Latest news with #LandUseCommission
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Residents can comment on Envision Evanston, which would increase density, before it heads to City Council
Envision Evanston, a proposal for a comprehensive 20-year plan with goals for housing, business, transportation and more, is now in the final stretch of consideration from the city, leading up to a deadline of mid-August. The City Council is scheduled to discuss the plan at Special City Council meetings on June 24 and July 21 at 7 p.m., which the public is welcome to attend, according to the city's spokesperson, Cynthia Vargas. The plan stalled in January after receiving pushback from residents concerned about the city's zoning and land use plans. Critics said the plan would allow too much density, in all of Evanston as well as downtown. The comprehensive plan is still in a draft phase, and is susceptible to additional edits by the City Council. Eighth Ward City Councilmember and former chair of the Land Use Commission Matt Rodgers told Pioneer Press while the current version of the plan is a vast improvement over the first draft he saw when he chaired the commission, he still has reservations about missing or incomplete information. 'I would not vote 'yes' on the plan as it is, but with some tweaks and clarifications, I can see a path forward,' Rodgers said. With a 7-1 recommendation from the Land Use Commission, Envision Evanston 2045 is now headed to the Evanston City Council for consideration before the August deadline. The June 24 and July 21 Special City Council meetings, which will welcome input, are in addition to the Regular City Council meetings, Vargas said. All take place at 909 Davis Street, Evanston. The City Council has yet to determine what those additional meetings will look like, Vargas said. According to Rodgers, the Special City Council meetings will not include town hall style meetings in which residents can ask questions of city staff and City Council about the Envision Evanston proposal. 'We've talked about creating special rules for our meetings to allow for longer public comment, but I don't know if those rules will allow for Council responses to citizen questions or not,' Rodgers said. Meanwhile, the City Council will need to make a decision before its August deadline to comply with state and local laws. 'If the City Council does not take action within that timeframe, another public hearing must be held, which can be with either the City Council or the Land Use Commission,' Vargas said. Some Councilmembers are using their ward meetings to discuss Envision Evanston, with those discussions already being held for the 1st, 4th and 7th Wards, Rodgers said. The 8th Ward will have its meeting on July 10, with plans in the works to have councilmembers from the 3rd and 9th Ward join. Rodgers said he and 6th Ward City Councilmember Tom Suffredin are considering a combined 6th/8th Ward virtual meeting. 'Some of these are Zoom discussions, and a couple are using the world cafe model with the League of Women Voters as moderators, so there will be different opportunities to gain public input,' Rodgers said. Separate from the comprehensive plan is a plan to update the city's zoning code. Both were meant to be approved by the City Council as a package with one guiding the other, but those plans were derailed after pushback from residents who wanted the city's zoning code to continue to allow single-family homes and prohibit duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes (two-, three- and four-flats) from being built on certain blocks. 'In my informal conversations with some other members of Council, there is an appetite to have town halls once we get into the Zoning Ordinance and the details,' Rodgers said. Throughout the drafts and public meetings regarding Envision Evanston, it has been mired in controversy. Opponents have organized public comment sessions against the city's planned densification that could change the cityscape downtown and in their own neighborhoods, and advocates have insisted that more businesses and housing in Evanston will make the city more affordable and energy efficient. Those points of view have been expressed in conversations about a proposed 31-story apartment building in downtown Evanston, which would be the tallest residential building in Cook County outside of Chicago, and in the selection process of a pick for a vacancy on the city's Land Use Commission. Mayor Daniel Biss, a proponent of Envision Evanston, released a statement after the Land Use Commission gave its recommendation on the final draft of the comprehensive plan. 'I'm appreciative of the Land Use Commission members for investing a tremendous amount of time and care into this process. I'm excited that the comprehensive plan now comes to Council, and I know that all Councilmembers are looking forward to digging in and doing their part to deliver a terrific plan for the whole community.' Rodgers emphasized his concerns with the draft in its current state. 'There are still some issues that are not included in this draft which I feel would be important in the City's vision for the next 20 years. Council should provide input on the top-line items — density, parking, sustainability, public spaces, etc.— and if necessary, ask LUC [Land Use Commission] to address issues that are not clear, or lacking,' he said.
Chicago Tribune
4 days ago
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Residents can comment on Envision Evanston, which would increase density, before it heads to City Council
Envision Evanston, a proposal for a comprehensive 20-year plan with goals for housing, business, transportation and more, is now in the final stretch of consideration from the city, leading up to a deadline of mid-August. The City Council is scheduled to discuss the plan at Special City Council meetings on June 24 and July 21 at 7 p.m., which the public is welcome to attend, according to the city's spokesperson, Cynthia Vargas. The plan stalled in January after receiving pushback from residents concerned about the city's zoning and land use plans. Critics said the plan would allow too much density, in all of Evanston as well as downtown. The comprehensive plan is still in a draft phase, and is susceptible to additional edits by the City Council. Eighth Ward City Councilmember and former chair of the Land Use Commission Matt Rodgers told Pioneer Press while the current version of the plan is a vast improvement over the first draft he saw when he chaired the commission, he still has reservations about missing or incomplete information. 'I would not vote 'yes' on the plan as it is, but with some tweaks and clarifications, I can see a path forward,' Rodgers said. With a 7-1 recommendation from the Land Use Commission, Envision Evanston 2045 is now headed to the Evanston City Council for consideration before the August deadline. The June 24 and July 21 Special City Council meetings, which will welcome input, are in addition to the Regular City Council meetings, Vargas said. All take place at 909 Davis Street, Evanston. The City Council has yet to determine what those additional meetings will look like, Vargas said. According to Rodgers, the Special City Council meetings will not include town hall style meetings in which residents can ask questions of city staff and City Council about the Envision Evanston proposal. 'We've talked about creating special rules for our meetings to allow for longer public comment, but I don't know if those rules will allow for Council responses to citizen questions or not,' Rodgers said. Meanwhile, the City Council will need to make a decision before its August deadline to comply with state and local laws. 'If the City Council does not take action within that timeframe, another public hearing must be held, which can be with either the City Council or the Land Use Commission,' Vargas said. Some Councilmembers are using their ward meetings to discuss Envision Evanston, with those discussions already being held for the 1st, 4th and 7th Wards, Rodgers said. The 8th Ward will have its meeting on July 10, with plans in the works to have councilmembers from the 3rd and 9th Ward join. Rodgers said he and 6th Ward City Councilmember Tom Suffredin are considering a combined 6th/8th Ward virtual meeting. 'Some of these are Zoom discussions, and a couple are using the world cafe model with the League of Women Voters as moderators, so there will be different opportunities to gain public input,' Rodgers said. Separate from the comprehensive plan is a plan to update the city's zoning code. Both were meant to be approved by the City Council as a package with one guiding the other, but those plans were derailed after pushback from residents who wanted the city's zoning code to continue to allow single-family homes and prohibit duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes (two-, three- and four-flats) from being built on certain blocks. 'In my informal conversations with some other members of Council, there is an appetite to have town halls once we get into the Zoning Ordinance and the details,' Rodgers said. Throughout the drafts and public meetings regarding Envision Evanston, it has been mired in controversy. Opponents have organized public comment sessions against the city's planned densification that could change the cityscape downtown and in their own neighborhoods, and advocates have insisted that more businesses and housing in Evanston will make the city more affordable and energy efficient. Those points of view have been expressed in conversations about a proposed 31-story apartment building in downtown Evanston, which would be the tallest residential building in Cook County outside of Chicago, and in the selection process of a pick for a vacancy on the city's Land Use Commission. Mayor Daniel Biss, a proponent of Envision Evanston, released a statement after the Land Use Commission gave its recommendation on the final draft of the comprehensive plan. 'I'm appreciative of the Land Use Commission members for investing a tremendous amount of time and care into this process. I'm excited that the comprehensive plan now comes to Council, and I know that all Councilmembers are looking forward to digging in and doing their part to deliver a terrific plan for the whole community.' Rodgers emphasized his concerns with the draft in its current state. 'There are still some issues that are not included in this draft which I feel would be important in the City's vision for the next 20 years. Council should provide input on the top-line items — density, parking, sustainability, public spaces, etc.— and if necessary, ask LUC [Land Use Commission] to address issues that are not clear, or lacking,' he said.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Evanston mayor breaks tie to OK appointee to Land Use Commission
New City Council members made it close, but not impossible, for Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss to cast a tie-breaking vote to approve his appointee to the city's Land Use Commission. The commission is currently charged with giving final approval for Envision Evanston 2045, an initiative that would increase density that Biss has strongly supported. Councilmembers Tom Suffredin (6th), Clare Kelly (1st), Parielle Davis (7th) and Matt Rodgers (8th) voted 'no' to Lutheran Grace Church Lead Pastor Luke Harris joining the Land Use Commission. Councilmembers Shawn Iles (3rd), Jonathan Nieuwsma (4th), Bobby Burns (5th) and Juan Geracaris (9th) voted to approve the mayor's pick. In Evanston, the mayor is responsible for appointing members to the city's Boards, Commissions and Committees. Those appointees are then voted on by the City Council, and need a simple majority of votes to join a board. Before casting their votes, city councilmembers gave their opinion on their vote. 'I have never had the privilege of being able to be underqualified for a position. I've never gotten a position over someone else who had higher credentials, and so I'll say that this is a soft spot for me,' Davis said. 'Quite frankly, I find this appointment to some degree insulting,' she said, because of Harris' lack of experience compared to other applicants to the commission. Previously, Biss allowed former Commissioner George Halik's term to expire in order to create a vacancy on the Land Use Commission. Biss also attempted to appoint to the commission an affordable housing expert who specializes in low income housing tax credits, but the appointee was met with significant pushback following the discovery of her social media posts that critics said were ageist and biased in favor of making Evanston more dense. Iles, the Overnight Shelter Director for Interfaith Action of Evanston, was under fire by some public commenters and Kelly who speculated that because of his employment and Lutheran Grace Church's ties to Interfaith Action, he could not cast an impartial vote to approve Harris to the Land Use Commission. Iles checked with Corporation Counsel Alexandra Ruggie to ask whether his vote would meet the city's standard of a conflict of interest. Ruggie said Iles' vote would not be considered a conflict of interest under the city's ethics code. 'It's just not there,' Ruggie said. 'It's just too far removed.' Lutheran Grace Church is one of 40 churches that provide funding to Interfaith Action, but a large portion of funding comes from individual donors, Iles said. Iles commented, 'He (Harris) has direct experience with affordable housing. I find him to be a passionate, informed, thoughtful member of our community. I think he can serve us well both as a younger person and as a renter,' he said. Rodgers said prior to the meeting, he met with Harris over coffee to discuss his interest in being on the commission. 'I was impressed with his commitment to affordable housing in Evanston, and making sure it's some place that people can move to and live.' 'However, I do have a number of reservations about his overall qualifications for this position,' he continued. 'Outside of recommending for the comprehensive general plan and the zoning ordinance, affordable housing is a very small part of what Land Use does.' 'I mentioned to the mayor in my letter to him that if Mr. Harris was nominated to (the) Housing and Community Development (Committee), I would be 100% supportive of that. I think that's a great place for them to do the work they are interested in doing and accomplishing great things for Evanston,' Rodgers said. Burns commented on the city's form of council-manager government, which some on the council have described as a 'weak mayor' government because the mayor does not vote or make motions, and does not typically give their opinion on agenda items during a council meeting. 'The one area where the mayor does have some influence, and obviously what you're seeing here today still needs to be confirmed by this council, is appoint people to BCC's (Boards, Commissions and Committees),' Burns said. 'In my opinion, that is the way a mayor with a limited influence in this form of government can try to think about how to compose a BCC in a way that helps to deliver on the things that he told his constituents in the community were important to him, important to them, etc.,' he said. 'I don't think there's anything improper with that. That's just to me the way that it works when you have that ability as a mayor,' Burns said. 'As council, up here, we have to use our own lens whether or not we feel we agree with that composition.'
Chicago Tribune
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Evanston mayor breaks tie to OK appointee to Land Use Commission
New City Council members made it close, but not impossible, for Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss to cast a tie-breaking vote to approve his appointee to the city's Land Use Commission. The commission is currently charged with giving final approval for Envision Evanston 2045, an initiative that would increase density that Biss has strongly supported. Councilmembers Tom Suffredin (6th), Clare Kelly (1st), Parielle Davis (7th) and Matt Rodgers (8th) voted 'no' to Lutheran Grace Church Lead Pastor Luke Harris joining the Land Use Commission. Councilmembers Shawn Iles (3rd), Jonathan Nieuwsma (4th), Bobby Burns (5th) and Juan Geracaris (9th) voted to approve the mayor's pick. In Evanston, the mayor is responsible for appointing members to the city's Boards, Commissions and Committees. Those appointees are then voted on by the City Council, and need a simple majority of votes to join a board. Before casting their votes, city councilmembers gave their opinion on their vote. 'I have never had the privilege of being able to be underqualified for a position. I've never gotten a position over someone else who had higher credentials, and so I'll say that this is a soft spot for me,' Davis said. 'Quite frankly, I find this appointment to some degree insulting,' she said, because of Harris' lack of experience compared to other applicants to the commission. Previously, Biss allowed former Commissioner George Halik's term to expire in order to create a vacancy on the Land Use Commission. Biss also attempted to appoint to the commission an affordable housing expert who specializes in low income housing tax credits, but the appointee was met with significant pushback following the discovery of her social media posts that critics said were ageist and biased in favor of making Evanston more dense. Iles, the Overnight Shelter Director for Interfaith Action of Evanston, was under fire by some public commenters and Kelly who speculated that because of his employment and Lutheran Grace Church's ties to Interfaith Action, he could not cast an impartial vote to approve Harris to the Land Use Commission. Iles checked with Corporation Counsel Alexandra Ruggie to ask whether his vote would meet the city's standard of a conflict of interest. Ruggie said Iles' vote would not be considered a conflict of interest under the city's ethics code. 'It's just not there,' Ruggie said. 'It's just too far removed.' Lutheran Grace Church is one of 40 churches that provide funding to Interfaith Action, but a large portion of funding comes from individual donors, Iles said. Iles commented, 'He (Harris) has direct experience with affordable housing. I find him to be a passionate, informed, thoughtful member of our community. I think he can serve us well both as a younger person and as a renter,' he said. Rodgers said prior to the meeting, he met with Harris over coffee to discuss his interest in being on the commission. 'I was impressed with his commitment to affordable housing in Evanston, and making sure it's some place that people can move to and live.' 'However, I do have a number of reservations about his overall qualifications for this position,' he continued. 'Outside of recommending for the comprehensive general plan and the zoning ordinance, affordable housing is a very small part of what Land Use does.' 'I mentioned to the mayor in my letter to him that if Mr. Harris was nominated to (the) Housing and Community Development (Committee), I would be 100% supportive of that. I think that's a great place for them to do the work they are interested in doing and accomplishing great things for Evanston,' Rodgers said. Burns commented on the city's form of council-manager government, which some on the council have described as a 'weak mayor' government because the mayor does not vote or make motions, and does not typically give their opinion on agenda items during a council meeting. 'The one area where the mayor does have some influence, and obviously what you're seeing here today still needs to be confirmed by this council, is appoint people to BCC's (Boards, Commissions and Committees),' Burns said. 'In my opinion, that is the way a mayor with a limited influence in this form of government can try to think about how to compose a BCC in a way that helps to deliver on the things that he told his constituents in the community were important to him, important to them, etc.,' he said. 'I don't think there's anything improper with that. That's just to me the way that it works when you have that ability as a mayor,' Burns said. 'As council, up here, we have to use our own lens whether or not we feel we agree with that composition.'
