks, I ask when will it stop? The petitioners make it sound like their lives will be ruined if they don't get their way. And the lack of respect shown toward the commissioners is truly deplorable. These are people who donate their time and energy to the community, helping it to be a better place for everyone. I believe there is honor in saying no and am disappointed to hear the Glen Redevelopment Commission caved in even on these petty requests. Zoning serves a purpose which can be readily seen when you observe the monstrosities that mushroom where zoning is lax. Everyone wants more than their neighbors, and we all end up with less. Open your eyes, people."

On reading that the International House of Pancakes had broken ground on Willow Road, Kathy Schulte wrote: "So we'll support International House of Pancakes but not Steak ‘N Shake? Unbelievable! Has anyone in village government actually eaten a meal at the International House of Pancakes lately? I doubt it. If they had, they would never approve this. (I'll take a burger, fries and a chocolate shake.) I don't choose my restaurants based on architecture, but for the record, I think Steak ‘N Shake is much more attractive architecturally, in signage, color and decoration than the International House of Pancakes."

The Watch replies: The wars over what can be built along Willow Road have nothing to do with cuisine or quality. If they did, we’d probably have open space in that neighborhood rather than a sea of asphalt. The fight with Steak ‘N Shake is about a drive through window. The restaurant wants one. The trustees are pretending to be guarding the public good in refusing permission. The IHOP, on the other hand, quickly agreed to abandon their signature blue roof in order to do business in Glenview.

HTB says village employees have a sweet deal: "Do all the taxpayers know that village employees don't pay one cent towards their health insurance? That includes the fire, police, public works and village hall employees which number well over 300 people. At a time when major corporations are firing thousands of people and passing on health costs to their employees, the village is hiring more people and paying all insurance costs with taxpayers money (along with a 4% raise each year). Since when does public employment insulate you from the real world?"

And finally, from M who’s been wildlife watching, a note on what homeowners who put food out for wildlife may see in their own backyard: "This fall I’ve seen 21 mallards, marching in for a taste of local bird seed, assorted sparrows, cardinals and mourning doves. On November 2 there was a beautiful grey hawk, and last night my nocturnal friend the opossum appeared. All is not lost!"

YOUR TURN: Write to glenviewwatch@aol.com or 3537 Maple Leaf Drive, Glenview, IL 60025. If you haven’t already done so, please consider making a contribution to support The Watch. Non-deductible checks should be payable to Glenview Watch. Thanks for your support and for reading. Dean Schott and Sandy Hausman, Co-Editors.

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