Village of Vernon Hills Committee of the Whole met September 7.

By Lhalie Castillo

Oct 18, 2017

Here is the minutes provided by the Committee:

President Pro Tem Hebda called the meeting to order at 7:46 p.m.

In Attendance: President Pro Tem Hebda, Trustees Marquardt, Takaoka, and Oppenheim. President Byrne and Trustees Schultz and Koch were absent. A quorum was established.

Also present were: Village Manager Kalmar, Assistant Village Manager Carey, Building Commissioner Atkinson, Chief Kreis, Assistant to the Finance Director Bourdeau, Public Works Director Brown, Attorney Brankin, and Recording Secretary DeAnda,

1.Approval of Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes of August 15, 2017

Motion by Trustee Marquardt, second by Trustee Oppenheim, to approve Committee of the Whole Minutes for the August 15, 2017.

Roll call vote:

Ayes: 4 - Marquardt, Hebda, Oppenheim, Takaoka

Nays; 0- None

Absent and Not Voting: 2 - Schultz, Koch

Motion carried.

2.Discussion of Skunknuisance Issue (Chief Kreis)

Chief Kreis stated he recently spoke with two experts on skunks. He provided a summary of their advice as follows,

Skunks Facts

Nuisance wildlife, capable of causing real problems

Annual problem & found in every county in Illinois

Nocturnal and Omnivores

Difficult to know if population is up or down

Some indications of an increase in activity

Mild winter and wet summer are at play

Eradication is not possible

Specific problems can be solved by nuisance animal control services

Village & Park District have partnered this year to trap on public land

Skink Do’s

Inspect property for signs repeat visits

Inspect property for dens

Use outdoor lighting & motion Sensors

Keep close eye on pets

Walk with dogs on leash

Use a flashlight at night

Clean-up fallen fruit

Apply grub control the summer

Skunk Donʼts

Leave pet food outside

Attempt to poison the animals

Discharge a firearm

Rig booby traps

Trap without a permit

Enclose an occupied den permanently

Skunk Resources

VHPD Webpage: http://www.vernonhills.org/655/Skunks---Prevention-and-Solutions

IL Department of Natural Resources: http://web.extension.illinois.edu/wildlifessolutions remove.cfm

Guidance on mitigating skunk issues

Lists over 25 licensed service providers in Lake County,

Several residents discussed their experiences with skunks this year and presented a Deerpath Neighbors “Skunkapolooza” map.

The COW directed staff as follows:

• Skuk Removal Process

The Village will partner with residents and the Park District to try and reduce the overall skunk population within the Village. The following plan will be developed over the next week with the intention of having it become operational on September 5:

1.Residents must contract for services from a licensed Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator. Names of companies can be found on the Village webpage and the IL DNR webpage. The contract will include the placement and monitoring of traps and the cost of skunk removal on individual residential properties.

2. Any costs related to inspection of the property, trap set-up and monitoring, home repairs needed to mitigate dens, etc. will be the responsibility of the homeowner.

3. If a trap is set by the operator and captures a skunk, the Village will reimburse the resident up to a maximum of $75 for each skunk trapped.

4. The Village and Park District will share costs (50/50) for each skunk trapped. The Village will be the point of contact for residents to work with for reimbursement, Tentatively, the Village will plan to periodically invoice the Park District for their portion of the removal costs.

5. The Village will not reimburse residents for the costs of trapping any other wildlife.

6. A copy of the contract along with receipt documenting the removal cost and a signed affidavit documenting skunk removal from the Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator will be required for reimbursement.

7. The Village will also try and reimburse residents who, in the past several months, have removed skunks. The Village wil use May 1 as the cut-off date for requesting this reimbursement. The information required in H6 will apply.

8. The outline of the Village/Park District program will be placed on the Village website.

9. The program will run through the end of December,

The Village will work on ways to communicate this program to residents using:

1. Village Webpage

2. Electronic Newsletter

3. Vernon Hills Update Program

4. Direct mailing/other opportunities

3. Coal Tar Ban Discussion (PWD Brown/Bcatkinson)

PWD Brown stated at its July 5 meeting, the Board directed staff to review coal tar driveway products with the intent of proposing possible ways to regulate its use within the Village.

Scientific Findings:

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are contained in coal tar sealants, can be carried by stormwater and other run off into the water resources of the Village. PAHs are an environmental concern because they are toxic to aquatic life, resulting in a loss of species and a decreased number of organisms. The International Agency for Research on Cancer and the National Toxicology Program classify coal tars and PAHs as carcinogens and research has shown that the concentration of total PAHs in buildings adjacent to coal tar sealed parking lots was 25 times higher than those adjacent to parking lots with other pavement surface types such as asphalt-based sealcoats. Environmental and health impacts can be minimized and pavements can be maintained by utilizing alternative products, absent PAHs.

Local Activities:

Staff visited a number of local businesses and we did not locate products for sealcoating that contained coal tar. We therefore feel the impact to our bricks and mortar businesses will be minimal. An outreach to other entities such as the schools and Park District was made. They were all aware of current discussions within our region about reducing or eliminating the use of this product. They either currently do not use coal tar sealants and/or were willing to follow the Village's lead should we regulate its use.

Regulation:

It is staff's recommendation that regulating the amount of contaminants, including Polycyclic Aromatic

Hydrocarbons (PAHs) contained in coal tar sealcoat products, will improve and protect the water quality of the Village and neighboring downstream communities. Prohibiting the use of coal tar seal coating products is therefore appropriate.

BC Atkinson stated currently, the Village requires a sealcoating permit for commercial, retail, officef warehouse and multi-family uses. A ban on the use of coal tar sealants could be written into these types of permits and be effectively enforced through the inspection process. Additionally, an educational component and outreach to businesses, shopping centers, retailers, large office/warehouse uses, property owners and associations, along with vendors who provide sealcoating services, would occur.

The Village does not require sealcoating permits for single family residences (SFR). For these types of uses, staff recommends an outreach program that educates residents and contractors as to the adverse effects of coal tar products and the prohibition of its use in Vernon Hills. Educational material could then be sent to all sealcoating and paving contractors that do work in the area. Property management companies and homeowner associations would also be notified. Staff believes an educational approach for SFR uses would be effective, while alleviating the extra burden for residents from having to get a permit for sealcoating their driveways.

The City of Highland Park, along with the Villages of Winnetka, Wilmette, and Hanover Park, has recently adopted regulations that prohibit the sale and use of coal tar products within their communities.

Motion by Trustee Oppenheim, second by Trustee Marquardt, direct staff to prepare an Ordinance prohibiting the sale and use of coal tar products in the Village, effective date of the Ordinance is January 1, 2018.

Roll call vote;

Ayes: 4 - Marquardt, Hebda, Oppenheim, Takaoka

Nays: 0 - None

Absent And Not Voting: 2 - Schultz, Koch

Motion carried.

4, Adjournment

Motion by Trustee Takaoka, second by Trustee Oppenheim, to adjourn the Special Committee of the Whole.

Roll call vote:

Ayes: 4 —Hebda, Marquardt, Oppenheim, Takaoka

Nays: 0 - None

Absent And Not Woting: 2 - Schultz, Koch

Motion carried.