Minutes – February 6, 2018

Posted On February 7, 2018

ELVN Minutes 2-6-2018

ELVN Board Members Present:

Patrick Carlson

Kit Welch

Beth Murphy

Tom Rothschild

Terie Kata

Mark Lundgren

Chester Kropidlowski

Jim Spencer

Aileen Tien

Heather Way-Kitzes

Jean O’Neill

Ballots handed out for votes on sculptures.

Cappleman Update

Main item discussed was the “Car to Go” program.

Cappleman is on the fence about a new parking program, called “Car to Go”. 43rd and 44th wards have opted out of this program. This is a program like Divvy bikes. With Zip Car you have to rent and return the car. This situation is different, you pay for the car by the minute or by the hour. You can pay $14/hour to rent a small, smart car. or $17/hour to rent a Mercedes. You can park at a metered zone, and you don’t pay for metered parking. The company pays for it. You put a sticker or some indicator in the window of the car that will prevent you from getting a ticket. There will be a “Car to Go” designation on every car so that it is apparent the car is part of the program.

You can also park in residential zones as well without a permit – this is where residents have an issue. No more than 10 parked cars throughout the entire 46th ward that will be part of the Car to Go program. You will not be able to park during Cubs night games from Ashland / Clark all the way through Lakeview. It’s a pilot project. The belief is that when program was tried in 25 other cities, car ownership dropped. It is believed if this program takes off, that people will get rid of their cars and so we will have less problems with parking in the area. At least, that is the desired effect.

It’s going to City Council for approval 2/26. Cappleman notes this is a very short time frame. But Tunney notes that the idea of this program has been kicked around for at least 6 months.

Lundgren asked what is the duration of the pilot program? Pilot will run through December 2019, then there will be a review in May 2019. Apparently in Boston, the program worked in that car ownership dropped. People might be more wanting to park in metered zones for free as opposed to hunting for residential zone spots.

Terie asks – how can you really measure success of the program? Also, how would you be able to determine which zone you can park in?

Patrick asks – what other cities? Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, and Austin.

More feedback: Sounds very similar to Zip Car. But Zip Cars you have to locate back to a Zip Car location, and you can’t park in residential zones. Again, the belief is that people will not be motivated to park in residential zones b/c it’s too difficult to find parking there.

Tunney: 50% Supportive, 50% Against. There are enough metered parking spaces for Car to Go people to park there.  But he has issues with Car to Go being able to park in residential zones. Then again, users of Car to Go would most likely be residents of the wards in question. And we’re somewhat allowing a commercial enterprise on a residential street. Feels that there are very few spots left in Tunney ward already as it is after 7:00pm every day. Tunney is leaning more towards being against the program. But on Wrigley Field event days, this program probably won’t be in effect, because Car to Go cars might be stranded in the event areas.

The registration fee to enroll could be as low as $5.00. 41 cents a minute to use the car. There’s also a day to day rate. Wherever a car ends up being parked, it stays there until the next person picks it up. According to Car to Go studies, the car usually only stays in a spot for a few hours.

Quick Straw Poll of folks at the meeting as to whether they would support Car to Go:

  • Strongly Supportive: 4-5
  • Kind of Supportive: 6-8
  • Neutral: 6-8
  • Negative: 4-6

Cappleman side note: Howard Brown is doing very well.

Tunney Update – Chris Jessup and Tunney

  • Finalizing liquor licenses in S&A boundaries. Addison Y Clark development start occupying spaces in June.
  • Annual Wrigley Field Meeting will be Wed, Mar 7, 6:30 at Addison Police Station.
  • 363 officers, 2 net decrease. November Community round table with community leaders where it was promised that number of officers will increase by early Summer.

Concerts at Wrigley Field and the issue of people camping along in front of residential buildings – will this be allowed? Heather says that Cubs will do what they can to mitigate this type of situation. She indicates they have some plans in place that will hopefully prevent people from camping out. Cubs are aware and are working on this. The specific concert in question is Pearl Jam on August 18 & 20.

Infrastructure work will be done along Grace, Clark, Sheffield involving new lighting. Then Kenmore, Seminary, Clifton, Wilton.

Mark asks – Street condition of Sheffield due to pot holes. Tunney replies – Water project will go on Belmont on Sheffield all the way to Clark. Also doing some improvements on 3500 Sheffield. Very attuned to what’s going on on Sheffield.

Want K-12 students to stay in the Lakeview area, so lots of investment in Lakeview High School.

Anshe Emet School – Expansion Plan

Allan Shockman – developer in cities for 25 years, mainly large scale residential, not new to zoning process. Volunteering on Anshe Emet school board. Introduces folks involved who are volunteering for school’s expansion effort. Bulley & Andrews will be the general contractor.

Anshe Emet synagogue

Bernard Zell school

The school is out of space – 530 enrolled students. Not increasing student or teacher numbers, just a crunched space problem. Want to expand the school portion, 35,000 square foot in total. City wanted them to go with a planned development. So that’s what they’re doing. Have met with Cappleman and staff. Have this introduced to Planned Commission. Hope to start work when students are out of school for Summer 2018, then finish work Summer 2019.

No changes to traffic patterns around the school from where kids are dropped off / picked up.

Architectural presentation: Site plan introduced via some board drawings. Emphasizing that they are just looking to alleviate the space crunch. They are not expanding beyond the current boundaries of the school. Next up, aerial view of the current synagogue and the school were shown.

  • The addition is located within a proposed 4-story building. 1st floor is a “hangout” area. 2nd and 3rd floors are classrooms. 4th floor is a gym.
  • All of the mechanical will be covered and out of sight.
  • The building will have sprinklers.
  • There will be an improvement to the driveway going up to the drop-off area. There is a setback from the street so as not to cause traffic issues.
  • Will use a light brick shade for the outside.

Want to have the school be able to tell a story. Don’t want heavy brick masonry building. Lighter brick is meant to evoke a prayer shawl motif.

Funded by donations through fund raisers via alumni, etc.

Lots of feedback about the long brick wall along the school that makes it feel like you’re walking next to a prison. Expansion group took feedback about lightening the wall.

Cubs Update – Heather

  • Wrigley Field is under construction Hotel Zachary is moving right along. Tenants are taking their spaces and starting their buildouts. 5 general contractors working there now. Hotel will be open in time for Opening Day. Once that is complete, we are 75% through the 1060 project.
  • Park at Wrigley ice rink is still open and will be until end of the month. Curling going on this week.
  • 10 night concerts planned this year, including Billy Joel.
  • Thanksgiving to January 1st, about 200,000 people passed through Wrigley Field/Park (not sure I got this number right).
  • School All-Star grants to schools in Lakeview, Cubs invested $500K total. Schools collectively raised $1.2 million. Cubs will keep All-Star grants going in 2018.
  • Overnight security patrol, will keep this going in 2018 too.

Lake Shore Drive Update – Chester

LSD configurations on the table:

  • Southbound LSD entrance and a Northbound LSD exit ramp at Addison Street. This would involve LSD traffic going under an Addison Street.
  • Elimination of the LSD Wilson ramps.
  • Reduction of LS from 4 lanes in each direction to 3 lanes in each direction north of Montrose.
  • Recreation Drive will be eliminated.
  • There will be an LSD overpass at Addison, that is, LSD will go underneath Addison.
  • Belmont and Irving will remain pretty much the same.
  • New underpass at Briar will be vehicular/bike/pedestrian. Eliminates Barry pedestrian underpass.

Tunney: This is a huge deal to redesign the north portion of LSD. Still in the planning phases, so really need neighbors’ input. Will take pressure off of Irving and Belmont, but will put pressure on other points.

Treasurer’s Report – Terie

  • Can only pay for membership on the ELVN website, not LVCC.
  • Need to pay well in advance before the elections.
  • $552 gained for membership fees at Holiday Party.
  • Expenses $134 for January. Netted: $418 for January.
  • $3700 expenses for Holiday Party.

Board Seat Nominations

We are a 15 member board, have 7 members up for re-election.

Need to be a resident or a designated member of a residential business, and an ELVN member in good standing.

March meeting will be the 2nd Tuesday in March. Elections will be held at that time. Have to be paid by 14th of February. 30 days to publish slate of candidates.

Nominations Accepted:

  1. John Fitterer
  2. Heather Way-Kitzes
  3. Chester Kropidlowski
  4. Kit Welch
  5. Marty Malone (not paid)
  6. Tom Rothschild
  7. Jim Spencer
  8. Brandon Cunningham (not paid)
  9. Terie Katie
  10. Patrick Nagle (not paid)

Election Board Volunteers:

  • Mike Zink
  • Patrick Carlson
  • Aileen Tien

Proxies: Jim thinks there is a proxy vote for board decisions, but not board elections. Jim will look into this.

Move March meeting from 3/6 to 3/13.

Move April meeting from 4/3 to 4/10.