City of Highland Park Committee of the Whole met May 8.
Here is the minutes provided by the Committee:
Call to Order:
At 4:31 p.m., Presiding Officer Holleman called the meeting to order and asked for a roll call.
Roll Call:
Members Present: Presiding Officer Holleman, Councilmen Smith, Stone, Kaufman, Blumberg, Knobel
Members Absent: Mayor Rotering
The Presiding Officer declared a quorum was present.
Staff Present: Ghida Neukirch, Dan Pease, Rob Sabo, Paul Shafer, Emily Taub, Ashley Knaus
Also Present: Corporation Counsel Steve Elrod (arrived at 4:33 p.m.), Assistant Corporation Counsel Passman, Councilman-Elect Adam Stolberg
Approval of Minutes:
A. Regular Meeting of the Committee of the Whole – April 24, 2017
Councilman Kaufman moved to approve the minutes from the regular meeting of the Committee of the Whole held on April 24, 2017. Councilman Blumberg seconded the motion.
On a voice vote:
Voting Yea: Presiding Officer Holleman, Councilmen Smith, Stone, Kaufman, Blumberg, Knobel
Voting Nay: None
Absent: Mayor Rotering
The Presiding Officer declared the motion passed unanimously.
Closed Session:
Councilman Blumberg moved the Committee close its meeting to the public, pursuant to the following cited sections of the Illinois Open Meetings Act (5 ILCS 120/2(c)), for the purpose of discussing i) approval of closed session minutes (5 ILCS 120/2(c)(21)); ii) employment matters (5 ILCS 120/2(c)(1)); iii) setting price to sell or lease property (5 ILCS 120/2(c)(5)); and iv) probable or imminent litigation (5 ILCS 120/2(c)(11)). Councilwoman Stone seconded the motion.
On a roll call vote:
Voting Yea: Presiding Officer Holleman, Councilmen Smith, Stone, Kaufman, Blumberg, Knobel
Voting Nay: None
Absent: Mayor Rotering
The Presiding Officer declared the motion passed unanimously.
At 4:33 p.m., the Committee recessed the public portion of the meeting to meet in Closed Session.
At 6:20 p.m., Presiding Officer Holleman reconvened the open session of the Committee of the Whole Meeting.
Members Present: Mayor Rotering (arrived at 6:52 p.m.), Councilmen Smith, Stone, Kaufman, Blumberg, Knobel, Holleman
Staff Present: Ghida Neukirch, Joel Fontane, Ramesh Kanapareddy, Rob Sabo, Carolyn Hersch, Ashley Knaus
Also Present: Corporation Counsel Steve Elrod, Assistant Corporation Counsel Hart Passman, Councilman-Elect Adam Stolberg
Scheduled Business:
POSO and Zoning Update and Recommendations
City Manager Neukirch and Community Development Director Fontane informed the Committee of the proposed amendments to the City’s Pedestrian Oriented Shopping Overlay (POSO) based on recommendations in part due to changing shifts of the retail market and input from property owners, business owners and other stake holders. A PowerPoint was presented.
Presiding Officer Holleman invited members of the public to offer comment on the POSO and Zoning updates and staff recommendations.
Amy Amdur, President of the Property Owners Association (POA), presented a statement on behalf of the POA that was provided to the City regarding the lifting of the POSO.
Herb Loeb, Highland Park property owner, identified that his properties are leased although he voiced his objection to the POSO.
Councilman Smith, Councilwoman Stone and Community Development Fontane discussed the considerations to include or not include businesses on the east side of St Johns Avenue, south of Central Avenue and along Sheridan Road.
City Manager Neukirch discussed the rationale of a concentrated retail district area.
Councilwoman Stone discussed how the properties between the alley and Laurel Avenue, even though they are not retail facing retail, are a connector to the Library and train station and should be included in the update of the POSO.
Councilman Knobel thanked City staff and many stakeholders for their input and feedback on the project. She discussed occupancy rates and the paradigm shift in retail. She stated that she would like to keep the POSO but shrink it as much as possible. She addressed active streetscape and dead zones. She stated that she would like the POSO to end on Second Street at the Municipal Parking lot to allow for walkability and encourage development. She discussed how the project should be an ongoing conversation and not put on a shelf to be discussed at a later date. She stated that parking and allowable uses will need to be reviewed in conjunction with each other.
Corporation Counsel Elrod clarified that the POSO is in the City’s Zoning Code.
Councilman Knobel stated that due to the nature of the POSO, it is an item that needs to be reviewed.
Councilman Blumberg and Corporation Counsel Elrod clarified that there is not a moratorium on banks but that the POSO was created in concern of a proliferation of non-sales tax generating uses.
Councilman Blumberg stated that he would be in favor of shrinking the POSO but not eliminating it. He discussed research provided by staff that outlined the shift that is affecting retail businesses. He provided his opinion as to why he would be willing to shrink the POSO but not eliminate it and the importance of keeping the POSO.
Councilman Kaufman discussed how the City needs to shift with the changing times and asked how much time would be needed to review the effect of the shrinking of the POSO. He was in support of reviewing the parking regulations due to the updates needing to be looked at holistically.
Presiding Officer Holleman asked for a consensus in shrinking the POSO based on staff’s recommendation.
Councilman Knobel discussed shrinking the POSO to the municipal lot that would allow different uses for Renaissance Place and redevelopment of two properties located north of Michael’s.
Presiding Officer Holleman was in agreement with Councilman Knobel in reducing the overlay on Second Street to the municipal lot.
Councilman Blumberg discussed that Renaissance Place was asking to be part of the POSO and that public hearing need to take place to decide where the overlay will start and end.
Corporation Counsel Elrod discussed that this would be a City initiated change to the Zoning Code and how notification would need to be handled.
Councilwoman Stone, Corporation Counsel Elrod and Community Development Director Fontane discussed the area that would be notified of the proposed change and the information that would need to be within the notification.
Presiding Officer Holleman and Corporation Counsel Elrod discussed the initiation of an amendment to the Zoning Code to reduce the size of the POSO.
Dino Dimitrio, Highland Park property owner, discussed the property east of the train tracks on Central Avenue and new vacancies that are being formed. He stated that there is not just a shift in retail but a whole new game. He stated that mixed use is what will help the downtown fill vacancies.
Councilman Knobel agreed that allowable uses need to be reviewed due to the type of vacancies that are being formed.
Mr. Dimitrio discussed how there are very few retail businesses east of the tracks on Central Avenue and how everything else is service or restaurant. He stated that Northbrook Court was moving away from retail only and including mixed uses.
City Manager Neukirch stated that it was important to open the conversation up with Zoning changes and that the Council was proactive to change from 15 to 65 units per acre. She discussed what was needed to keep the character and life of the downtown. She provided information on the idea of mixed use that will allow for more residential units and the reduced concentration of the retail area. She stated that staff will regularly review the change and bring information to the Council for consideration.
Presiding Officer Holleman asked for a consensus in shrinking the POSO to the Municipal Lot on Second Street.
Councilmen Smith and Knobel stated that they were in favor.
Mayor Rotering, Councilmen Stone, Blumberg and Kaufman stated that they were not in favor.
Mayor Rotering asked if the relationship between the City and property owners was continually nurtured to be able to maintain the attractiveness of the downtown to attract new retailers. She discussed Larry Hillman’s block and how he does not have a lot of vacancies. She reviewed the downtowns of neighboring municipalities and that many people have stated they come to Highland Park for shopping because of the downtown.
Mayor Rotering and Hal Emalfarb, Highland Park property owner, discussed opportunities and the attractiveness of downtown retail spaces.
The Committee agreed to move forward with the POSO map as presented.
City Code Amendment for Chapter 24 – Historic Preservation:
Community Development Director Fontane provided an update on staff research and recommendations regarding involuntary historic landmarking of properties in Highland Park.
Mayor Rotering and Community Development Director Fontane discussed the three Historic Preservation applicants.
Councilman Blumberg, Corporation Counsel Elrod and Community Development Director Fontane discussed the impact of involuntary landmarking in other communities compared to the impact in Highland Park.
Councilman Kaufman asked if there could be a breakdown of what exactly happens with the involuntary landmarking process in other communities.
Corporation Counsel Elrod stated that Evanston and Lake Forest have involuntary landmarking procedures that are similar to Highland Park’s.
Councilman Holleman stated that the 2004 study was not clear enough to make a comparison to Highland Park’s procedures.
The Committee, Corporation Counsel Elrod and Community Development Director Fontane clarified the research that is needed to be done on the municipalities that had previously been contacted by staff.
Mayor Rotering, Councilman Holleman and Community Development Director Fontane discussed the recommendation of who can make a nomination and submit an application for involuntary landmarking.
Councilman Knobel and Community Development Director Fontane discussed costs, staff time and education levels needed to proceed through the application process.
Councilman Blumberg agreed that the cost should fall on the person making the nomination but who can or cannot make the nomination needs to be established.
Councilman Smith recognized that the City would like to reserve some of the power for nominations but that it should be narrowed significantly. She reflected on the process that the City and the homeowner experienced during the most recent involuntary landmarking nomination. She discussed how the City has a tool, an inventory of historic properties, how significant that inventory is and how the list can be used. She stated that having a third party review would make the nomination more objective and the benefit to the homeowner needs to be brought forth more than the idea of public benefit. She explained that revisions need to channel and support the expertise of the Commission so that the City can preserve the integrity of the Commission process.
Councilwoman Stone stated that she liked the idea of the framework presented by Councilman Smith and that the survey of properties needs to be updated. She discussed flushing out what the qualifications would be for a researcher submitting an involuntary landmarking application.
Councilman Kaufman shared his concerns of making sure that the process is covering all legal fundamentals for the property owners and the importance of notice of historic preservation.
Councilman Knobel stated that the City needs to start with educating the community. She explained that the current staff recommendation will not assist with the current issue but that education can play an important role.
The Committee and City Manager Neukirch discussed an extension of the moratorium and the need for policy direction.
Others Matters:
There were no other matters.
Adjournment:
Councilwoman Stone moved to adjourn. Councilman Kaufman seconded the motion.
On a voice vote, the Mayor declared the motion passed unanimously.
The Committee of the Whole adjourned its meeting at 7:39 p.m.
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