City of Highland Park Committee of the Whole met November 13

By Kristine Gonzales-Abella

Dec 31, 2018

City of Highland Park Committee of the Whole met Nov. 13.

Here is the minutes provided by the committee:

CALL TO ORDER

At 4:31 PM, Mayor Rotering called the meeting to order and asked for a roll call.

ROLL CALL

Members Present: Mayor Rotering, Councilmen Stolberg, Stone, Kaufman, Blumberg, Knobel, Holleman

Members Absent: None

Mayor Rotering declared a quorum was present.

Staff Present: Ghida Neukirch, Joel Fontane, Ashley Palbitska

Also Present: Corporation Counsel Steve Elrod

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

A. Regular Meeting of the Committee of the Whole – October 29, 2018

Councilman Stolberg moved to approve the minutes from the regular meeting of the Committee of the Whole held on October 29, 2018, as amended. Councilman Knobel seconded the motion.

On a voice vote:

Voting Yea: Mayor Rotering, Councilmen Stolberg, Blumberg, Knobel, Holleman

Voting Nay: None

Voting Present: Councilmen Stone, Kaufman

Mayor Rotering declared the motion passed unanimously.

CLOSED SESSION

Councilman Blumberg moved the Committee close its meeting 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 purposes of i) approval of closed session minutes (5 ILCS 120/2(c)(21)); ii) employment matters (5 ILCS 120/2(c)(1)); and iii) potential litigation (5 ILCS 120/2(c)(11)). Councilwoman Stone seconded the motion.

On a roll call vote:

Voting Yea: Mayor Rotering, Councilmen Stolberg, Stone, Kaufman, Blumberg, Knobel, Holleman

Voting Nay: None

Mayor Rotering declared the motion passed unanimously.

At 4:33 PM, the Committee recessed the public portion of the meeting to meet in Closed Session.

At 6:03 PM, Mayor Rotering reconvened the open session of the Committee of the Whole Meeting.

Members Present: Mayor Rotering, Councilmen Stolberg, Stone, Kaufman, Blumberg, Knobel, Holleman

Members Absent: None

City Staff Present: Ghida Neukirch, Larry Amidei, Lou Jogmen, Joel Fontane, Ramesh Kanapareddy, Julie Logan, Rob Sabo, Ashley Palbitska

Also Present: Corporation Counsel Steve Elrod, Deputy Corporation Counsel Hart Passman

SCHEDULED BUSINESS

Highland Park Country Club Disposition

Corporation Counsel Elrod presented highlights of the proposed agreements and changes since they were last distributed to the Council.

Corporation Counsel Elrod explained that the Park District of Highland Park requested, that if the City were to hire contractors to complete work on the Park District property, the Park District would be additionally insured on the contractor’s Certificate of Liability Insurance. He stated that it was requested of the Park District that if they were to conduct work on the City’s property, that the City be additionally insured on the contractor’s Certificate of Liability Insurance. He explained that the request has not been drafted into the documents as of yet but requested feedback from the Council if they were comfortable with allowing the request.

The Committee was in consensus to allow the request.

The Committee, Corporation Counsel Elrod and City Manager Neukirch discussed shared costs for the replacement of the roof for the Recreation Center and Clubhouse, review of shared utility costs one year after the Senior Center is relocated, the landfill cap on the Enterprise property and the management fee.

Inclusionary Housing Regulations

Community Development Director Fontane presented proposed changes to the City’s inclusionary housing regulations. He stated that the proposed changes do not impact the current affordable housing requirement which mandates 15% of total built units must be affordable housing if provided on site; otherwise a 20% requirement applies. He requested feedback as to whether these policy matters should be formally considered through the City’s zoning amendment process.

Councilman Stolberg and Community Development Director Fontane discussed the lowest Return on Investment (“ROI”) and what developers would not be able to apply for if they paid a fee in-lieu instead of incorporating inclusionary housing.

Mayor Rotering, Councilman Holleman and Community Development Director Fontane discussed the State’s requirements for inclusionary housing, the level the City is at and that compared to neighboring municipalities, the City of Highland Park has a higher rate of inclusionary housing available.

The Committee and Community Development Director Fontane discussed the allowance of partial payment in lieu and payments in lieu for fractional units.

Mayor Rotering, Councilmen Stolberg, Stone, Kaufman, Blumberg and Knobel were in favor of the proposed recommendation. Councilman Holleman was not in favor.

The Committee and Community Development Director Fontane discussed partial payments in lieu or cash payments in lieu of affordable units and how it shall not preclude density and/or market rate unit bonuses that are attributable to the on-site affordable units that are provided.

Betsy Lassar, a volunteer who was involved in developing Highland Park’s original affordable housing program, asked for clarification between fee in lieu and density bonus provisions. She understood that the proposal applied only in the case where the developer had the by-right opportunity to pay a fee in lieu instead of providing on-site units. In those situations, the developer can choose to split the requirement, providing some units and paying a fee for the balance. The developer would then get the density bonus for only those units provided on site. She asked for clarification between the difference between payment in lieu and cash payment in lieu.

Community Development Director Fontane explained that a payment in lieu is a by-right pay out and cash payment in lieu is for all others.

Councilman Holleman and Community Development Director confirmed that there is no process change regarding the approval of by-right pay outs and that the Council still maintains approval in those types of situations.