City Council - Regular Meeting

I'd like to call to order the city council meeting for the city of Highland Park, Illinois, October 6th, 2025. Will the clerk please call the role? Council member Center, present. Council member Buckman here. Council member Ross here. Council member Tapia, present. Council member Little here. Council member Bloomberg here. Mayor Roing here. We have a quorum. Everyone, please rise for the pledge of allegiance. I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

May I have a motion to approve the minutes of the regular city council meeting held September 25th, 2025? So moved. Second. All in favor say I. I. Any any opposed? The uh the adjustment was made. President as amended. Yeah. Okay. So Hart, do we need to retake that motion? Yeah, I think it's so I'm seeking a motion to approve the minutes as amended. So moved. Second. All in favor say I. I. I. Present. Thank you. Any opposed? Hearing none. The minutes are approved as amended. Thank you. May I have a motion to approve the warrant list? So moved. Second. Any comments or questions on the warrant list? No. Any from the public? Hearing? None. Will the clerk please call the vote? Council member center. Hi. Council member Buckman. Hi. Council member Ross.

Hi. Council member Tapio. Hi. Council member Little. Hi. Council member Bloomberg. Hi. Mayor Roing.

I. Seven eyes. No. The warrant list is approved. Our next item is the report of the mayor. We have new software. So bear with us. We're like getting our bearings up here. Um, before we continue our business this evening, I'd like to pause and remember the victims of the October 7th, 2023 attacks in Israel. Those who are still held hostage in Gaza and their loved ones. Um, yesterday I shared some reflections on these past two years. It's inconceivable. And I'd like to share them with you this evening. On October 7th, on Tuesday, October 7th, we will mark two years since people in Israel of multiple nationalities were brutally attacked in places that should have been safe in their communities, in their homes, at a music festival, with family, neighbors, and friends. More than,200 people were killed and hundreds more were taken hostage. It remains the highest single day death toll of Jewish people since the Holocaust. We continue to hold in our hearts the hostages who remain in captivity and the families who wait for their return. In particular, we honor the memories of Hersh Goldberg Poland Eai Safe and all those with connections to Highland Park. Over the past two years, we've joined together in prayer, action, and solidarity. Vigils, fundraising efforts, and personal outreach have shown that our community stands with our neighbors and our friends as they navigate unimaginable loss and uncertainty. The city has formally designated October 7th as a day of remembrance and solidarity with our Jewish community, ensuring that the victims, the hostages, and their families are never forgotten. Sadly, these years have also underscored the troubling rise of anti-semitism here in Highland Park or here in the United States. Hate of any kind has no place in Highland Park. Earlier this year, the city adopted the IHA definition of anti-semitism to further affirm our support for our Jewish residents and our commitment to standing against hate in all of its forms. Everyone, everyone

deserves to live free of hate and of fear. Highland Park is not alone in this commitment. Our faith communities, civic organizations, and neighboring towns have joined together to speak with one voice in rejecting anti-semitism and strengthening support for our Jewish neighbors. These efforts rooted in shared values of compassion, safety, and dignity remind us that community is strongest when we all stand together. As Sukot approaches, actually it's here. May we all find comfort and reflection, connection, and the bonds of community. Whether you celebrate or not, my wish for the Jewish New Year is for peace and for understanding. Thank you. Um, I have no appointments this evening. We do have two proclamations this evening. Uh we're going to start with the Sister Cities International Day. Um October 14th is the annual celebration of the volunteers and partnerships of Sister Cities International. In Highland Park, a dedicated team of volunteers have cultivated strong relationships with our three sister cities, Modna, Italy, Porta, Mexico, and Yokoham, Israel. We'll now read the proclamation. Whereas Sister Cities International was founded as a presidential initiative by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on September 11th, 1956 at the White House conference on citizen diplomacy to create more community-led global relationships so that people of different cultures could appreciate their differences and build partnerships that would lessen the chance of new international conflicts. And whereas Sister Cities International Day is a fitting occasion to commemorate the impact that this organization has made in building bridges across nations, cities, and communities around the globe in order to create and sustain world peace. Whereas there's no better day to celebrate the birth of the modern sister cities movement than on the birthday of its founder, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, which is October 14th. And whereas Sister Cities International currently has members in, 1800 communities in 138 countries on six

continents. And whereas the city of Highland Park is proud to be part of a global network with sister city partnerships in Port of Mexico, Modina, Italy, and Yurokcom, Israel. And whereas sister city relationships include educational, economic, cultural, municipal, and humanitarian assistance exchange programs that are mutually beneficial to each community. And whereas Sister Cities International Day is a call to action for Highland Parks residents and citizens of the world to come together to celebrate the importance of community's continued commitment to supporting a more peaceful and prosperous future through continued people-to-people exchanges. And whereas Sister Cities International Day is an opportune time for Highland Park and cities across the world to show how powerful humanity can be when communities unite to promote peace, progress, and prosperity for a better world. Now therefore, I, Nancy Rotary, mayor of the city of Highland Park and the city council of Highland Park, do hereby declare October 14, 2025 as Sister Cities International Day. And we encourage all residents to learn more about Highland Park's phenomenal Sister Cities Foundation. Um, from robotics to opera, the Highland Park Sister Cities work really enriches our community, building bridges between Highland Park and our three sister cities. We're delighted to welcome Highland Park Sister Cities Foundation President Carol Wolf to accept the proclamation and share an update on what really is a true gem in Highland Park. Welcome.

Thank you so much. Thank you, Mayor. The city of Highland Park includes vibrancy as one of its six priorities. Clearly, the Highland Park Sister Cities Foundation exemplifies this priority. In 2024, our program received its fifth award for best overall program from the organization that you spoke about, Sister Cities International. We have a broad reach locally and internationally. We maintain the Pierce Garden and Sister Cities Park in the center of downtown. The garden, which boasts the sculpture of the whale that was a gift from our sister city, Port of Viarda, honors Mayor Dan Pierce, who founded the sister cities foundation 37 years ago. And Roa is here tonight and she

and Roa was our first president. This year we partnered, well, it's been going on for a couple years actually, with our community robotics team called Meta Infiniti to create opportunities for students in Highland Park to collaborate with students in our sister cities. Lucas Hubler and his team have been mentoring students in Porttoarda. The collaboration with Porttoarda has resulted in Highland Park students being invited to participate in an international robotics competition, excuse me, called Robo Rave, which will take place in Porttoarda in December. We want to thank Councilwoman Ross for her support in helping us obtain some sponsorships. And I also think it's important to mention our past liaison Andre Tapia and Anet Lidau for their continued support in addition to all of the members of the council. Um you mentioned it was a young man who came to Highland Park as a part of our robotics exchange with Yurukam although now they're calling it Yurukam. So I'm still working on that through. Um, it came as a part of the robotics exchange and he was killed in Gaza as a soldier with the IDF. Mayor Roering said, "How are we going to honor Itai's memory?" Well, after a lot of hard work, we are so excited to announce that we have collaborated with the Highland Park Library and they are creating or we are providing an EIC toolkit that will be included in the libraryies library of things. So, people from Highland Park can rent a toolkit and the on the cover of the toolkits it will say in honor of it. We also created a student um robotics

program that is going to take place here in Highland Park for young people in Itai's memory. We created a student architecture exchange which was proposed by our student leans, one of our student liaons, Liam Ornstein, where students in Highland Park are now working with students in Port of Viarda on um architecture um issues and architecture um challenges being faced by the environment and also historic and relevant buildings in both cities. We we were planning a music exchange with our sister city Yaruha, but then October 7th happened and our efforts were redirected to humanitarian support. I am so happy to report that the music exchange is once again planned for this spring. Fran Sherman, co-con master with the Hila Park Strings, has been to Yukon and met with the director of the music conservatory there. She and Larry Block, who is a member of our board and the founder and chist with the Highland Park Strings, are working on this exciting program that will include music students from Highland Park. A plug, this Sunday, the Highland Park Strings will be performing at the Highland Park High School. That's something you don't want to miss. They are really a local treasure. We also were approached by Maria Barbinente, who's the Italian teacher at the high school, to create a pilot program for teaching Italian through opera. And we're going to collaborate with Tener Giani Ketta, who has been to Highland Park several times from Morina um to help initiate this project. On Monday, October 27th, we're partnering with Sunset Foods and here in in Highland Park for our annual Parmesano Reano Day to celebrate the day that Masimo Bura, the renowned chef from our sister city, Modna, saved the Parmesan

industry after an earthquake. We're going to be raffling off a basket of gourmet items donated by Sunset. And all funds raised will go to an organization called Food for Soul. Masimo Batura started this organation organization that works with restaurants around the world to provide high quality meal meals for the underserved for from food that the restaurants have left over. We hope to see you all at sunset on October 27th between 11 and 3. We participate in community projects such as the Highland Park Day of the Dead, Focus on the Arts, and the National Night Out. And as president of the Illinois Sister Cities Association, I've had the opportunity to bring what we do here in Highland Park as a model to cities across the state. And that's really been a tremendous joy for me to be able to promote Highland Park throughout the state of Illinois. Yes, the Highland Park Sister Cities Foundation contributes to the vibrancy of our community locally, at the state level, and internationally. We provide opportunities. We build bridges to connect cultures. We promote peace and mutual understanding through people-to-people exchanges and citizen diplomacy. We are so grateful to you. Um I just can't even find the words, Mayor Rhden, for your continued support and each one of you on the city council. Um what you do to help us cannot be overstated. We are just so grateful. Um, thank you. Thank you all for listening to me and we thank you for your support.

Wonderful. I need to acknowledge um I acknowledge Roa Pierce who is here, but I also want to acknowledge Matt Pestine who is the vice president in charge of our relationship with Yorukham, his wife Jamie, and then my husband Rick who is the in charge of our relationship with Porttoarda. Um, other people in our committee wanted to be here tonight, unable to be because of prior commitments, but we really do have an amazing group.

Wonderful. Well, thank you. Thank you. Picture here. Rick should be in the picture. Jamie, come on. Jamie,

after all that planting, girl. Thank you.

Mayor, can I May I add something? Sure. Um, I wanted to I don't know. Is this on? Yeah, it should be. I guess it's on. Doesn't sound like it, but uh I I wanted to uh mention, Carol, I wanted to uh add something that that that robot that you described that Meta Infiniti uh is working on uh that Lucas and and Meta Infiniti is working on um is with their teammates in Mexico. uh will the the the work of the robot is to clean oceans of trash which I think is just so wonderful.

Design this robot and they're working on Zoom and WhatsApp and the goal is to clean ocean trash and then it could eventually be used hopefully in in our lakes as well. It's it's just fantastic and and it's such you're such a great organization and I I I want to say the more I learn about you, the more I love what you do. We love what you do. So, thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you.

Continuing with the report of the mayor, this year uh Diwali celebrations begin on October 20th. This five-day festival celebrates the victory of light over darkness and is marked by beloved traditions including family gatherings and festive lights among Hindu, Jane, sik and certain Buddhist communities. I have a proclamation. Welcome friends. Thanks for joining us tonight. Whereas Diwali a festival of great significance is celebrated annually by millions of Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists throughout the United States and across the globe. And whereas the Hindu, Hindu, Sik, Jane, and Buddhist communities, which are comprised both mostly of Indian and South Asian-Americans, as well as other diverse races and ethnicities, constitute a vital part of Highland Park's diverse ethnic and social fabric, and whose languages, cultures, and religious beliefs have enriched our community. And whereas the word Diwali is a shortened version of the Sanskrit term devali, which means the row of lambs. And whereas Diwali is a festival of lights during which celebrants light small oil lamps, place them around the home and pray for knowledge, peace and universal well-being. And whereas the rose of lamps symbolize the light of knowledge and truth within the individual that signifies the destruction of all negative qualities such as violence, anger, jealousy, ignorance, greed, fear or suffering. In other words, Dwali celebrates the victory of good over evil. And whereas Diwali is celebrated by Hindus as a day of thanksgiving for the homecoming of Lord Rama and the beginning of the new year for many Hindus. And whereas for six Diwali is the day the sixth founding sick guru or revered teacher guru Harabind was released from captivity by the Mugall emperor Janir. And whereas for James Diwali marks the anniversary of the attainment of moksha or liberation by

mahaviraa the last of the tier thanks at the end of his life in 527 BC. And whereas for Buddhists especially noir Buddhists Diwali is commemorated as a shook and I'm so sorry that I'm just tripping all over this and I apologize. VJ A Dashami the day the great emperor Ashoka embraced Buddhism as his faith. Therefore, I, Nancy Roing, mayor of the city of Highland Park and the city council of the city of Highland Park, do hereby designate October 20th, 2025 as Diwali awareness day and are so delighted to welcome dear friends uh who have come to join us this evening. We wish all who are celebrating a very happy and bright Diwali and good fortune in the new year. And I'd like to invite Suku and Ajit Kra who are owners of Indis Progressive Indian Restaurant and so much more than just owners of a restaurant in this community to uh accept the proclamation and share some remarks. Thank you. [Applause] taking a photo and then we'd love to hear from you.

Yeah. Got everybody up here. Friends, come up, please. All of you. Of course.

Yay. Wow. [Music]

Thank you. Thank you. [Applause] [Music] With joy and pride in our community of Highland Park, we received this proclamation and thank our great city and its amazing leaders. ers for celebrating all its citizens and residents. It's so fitting that we're commemorating the festival of Diwali that marks the triumph of light over darkness here in Highland Park. That very sentiment drove us to choose downtown Highland Park, po Clinton Square to be the home for indis. We felt that immense need to bring some light back to our community. That bright light that our hometown of Holland Park exuded earlier had softened due to the horrific attack on the 4th of Jul on fourth of the fourth of July. We're thankful that Indian food culture has helped the tiniest bit to revive that brightness back to our beautiful and welcoming city. Thank you so much.

I don't have any prepared remarks. Thank you, Suku. But I do want to share just a tiny story from 13 years ago when Suku and I moved on to Concincaid Street in Highland Park and all of our friends immediately said, "He Highland Park, are there any South Asians there? Are there any Indians there? Will you be welcome?" and we're like, "Oh my god, it's been great. I'm sure it'll be great." Boy, did I understate the welcome that we have received in this incredible community. As Indian-Ameans, we have had the confidence and absolute privilege of having both our kids born in the Highland Park Hospital, raising them both in the public school system here and under the leadership of this incredible council and the mayor. We have always always been welcomed and cherished as Indian-Americans, as Americans, and as Highland Parkers. So, I just wanted to say truly truly thank you. Thank you for that opportunity. And today when I look out and I see so many of my Indian-American Highland Park friends and Northshore friends of different faiths including Catholics and Hindus and Sikhs, it is just a joy and and you have to you have to acknowledge it is a testament to the warmth and the incredible embrace that Highland Park gives all of its residents. So that doesn't happen. It has to be built. It has to be created. So I'm looking at all of you

who have actually built that for all of us. So thank you truly from the bottom of our heart. WONDERFUL.

So I'm going to say you're having a party at Indis I believe uh with dancing and delicious food. Um it's your second annual Indis Dwali celebration and it's this Saturday. Um and any other details? What time do we start? Sold out. We sold out. We sold out. We just opened another dozen slots today because we, you know, just received a lot of requests. The party will continue out into the street online. Wonderful. Well, thank you. Thank you so much. really appreciate it.

Yeah. Right. Um and as for the report of the mayor, I have no other business this evening. Um is there any business? City manager. Yes. Uh mayor, just want to identify the nine items. Um assistant to the city manager of Peliska, would you please introduce the next item on our agenda, which is business from the public?

Thank you, mayor. The next item on the agenda is business from the public. This is an opportunity for members of the public to address the city council on a topic that is within the council's purview and jurisdiction but is not listed in another location on the agenda. If you would like to speak about a matter that is listed on the agenda, we ask that you wait until that agenda item is called and we will give you an opportunity to speak. Then if your matter is on the omnibus consent agenda, please let us know if you'd like us to remove that matter from the consolidated list so that you can speak about it. Please be aware that business from the public is not intended to be a form.

Please leave the door open because we have an open meetings act that we follow. Thank you. Appreciate it.

Sorry. No worries. Please be aware that business from the public is not intended to be a forum for open dialogue or engagement with the members of the city council. Rather, it is intended as an opportunity to make comments to the city council. Please do not expect a response from anyone tonight. If appropriate, questions may be directed to the city manager or other city staff. All comments should be directed to the city council. All speakers will be limited to 3 minutes. We request that speakers refrain from throwing objects or using noise makers and that the public not applaud or make other comments after any speaker. We ask that everyone be respectful, civil, and non-repetitive. Great. Thank you. Um, are there any members of the public who wish to be heard this evening on an item not on tonight's agenda. We will have opportunity for public comment for agenda items momentarily. Okay, seeing none, we'll continue on with our scheduled business. We do have items one through nine grouped together for omnibus consideration. Um, which items, Council Member Ross, did you want to pull?

Um, I have a quick question on number seven. The the sign the sign variances. Okay. Um, what's your quick question? Um, and I don't know if anyone representing the barn is here. They are. Oh, they are. Do you want us to pull the item or do you want uh Well, it's just a question about whether the the power the box with the power supply is on the exterior or is it behind the the brick for the sign? That's I can't hear you. Sorry. Come up to the podium and we'll Yeah, you've got the crowd out there. Hi, I'm Amy.

So, that's very nice by the way. Oh, thanks. I'm so glad we will not be able to see the junction box. That is certain. They will bring be bringing the power to it and my understanding and we've sent in the plans that it will be hidden behind the sign. Thank you. Great. Of course. Great. Thank you. Anything else? Anything else for 947? Nope. Okay. Thanks for being here. I just have to say it is the most incredible experience being at the Highland Park Council meetings. They are so positive. Thanks and full of love for community. It's really it's really great.

Thank you. I'm so glad you could join us this evening. Thank you. Um Cable. So I have a question just about 89. I don't want to pull it. It's just a quick question and my question is simply why is this taking so long? because we're just renewing the exact same thing we did. And I understand after a certain period of time we have to do that. So I guess I'm asking why is it taking so long? Yeah, I'll just defer director. Thanks. You may need to give a little context just for everybody, but whatever. I'm sorry.

It's not mad mayor. Yeah. Uh so um we've been working with the applicant. Um they had some delays in um providing their plat of survey um and after 9 months that does need to be reapproved and as same with the um plan development they have not commenced their construction um there is a representative uh here tonight Martinez but that's really the the reason they had some delays in implementing their project and now they're looking to go forward I will say from the city's behalf we're eager for them to do So, and to make those improvements and to abide by the conditions of approval that this council placed on the project.

I mean, it looked like a beautiful thing. It's just it seems to be taking a very long time. Yes, they have not commenced. That's correct. Thank you. Okay. With any further questions from the council on any items on N seeking a motion to approve items one through nine. So moved. Second. Any comments or questions from the public on items one through nine? Seeing none, will the clerk please call the vote? Council member Center. Hi. Council member Buckman. Hi. Council member Ross. Hi. Council member Tapia. Hi. Council member Little. Hi. Council member Bloomberg. Hi. Mayor Roing.

I. Seven eyes. Items one through nine are approved. Um due to our new cool software, if you look at items after nine, they become letters. So we are now in section 12 and item A is consideration of a special use permit in the nature of a concurrent preliminary and final plan development and design review with modifications from city code for 250 Skooki Valley Road. Um are we do we need a presentation? Did you you what? I don't you don't did you do your homework? Okay, everybody

one question. Yes. Council member Lor. Um I just have one question and that's either for um staff or for the petitioner and that is um there are no numbers for crash reports. KOA did a com very comprehensive traffic study but every time we looked it's just a squiggly line and there are no traffic crash reports. So I was wondering if you had more information than I do.

I I do. I did contact the applicant and spoke with KOA today. Um, at the time that that report was created, the information online was not available um, due to some technical difficulty. That's what I was told. And they will provide that information before your final vote on this item. This is just for consideration and directing documents be drafted um, tonight. So, we'll have that back before you. As long as that information is in there, that's great. Thank you. Yes. And a landscape plan will also be provided in the final documents. Yes. All final. Yes. This would be for final preliminary and final concurrently. Correct.

Okay. Um, any other comments or questions on this item? Nope. So, with that, I'm requesting a motion to create the approval documents for a future city council meeting. So moved. Second. All right. Will the clerk please call the vote? Council member center. I. Council member Buckman. I. Council member Ross. Hi. Council member Tapia. Hi. Council member Little. Hi. Council member Bloomberg. Hi. Mayor Roing.

I. Seven eyes, no nays. Item 12A. We will see those documents at a date in the future. Item 12B is consideration of a special use permit in the nature of a concurrent preliminary and final plan development final plat of re subdivision and design review with modifications from city code for a five-story 19 unit multifamily development at 1632 1640 and 1646 2nd Street.

Thank you madam mayor. Okay. So, staff recommends consideration of the plan design commission's recommendation to approve a preliminary and final plan development final plat of resell division and design review with modifications from city code for a five-story 19 unit multif family residential development. Um if appropriate, city council should direct staff uh draft approval documents um for consideration at a future meeting. So a little background on this project. Um Fulton Developers is the applicant and proposes a project that includes 19 unit condo building with five stories with a lower level parking garage. Um they propose access uh into uh the alley, excuse me, access onto the alleyway and onto Walnut Street. Um and additional parking and landscaping is also provided which we'll talk about. Okay. The council's consideration this evening, this is for um initial consideration um not final consideration but um there are four elements to this uh application. A plat subdivision with no variances or waiverss requested. A concurrent preliminary and final plan development with modifications from city code. A payment and loot consideration for affordable housing unit not on site. um and design review that was already considered but nonetheless included in the package here this evening. Okay. Um so the commission's consideration so two commissions um reviewed this um the plan and design commission and the housing commission. The housing commission's review has provided for the plan and design

commission prior to their approval or recommendation I should say to you all. So on September 16th, the plan design commission did recommend approval 5 to one with conditions and a public benefit proposed. Um public comments are in the city council's package and additional were received since the posting and I believe sent to you all um via email. They will be included in the next packet when this comes back to you if if appropriate. Um on September 10th, the housing commission recommended 5 to zero uh the final inclusionary plan that's in the packet the proposed payment in lie of $185,400 for one of the 3.2 inclusionary units required and the $37,080 by right payment in L for the partial unit requirement of 2 units. the 185,400 is in the annual fee schedule and that is the payment in L for a single unit. Um the housing commission also approved a departure um with regard to the location of affordable units to allow two inclusionary units to be vertically stacked on the first and second floor in the northwest corner of the building. The commission also acknowledged the proposed $100,000 public benefit contribution to the housing trust fund. Note that that's not was not before them, but nonetheless did acknowledge it. This was before the PDC in terms of a public benefit consideration and is before you ultimate arbittors of public benefits in terms of your final consideration on that matter. Existing conditions. Um so there are several lots involved in this four um there they consist of various types of housing all uh residential

um single family dwelling a multif family dwelling of two units and a multif family dwelling with 10 units so 13 total units already on the site today. those homes and those units will be demolished to make way for this uh proposed development should it uh move forward. Neighborhood context. This is the uh primarily two of the areas here are to the east, the north and west, excuse me, three of the four directions are zoned RORO which is residential office zoning district and to the south is an RM multifamily 2 zoning district. Okay. Uh the relief requested uh there's several elements of relief requested through this proposal. Um the relief related to height and lot coverage are the two elements of relief that are public benefit related. And so thus we called those out here uh separately. So for height, 13 ft of relief to allow a 64 ft building with five stories uh within a RORO district which requires a maximum of height of 51 ft and four stories in terms of maximum number of stories. So both in terms of height and number of stories there lot coverage of 1.48 48 times more lot coverage at 49% the requirement is uh 33% in terms of the maximum non-public benefit related relief involves the following items pedestrian entrance um they're required on all uh frontage streets so Walnut and Second Street but only on Second Street uh frontage has an entrance been uh included lighting uh at the property line to exceed allable foot candles on

the south and west property lines in particular locations. Um foundation landscaping to allow a three-foot foundation landscape buffered adjacent to the alley instead of the required 5-ft foundation landscaping buffer. Okay. Context in terms of building height. This was an exhibit provided by the applicant. Um it includes highlighted here are the buildings to the right that are shown by picture along with their height and the year of uh approval. So in terms of the context you can see on the lower center portion of this slide on the left that's where the proposed building is. That's a little site plan placed on top of the uh aerial photography there. So that's where the building is proposed. Um and you can see here that around this area in the general vicinity we have a 65 several three 65- ft buildings and um two 58 foot tall buildings. Um late 90s early 2000s to mids uh were they uh approved. Okay. lot coverage another element of relief both uh involved in the public benefit consideration. So the applicant provided this exhibit to illustrate um recently approved projects in Highland Park um the average multif family buildings highlighted and those are in orange here um had 51.1% lot coverage. So you can see here though, and I do note that these include buildings that are not located in the immediate vicinity of the proposed project, but nonetheless are buildings that were relatively recently proposed and um approved and built.

Staff did its own lot coverage exhibit um in the immediate vicinity of the proposed project. Um as you can see here um the proposed project is to occur between the the two parcels labeled 34% and 44% um shown here on this slide. Um the general vicinity the average of the highlighted buildings shown including the brightite at 49% which is under construction right now in the lower right um is 40%. without the wall bright it's in the high 30s 38% or so and change relief in so that's that's the context in terms of lot coverage in the immediate vicinity of the proposed development in terms of other relief uh there is a relief request for lighting um along Walnut Street property line to the south um the light lighting over that property line varies with a 6.1 ft candle um maximum um where there is a 0.5T candle requirement. So that's the highest point along the side of the building. On the alley side there it varies as well with a 8.9 ft candle um highest point near the guest parking of the alley. Here the requirement is.25 ft candles. The Carla correlated temperature of 3,00 Kelvin max is recommended and is there in the plans as recommended. Landscape relief um as I mentioned at the outset landscaping along the foundation of 3 feet has been requested. 5T is required for the portions of the alley the western side of the building. Um it's depicted here u near the parking areas specifically. Um the landscaping

requirements in general for the site are shown in the table below. They are all compliant and actually have surpluses. Now I want to draw your attention to one area. The total trees. There's a surplus of 20 trees. Um they're providing 41 and 21 are required by code. However, there are some trees being removed proposed to be removed. And so the surplus 20 trees is required to mitigate the removal of the nine protected and key trees here. So just wanted to be clear about that. Uh and that does meet code public benefit. Uh the applicant proposes a donation of $100,000 to the housing trust fund. Um this is considered a public benefit. Um $150,000 was accepted for the Woolbrite development as part of that approval um a couple of years ago. It's currently under construction. Affordable units that exceed the minimum size requirements and include additional features such as powder rooms and private outdoor space was also noted by the applicant as a public benefit. Um this I just note that affordable units are to have similar amenities as the market rate units per coat. um the affordable units larger than required. Um in terms of that, we we haven't had a a um a consideration like that in the past from council and it is at council's discretion on what is considered a public benefit. To just be clear about what's actually being proposed as opposed to what's required, they provide the following. Um the one unit 3bedroom affordable uh unit that's that's offered is 1,425 ft². The requirement per code is 1175 ft. And the twobedroom the one twobedroom unit is uh 1,080 ft and the

requirement is 950 ft. It's at the council's discretion um on on whether or not that counts as an as part of a public benefit or not. Um but these two elements were the applicant's proposal uh on this matter. Traffic study the conclusions of the traffic study um are in summarized as follows. The gen the traffic generated can be accommodated by the area roadway systems. The parking spaces are adequate in accommodating estimated peak parking demand and the total estimated traffic volume will be limited and further reduced due to the proximity to the Highland Park metro communive railway. Um they are providing 43 parking spaces um which is it meets code. It actually sees it exceeds it. Um they are not although they are eligible to be considered for a alternate transportation reduction in parking although they're not requesting that formally um and they don't need it for to comply. Um staff is reviewing a revised traffic study provided after the council agenda posting. Um this isn't currently under review by the third party civilte the city's uh traffic engineering consultant. And according to the applicant, the traffic study is conservative and accounts for the Walbrite, but overall conclusions are the same. So this revised traffic study looked at the Walbrite specifically. There was comments plan commission and after plan commission about the Wallbrite that already had its own traffic study wasn't included in this traffic study. The applicant really made it it just effort was to make it more explicit that it it was and my understanding is and we will we will have civil tech review this matter is that the actually the applicant did not

necessarily include the existing traffic from the units that are already on site 13. So there was it's why it's considered like cons conservative if you will. Um so the proposal is a 19 unit building. There are 13 units currently on site. So the delta is six units. Recommendation again um staff recommends consideration of the plan designs commission's recommendation and if appropriate council should direct uh staff to draft documents for final consideration at a future meeting. Great. Thank you, Director Fontaine. Thank you.

Um thank you to the neighbors for your emails and for your public comments at prior meetings. Those have all been provided to us and we've been reviewing those in our preparation for tonight. Um, I'm presuming the applicant wants to make some comments and then I'm sure the council has questions and then we'll go to public comment and then we'll talk some more. Okay.

Good evening uh council members, mayor. My name is Elliot Wixer. Uh my office address is 500 Ski Boulevard in North Brook, Illinois. I represent Fulton Developers and uh present tonight with us is Mark Mueller and Kyle Fel, representatives of Fulton. Before I get started, because I am part of the community, I have to say I haven't been in the chamber with the city council for some time and the room full of people earlier uh and all the people that oh my god that I know for all these years that I met. It does kind of it's so encouraging our community. I mean, it's just such a great place to be and I felt like I knew more people here tonight than at the party at Michael's I went to on Saturday night. So, uh, but with that said, um, I do want to, uh, thank you tonight. Uh, this is a project that's been, uh, uh, you know, born and bred, uh, four years ago by, uh, Fulton. They've been working on this particular project for that period of time. Uh, they did, as uh, as was mentioned that, uh, we did have four housing commission meetings, some really good energetic public, uh, comment. Uh the commission I think was really good at framing the issues for Fulton and um you know it passed unanimously through housing. Uh we attended uh four uh plan and design commission meetings. Uh again, same type of experience where the plan commission along with the public was very instructive to the developer and most if not all of the comments that were made by the public and by the commission were incorporated and it passed through planned commission uh with I think one one negative vote. uh as Fulton normally does and I think in our community we encourage it uh to at least have some public interaction prior to coming before any of these commissions to get

some public comment to know what the public concern is. In this case, Fulton sent out 300 letters to property owners and tenants in the area. They had a meeting uh I don't know if it was coffee and donuts but you know some refreshments and there there was about 30 to 40 people in attendance and um I know that there are still uh some homeowners that live in the fivetory building across the street that um still have some concerns but again very collaborative effort throughout the process and it's enabled us to bring to you tonight the Walton uh project. A couple of things. So, some of the major issues about height and uh and lot coverage. I just want to point out that the required setback is 5T. Uh this project's going to be set back 25 ft uh from the front yard. I think very thoughtful. I think it'll reduce the bulk look from the street. and the f the the fifth story though I think there's all the the fivetory units that uh were shown on the uh chart a few minutes ago. All of those needed approval. I can't tell you which commission approved it, if this body approved it, but they all needed approval. It wasn't as of right. And all of those buildings, unlike this project, and I think most of the Fulton projects that try to minimize that look from the street, all of those projects are 5 ft to the property setback. And so they that like what one might think this is going to look like, it's not going to look like that because the setback. And then another great aspect of the property is the fifth floor step back. I always want to say set back, but it's 33 feet from the property line and set back uh some 10 feet from the edge of the

building. So, uh that view and that look will also be minimized. Um as as uh director Fontaine said, two very nice affordable units. And the on the lot coverage, uh we don't disagree with the numbers that were shown, but some of the more interesting data is that of the 12 newest developments in Highland Park, uh the lot coverage ranges from 43% to 79%. And I think just traditionally, and and I don't mean I just think these types of projects are going to have more lot coverage. And I think that's why when you start looking at these statistics, whether it's 38% or 42% or higher, I think these projects just kind of call for that uh type of uh lot coverage. I also want to point out something that I think is also very significant and the way the developer looks at these projects is as of right there can be 32 units. I don't think it would be as nice of a project, but as of right you could have a much denser project. uh but going through the PUD and the plan design commission uh process I think literally made the project better from the input as I mentioned before from all those who participated also uh uh director Fontaine mentioned the $100,000 uh dollar donation on the Wallbrite it's a bigger development uh and uh the affordable units I don't want to say weren't as they were certainly nice affordable units but these are extra nice how's that if I say it that way. Um, and so and the one thing about the and I think uh Mr. Fel might Kyle Fel might comment a little more on the parking if you have some questions but on the parking issue they did specifically incorporate the potential impact of Walbride. They did not include u the train station other benefits that that I think that we could take credit for in this development. So they again as director Fontaine said conservative

numbers and said that the Wallbrite will not impact uh let me say it differently when you include the Wallbrite and this development there'll be no impact on traffic parking and those types of things. So what I'm going to do is I'm going to turn it over uh to Mr. Mueller and he'll answer or show you some more specific information and we just want to thank you in advance for your consideration. Thank you.

Good evening, Mayor and Council. Good evening.

My name is Mark Mueller. I'm president of Fton Developers and joining me tonight is Calfell, who we have worked closely on this project for quite some time. As most of you know, we have been developing projects in the Northshore for over 20 years and uh Highland Park has always had a special place in that journey. Park Sheridan was recently completed on Sheridan Road across from the art center. The Walbride is right now under construction. We anticipate completion by the end of the winter. One Highland Park was completed two or three years ago just around the corner from the proposed site. The Walton will be our seventh multifamily building in Hanaman Park. Laurel Cord Row Homes that was our first multif family project at the corner of Laurel Avenue and Hickory Street. Laurel Apartments just east of the row homes. Laurel residences uh was built a few years later just further east and all these projects help revitalize one of the key connections to the downtown in Hannon Park. Over time we've learned that quality design integrity and respectful neighborhood context are what makes our project successful. We have been working as Wixer mentioned on the Walton for over three years. We purchased the first parcel in March of 2022 and completed the assembly last year. Since then, we have worked very closely with city staff and commissions, including four meetings with the housing commission and also four meetings with the plan and design

commission, refining the project at each stage. The Walton will be a five-story residential building with 17 market rate units and two affordable units. It will include some share amenities like a club room, fitness room, share outdoor spaces with lounge and seating areas. There will also be an underground heated garage with storage and bike racks. Access to the garage has been located along the public alley on the west side of the building to minimize impact of the neighboring properties. As mentioned before, we are propos we could do 32 units by right, but we're proposing 19 to provide more green space, enhanced landscaping, and larger private areas, outdoor areas for the project. In regards to the uh height of the building, we are requesting a fifth story which we feel is consistent with the other projects in the Arrow zone in district. The buildings that were shown in orange are buildings that have an equivalent height and they are five stories. Building one, two, three, and four. U Sunrise is the only one that's four stories, but then it has another story which is the roof. So it will be the equivalent in height and mass as a five-story building. Uh the Walton will be the only building out of the ones that we were shown in the prior slide that has a fifth floor step back. The code requires a 15oot stepback but none of the other buildings have it. We are proposing more than double than they require which is 33 feet and that generous setback step back should make the building for lighter and reduces the the overall perceived height

of a building. We have also increased the setback which is uh five feet is the required. It'll be the first vertical line on the left to 25 ft which that opens up the streetscape and creates a more inviting pedestrian environment. For context, the two buildings just north on Second Street are also five stories. One of them, 1700 Second Street, actually sits higher off the ground. It appears to be almost another story above the uh public sidewalk and there's no uh step back on the top floor. So, we feel the Walton will look more modest in scale. In regards to the lot coverage, we we did um we presented this exhibit showing the projects that have been approved in Helen Park over the last 15 years and the average is 50%. U some of them are closer to 80%. Um all of the projects that we have done in not all of them but most of the projects that we have done in Helen Park are in that 50% range as well. For the exterior materials, we're using cast stone and aluminum composite panels, which are both durable and lowmaintenance. We feel these materials are consistent with the timeless character of nearby buildings such as the one that we are in right now, the city hall, the public library, the train station. Um when we started the process we did submit letters to over 300 uh neighbors. We did meet with 30 or 40 in the atum of our office building. We did receive

phone calls, emails. We've been working with the community uh for a very long time and I feel that the feedback that we have received have been has been constructive and and uh and very thoughtful and we have adjusted the project along the way. Uh the public benefit was already mentioned in regards to the 100,000 contribution to the housing trust fund as well as making affordable housing units which are larger than required. We feel that um these commitments reinforce our ongoing effort to create thoughtful highquality developments in our community. Thank you.

Thank you. Um you might want to stay up there. I think we might have a few more questions and uh Elliot, I don't know if you want to join them or not. Um

we have qu we have questions. So I think we might want to have you guys up there just to answer. Um just in my reading, I'm just again no particular order. First of all, thank you for bringing this um project to the downtown district. We know that from other buildings that have occurred, people are interested. People want to stay in the community. They want to age in the community, but they may not want to stay in their single family homes, and you're providing them with a beautiful alternative. So, thank you for doing that. Um I in my reading saw there was an issue with parking and ADA. Is that going to get resolved in the next iteration of what you are putting together or I don't know if this is a question for Joel

that that issue that's the way the plans are presented right now there are no issues so there's sab Joel wasn't there like a slightly undersized something going on with ADA parking is that resolved at one point there was um they did res they did provide revised plans so I I would have to double check but they need comply but to AVA whichever they do have enough parking they actually exceed the minimum required so I do think they'd be able to do it if they are not in those plans and we'll have those for the final

great regard thank you um thank you for the step back of the fifth floor I think that does that goes a long way to help reduce the sense of bulk um do we have again I saw that there wasn't a tree preservation fence plan Joel is that something that we have or is that's still coming. Um they they are seeking to remove um a number of trees and so that's the forester has reviewed that. Um any trees that are preserved, they will need to have that as part of their building permit um their building permit process. Their final. Okay. Um I couldn't tell are the lights dark sky compliant? Yes, they are.

Thank you. Um appreciate the transit oriented development. This is one of our goals. I saw in the public comments there was concern about the sightelines at Second and Walnut um from the the sighting of the building and the plantings and the the wall. Has that been addressed? Yes. The the two pinch points or encroachments are less than 3 ft. So they do not um violate the code in that way.

Okay. Um and as far as storm water management, um just want to get confirmation that that's been addressed or will be addressed in the final documents. Final engineering, um we'll have to address all of storm water management and that is been addressed. Yes. Um there was there were several comments about the fence or the wall. Is that for privacy for the first floor tenants?

Yes. So we've done that uh privacy wall on prior buildings as well. Um, I can briefly go over the park shared and also has a privacy wall along the first four units. Uh, we feel that it also brings the scale of a building down by you have that lower wall than landscaping. So, it's a nice way to bring like a human scale closer to the sidewalk. In the case of Park Sheridan, it's much closer to the public sidewalk about five feet. In the case of the Walton, it's going to be closer to 25 ft. So, those walls are going to be further back. Great.

Thank you. We also have them at uh one Highland Park has the same privacy walls along the first wall, along the first floor. Okay. Thank you. Um thank you for the public benefit contribution to the housing trust fund and for the design. and I think the the building is beautiful. Um I know my council colleagues have questions and comments and we'll just go back and forth. Um so we'll start with Council Member Bloomberg.

Thank you. Um I I I want to start by saying uh we've received a fair amount of communication from residents who are going to be affected by this. We've read the comments. Um I my sense is the principal concerns are the size and bulk of this development and the impact that it's going to have on the location where you live, potential traffic issues. Um we have looked at those things. Um I'm not going to go into that too much, but I will be interested to hear the further comments about that. I do share the the mayor's opinion about the appearance of the building. It's very attractive. It's consistent with the other developments that have been before us. Um, a couple of quick questions. Um, there's not much you can do about it right now, but generally I think it would be a good idea when making these presentations in terms of bringing this to a more understandable level to the average resident. Are renderings such as this completely insight to I I do see uh sunrise in the background there. Um, I would appreciate having seen a view down the street

to see what's across the street in relationship to that building. If we come back, if it's not difficult, if that can be done, that might be helpful to sort of get a clear understanding of how that can affect um the the sense of place where the building is going to be. Um, one concern that I do have in terms of the public benefit and I I do appreciate the contribution enormously. Uh, having previously been a liaison of the housing commission, I know they appreciate that too. Um, the public benefit of the um inclusionary units being larger and having certain amenities that aren't necessarily required. I don't really consider that to be a public benefit in the term that in the way that a public benefit I think should be considered. A public benefit should be for the community outside of the project itself. The fact that you're doing um inclusionary zoning units and paying the full amount for the fractional unit, you have a long record of really solid contribution. You rarely ask to pay fees in le most of your buildings just meet on site with what they're required to do and I appreciate that and inclusionary zoning itself is a benefit to the community but making a couple of units a bit bigger isn't a public benefit in the way that I think that term is intended. So if we can look at another way to fulfill that uh additional part of the obligation I think that would be great. Um, and that's sort of where I am on the on the project.

Thank you, Council Member Law. Okay. So, also very beautiful. Um, in keeping with all the things that you've done in this community, I think that's wonderful. Um, a couple of things. So, at first I was a little upset about the height, but then when I looked at the other buildings, I felt much better. But I do want to know whether in fact that includes mechanicals on top and if in fact the other buildings have mechanicals on top or where how does that fit in and what are the numbers with that? The there's a parapit wall along the perimeter. So the mechanicals are going to be hidden behind that parapit wall.

Okay. So but is that higher than the uh 63 feet I think we're talking about here? or is that on the fifth floor? The uh the only mechanicals that we have on the roof are the compressors for the air conditioning units and those are just 30 in in height and those are located right on top of the core of the building. They are more than 50 feet away from the property line. So they're not going to be visible from the street and in addition they're going to be screened. They will be screened. Correct. Correct.

Okay, that's great. Thank you. Um, I completely concur with Council Member Bloomberg's comments about the inclusionary units. I I I think it's great they're a couple feet larger. You're legally required and and I think it's wonderful that they're there, but I don't view that as a public benefit. So, along those lines, I'm wondering what the difference is between this and the Wallbrite as to why the public benefit, I'm sorry to be greedy here, is 100 instead of 150 like the one across the street. We we for the most part we felt the wall was a larger project and that's the reason that this is a

they're larger just sorry okay we we we could do I mean if it seems like if that's a concern that's something we could work with the council to adjust that number that would be great I really appreciate that. Um, I I just want to confirm because I did a walkth through and um I understand there are no heritage trees, but it seemed from your plans that all the trees that currently exist, which are very mature big trees on the um the streetscape, meaning between the sidewalk and the curb, we're going to remain correct.

That's great. Okay. So that's in terms of the neighbors across the street who right now look at a very pretty green wall even if the houses there are not lovely like this building will be that green uh in the street way in the right of way

parkway will will remain. Yes. Okay. That's wonderful. I just wanted to confirm that. Um, I also had down that civil tech had not commented and I didn't see a traffic study that took into account additional traffic from the Walbrite which I do believe will I mean I I can't buy that it's a zero some factor there from the Walton and then in addition to that it didn't seem to take into account the new building which doesn't yet have residents obviously not faulting anybody but you can do an anticipatory thing and so I just want to make sure that whatever final traffic study does include those kind of um uh numbers so we know where we are on it.

So it it does uh originally did not and the one that we submitted this week. Okay. Uh does include the traffic generated by the walride. Okay. And uh Kyle and myself if you want Kyle to make a statement in that regards that would be great. Okay. Thank you. We got just like two more.

Hi Kyle Foul with Fton Developers. Um so just taking into account our traffic study. Um our traffic consultant KLA was uh unable to attend tonight. Um but we spoke with him earlier today and wanted to share just a brief update from that conversation that we had with them. Um the traffic study was revised at the request of the planning department to include it the nearby Walbrightre development and that update did not change the study's overall conclusions. Um it's important to note that the study uh took a very conservative approach that was uh mentioned earlier. U it does not account for the 13 existing units that are on site right now. So when we're talking about like how many units are we really adding to this site um we're just adding about six units to that spite site specifically to the new site.

Um so we're not even with our new building we're not increasing that traffic count um much at all. it's such a small fraction of a decimal of increase on traffic. Um, in addition, the study also didn't consider the proximity to the metro station where some people might be using the trains and therefore that's going to reduce traffic as well. Um, but KA pointed that out to us. We want to be conservative. Let's just assume everybody takes their car from these buildings and no one takes the train. So, they looked at it with that approach as well. Um it's a similar issue when we're looking at the under construction building Walbright as well. When we did those studies and when they took into that account, they assume every person in that building is going to be driving and not taking the train from those places as well.

Um and although the zoning allows up to 32 units, our proposal is only 19. So we're even under what we could we could build there in that location. Again, you know, like almost um doubling the amount of cars, but we're we're we're cutting that in half. Um, and third, uh, I'd just like to point out that, um, the city's third party traffic consultant has also reviewed all this information. They also have the new study as well, uh, that takes into account the wall, right? So, we're currently and actively looking into that question as well. We want to make sure that we're standing on those numbers and we stand by them.

Great. That's really helpful. Thank you. Um, I do want to say that in part I I feel like we as a city are somewhat responsible because the Wallbrite does have an entrance on Walnut and here we are Kitty Corner and I know you'll have the parking in the back at the alley but you will also have on Second Street and even if it's a drive-thru an entrance and so I think that at that corner where Second and Walnut come together there could be additional. So, I'm hoping that you will be very very conservative and very accurate on that.

Okay. So, that was one. Um, I I do want to add that on your inclusionary, the one twobedroom that you have in there, it is a 7 foot by 10 ft bedroom. That is a really small bedroom. No, I we don't have any rooms that are 7 ft by 10. Okay. I I just want to double check that and that's what I had marked down and that's what really upset me about it. So I just want to make sure that that second bedroom is not 7 by 10. No, I don't think that would be allowed. I would love to make a mistake because that's really I was not happy with that. Um my final comment is simply about F. I am Oh I just wanted to know if I may make a clarification, Madame Mayor. Sure.

Sure. 7 by10 is allowed by building code. Yeah, that's just one. Two, I believe I do have a slide with the um floor plans if the council wants to see. Yeah. No, I I thought I went through it carefully, but clearly I didn't. There's a lot of small numbers that exist. Okay. So, my only last comment really has to do with F and that is that you have built some beautiful, beautiful buildings and I I I don't like to see this increased feeling of a loss of open space and green. So, please make it airery and make it feel open if it's going to be that high because um it it is much higher than our, you know, 33%. And I know they've been going up, but they've been creeping up a lot. They really have.

Thank you. Uh Council Member Bloomberg had a point he wanted to add and then Council Member Tapia. Uh yeah, I I wanted to speak to what you mentioned about the public uh benefit and the amount of money that you've contributed in this instance compared to the amount of money you contributed relative to the Walbrite public benefits are required in relation to the amount of relief from zoning that is sought. So a larger project and the Walbrite in particular had some unique zoning issues. So, a greater public benefit was required and I think that's part of the reason that more money was contributed. Thank you. Thank you, Council Member Tapia.

Yeah, I I also I had a chance to look around the neighborhood and really take into account the comments of offered by the residents that I read carefully. uh you know I know there's concerns about the height but comparing it to the height of the other comparable buildings or you know that are similar there in that street I don't see much difference. So they were given variances and you're asking about variance but does it didn't seem out of whack and actually it's pretty much the same height. Um plus you have that that's the setback on the fifth floor. So, I really looked at that carefully, but I I couldn't see how that was different from what is already there in the neighborhood. So, I don't have a concern about that. I I am concerned about the um the open space uh to actually council member Little's point. And you know, I know you you've sort of built it out and and and all that, but you know, we always have a ongoing dilemma and paradox between wanting more density and yet preserving our green spaces. So, I don't have a specific recommendation about how you shape up more green spaces, but as you're, you know, tugging and pulling on different things that you could modify, if you can sort of generate a way to have more green space or the appearance of greater green space, uh, I think that would be very, very welcome. Um I um I want to take advantage of this moment to say that outside of this project, one concern I have with your wonderful developments here because they are enhancing to the community architecturally and providing that needed housing is because they're higher end. They need to be, you know, bigger and they need to be, you know, higher ceilings and what you consider a bet um a feature fewer units than, you know, then uh uh you put in fewer units than we could uh we would allow, you know, we

we would allow more units. In other words, and that's the dilemma, right? because that actually is not necessarily a benefit uh for the city when we are trying to create more density meaning more residents and more units you have the more inclusionary units we will have. So as you push the the the number of units down it actually kind of works contrary to having more residents here and all the benefits come with that. And I'm especially concerned about that means fewer inclusionary housing units. So it's not relevant to this project. I mean this project it is what it is right now. uh uh uh aside from some tweaks, but something I would ask that your team take into account that that does not necessarily is it's not necessarily benefit that they are more spacious and therefore fewer units.

We were we were just making reference to the benefit in regards to traffic. Sure. But in general, I think your your units tend to be bigger and for the square footage that the buildings stand on. That's that's a I mean, that's a response to the market. I feel that we need to build what the market is asking and whenever we try to do units that are smaller, they don't sell. Yeah. And I respect that. I just, you know, the thing about dilemmas and paradoxes is that let's put the question on the table. Let's test it and see if we can sort of find some alternatives. Thank you, Council Member Ross.

Um, thank you, Mayor. Uh, and I also want to add that I appreciate the the written comments we received and I am quite certain uh we all read them all. Um, and I um thank uh uh Fulton for the uh $100,000 public benefit even as I appreciate the offer to adjust it higher. Uh, and I I I I was actually going to ask, you know, I hope that community development can consider asking for more than the It seems like it's more typically 15 or No, am I wrong about that? It's much usually a lower number. So, I'll have to get my facts straight on that.

Well, in terms of of of the the the dollar amount that that No, I'm the dollar amounts per unit are set with Oh, I see. I see. I'm the housing code. I'm sorry then I stand corrected. Um I was going to say I don't uh consider the the

larger size affordable units a public benefit in part because it it may have been easier to stack the units on the floors rather than build different size units. And it's also not by definition your definition a public public benefit. Um but I do appreciate that you know they are larger. Um, and I to council member Bloomberg's point, the when you talked about the rendering um, including more of the context, uh, I would love to see the Walbrite included in that context uh, rendering. I think that would be important to to see. Um, and uh I I appreciate that uh you've um that you found a way to build highquality uh condominium housing in Highland Park and appreciate that you're doing multiple projects and and choose to invest in our city. Uh I my concern is for uh future projects to not look and I've mentioned this before so similar they they have a a certain I'm going to call it slightly monolithic look uh and this is more concerning to me because Walbrite and the Walton are across the street from one another and and so that that that's my concern for a future project really that that especially especially when you're building um development so close to one another that it not start to look all the you know the same. Uh and I think the some of the public comment talked about brick. I think uh you know it would be reasonable to consider a Roman brick which was uh brick was mentioned in written public comment as I said it has a more elegant look although I assume you're using stone than a typical brick and I assume you're using stone because it's less expensive to

build with larger pieces rather than labor intensive brick. Um and yeah so that I think that is my my main comment. I'm certainly not going to argue with trying to find more um you know open green space. Uh but my concern is that the buildings not start to look the same as much as uh it's great that you're building in Highland Park that that especially when they're close together, but even even if they're not close together that they're not be this that they that there's some diversity in appearance. Thank you. Thank you, Council Member Brookman.

Thank you. Um first off, thank you um again for um presenting this beautiful project um and for enhancing um our downtown area with you know more foot on us more street traffic and feet on um people able to walk from place to place um in town and which is great. So thank you again for that. Um, a few questions I have though is um what steps will you be taking to mitigate uh construction noise and dust um especially given that it's a narrow street from Walnut to second um for surrounding businesses and families um when you start the construction.

So when we do demolition there's guidelines that we need to follow in Highland Park. We need to apply water during the demolition process. Um when we start the uh as soon as we're done with the foundation of the building, that's taken care of by just a single trade. And once we're done with the foundation, typically we've been able to have uh many of the workers park underground to try to minimize traffic nearby. And uh if we need more workers, we they've been able to ride to to share the ride to try to minimize okay

traffic nearby. So for the most part, try to use the building on site. As soon as we're done with the foundation and the precast over the foundation, we just which is just one trade on site.

If I can say one more thing as well, um just something that we'd be doing differently and you mentioned dust. Um and uh we've been talking with um you know our contractors that are on site like how can we reduce the amount of dust um that is produced especially from the sedimentious materials like the the the mortar and other things. Um, currently right on now on site with Walbrite, we have something that kind of looks like an inverted cone and we're doing all the mixing inside this this hopper of a sort and that's keeping down a dramatic amount of dust that was previously produced when we were doing mortar mixing on site. Um, you know, we're going above and beyond especially when we're blowing in cellulose and insulation into these buildings and we're making sure we're covered up in multi-layers of of different things that are going on. Those are just some of the issues and we're constantly bringing that up, especially safety and sound and noise and dust with all of our contractors on site.

Great. Thank you. Um and then um in addition um another question I had was um how um does this project's design ensure walkability and connectivity for families um providing safe routes to schools, the metro station, nearby parks? Um, with this design,

the building has an accessible entrance and the main entrance off of uh, Second Street and then there's a secondary entrance along the west side of the building along the alley side which is intended for guests. Um, okay. And then based on the location, we trust that everyone is going to enjoy and move here because they want to be within walking distance to the downtown, which is the biggest trade on most of our projects. We're not doing projects by the by the highway. We're not doing projects that have 300 units. Uh, we're doing smaller boutique projects with that walkable factor to the downtown.

Okay, great. So, you do incorporate it, sounds like. So, thank you. Um and then one uh last comment or question. Um when we mentioned the public benefit um have you considered EV chargers or will there be EV chargers for this building?

Um yes there will be what we've been doing on on this building on a pair of buildings. We have been putting larger electrical uh panels in each unit and then we run a conduit directly from the unit to the garage and that way it's just like a house. They don't need to rely on the condo association slide a credit card reimburse the homeowners association. They're just running electricity from the they're the on to the garage and then on the upper floors once the runs start getting a bit too long we have additional meters and we've been able to work that out with command so they can give us additional meters knowing that some of the owners on the top floors we need that additional load

and that um would the EV chargers be available not just to residents but people visiting or um um those will be inside the underground garage. So, they're just going to be for the for the residents of the building. Okay. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Council Member Cedric.

Thanks, uh, Mark and thanks for bringing another beautiful proposed project to Highland Park. Really appreciate you being here again. Uh, and thanks to the residents for all their comments. Uh, I know the rest of the council has made that same comment, but it is true. we we read all of them and and I think it's such an important part of the of the process to make sure that these projects are really thoughtful uh and and and consider sort of you know everybody that's potentially impacted. So so thanks for your comments and thanks for being here today. U just a couple quick follow-up questions. Uh this might be more for city staff. Do do we know why uh the uh do we know what the one no vote was uh from PDC? sort of the the rationale for that.

Commissioner Henry did vote no. He didn't state a reason at time of vote. I spoke to generally concerns of you know Yeah. Yeah. I I called Commissioner Henry today um and he had concerns about the the bulk and the height. Okay. Okay.

Thank you. and and appreciate we talked about that a little bit already tonight and and you know I I think very thoughtful design to try to um circumvent or uh alleviate some of those concerns. Um so appreciate that um you know I guess in response to maybe that concern and that Commissioner Henry brought up as well as other residents as well. I I I largely echo the sentiments of council as it relates to the public benefit as well. I I I I had the same reaction with respect to the inclusionary housing unit square footage being counted as a public benefit. Um and as I sort of listened to the discussion up here and and also heard you know council Tapia talk about council member Tapia talk about sort of how we can incorporate green space a little bit more. I just wonder if there is some type of public green space benefit that could be worked into this project and and I too don't have what that solution might be, but would love for you guys to to take a good look at that as a alternate additional public benefit to what's being proposed.

That's all I've got. Great. Thank you. Um, is there any comment from the public that you would like to share? Please come forward. lineup. Uh we'll ask for your name. You don't need to give us your address. And um as is our tradition rule, uh comments are limited to three minutes. [Music]

Okay. Hi, my name is Lesie Jaffy. I live at 1633 uh 2nd Street. I am on the souththeast corner of the building. So, I have faced the Walbrights um building. It has been very noisy and very dusty. And at 7:20 this morning, they were exceptionally loud. So noise and dust is a huge concern that I've had throughout the summer. My other big concern is with the percentage of lot coverage. As I've asked the city uh employee to show up your slide of the neighborhood percentage of lot coverage, as you can see, their lot bill, their lot coverage will be considerably larger than anything in the neighborhood. Though Highland Park, as they've stated, has gone to higher lot coverage, it is not true in our neighborhood. And the other concern with that is the environmental concern and that we haven't seen the storm water impact reports. That's our other concern for flooding and flooding control when we start to increase larger lot coverage. So I just wanted to express that and hope the village I mean the sorry the city going forward will consider the trend of increasing lot coverage and the environmental impact in our community. Thank you.

Great. Thank you.

My name is Beth Russell. I live at 1633 Street. The Walton project with its proposed variances doesn't provide an adequate compensatory public benefit. Beyond the affordable housing inclusionary benefit required, Fulton has offered $100,000 to the housing fund. With their Woolbride project, Fulton provided $150,000. Has the cost of compensating for unnecessary variances to city codes deflated in Highland Park? The surrounding condominium buildings all have general park-like green space and the Walbrite has a lot coverage of 49% open space of 31.4%. The Walton's going to have 21% um open space. Both are much less than the surrounding buildings. And will Fulton's lack of providing less green space now become a trend with the new Highland Park building? the new buildings in Highland Park. Is a $100,000 adequate to create an entirely new type of bulky development that will overwhelm this narrow and charming sector of Highland Park forever. The mature goko trees on the north Parkway of Walnut next to this pro projected site have all been tagged as part of the developer tree inventory and surveys. Um, there are very tall mature oaks and huge lynons in front of the proposed site that are on Second Street. They're not tagged. Are those going to be taken down to accommodate a cut in for a parking space? They're beautiful trees. It would be sad for Highland Park to lose that. Why are they not included in the developer inventory? And will these trees be removed? Losing more greenery just to enhance a building is an injustice to all. We are known as a tree city. But if these are removed, it will make us look more like River North in

Chicago, more like a condo canyon. The scale of the building will overshadow our street and will look severely out of place. The Wulbrite is four stories and it's taller than the Arbor's fivestory buildings. The Walnight Walbrite the Walton is proposed at five stories and even with its setbacks. It is over oversized with an additional asking for an additional 13 ft over code height. We understand building sizes styles change but there is no public benefit when those who live nearby are left with a monstrosity with less than city code required green space to compensate for that. We understand Mr. Mueller has a business, but does one really need to have 10 and 12t ceilings to sell a condo? What about the air conditioning and the heating it will go to moderate temperatures in those spaces? The city's website says Highland Park is proactively striving to become an even greener and more sustainable community. It doesn't sound like this building will be part of that as approved and as requested. Please hear and consider our concerns. Where is the true public benefit?

Thank you.

I'm Dale Cahotus. I also live at 1633 Second Street. Fulton Developers has an impressive number of projects in Highland Park. They are well acquainted with the code, zoning, and permitting process. A pattern has emerged in their recent designs. It appears Fulton expects to receive multiple variances and offer less public benefit benefit and compensation. The height of the proposed Walton project exceeds the RO code of 51 ft by 13 ft. The lot coverage is is also over maximum. Rather than offering open green space the building is designed to leave, there's only a a small amount of coverage. $100,000 has been offered as a public benefit, less than Fulton has offered for other buildings. It is my understanding that some of the mature trees are to be protected in the Walton design, but Fulton's record regarding protecting the heritage trees at the Wallbrite and one Highland Park leaves me concerned. Just a few weeks ago, the Walbride Heritage Tree was trimmed in a matter that led to citations to the developer and the heritage tree in front of one Highland Park showed signs of stress right away and had to be removed. What can we expect for the mature trees on the Walton property even though they promised to be protected? I urge you to send Fulton developers back to the drawing board to come up with a design that respects the city's code. Please do not approve the project as presented. It is out of scale and

character for our neighborhood. Change is still possible. Please come to our neighborhood and take a look at Fulton Developers Walbrite on Walnut and just a few steps away where the Walton is planned. We see our future and we ask you to come and see why the neighbors are so concerned. Thank you. Thank you.

Hi, I'm uh Kathleen Then. I live at 1633 Second Street in the Arpers. Um, I ask um I'm a recent type 1 diabetic and I get real dry while I speak. So, I'm going to try to speak as absolutely fast as I can. Oh, there we go. Um, uh, I am here for the strong concerns for public safety surrounding the newest proposed Fulton project. Point one, um, the traffic study, as has been mentioned, submitted by the developer, has a glaring emission that needs attention before any approval due to inaccuracy, which puts residential community at risk, including a large senior population of pedestrians. This is that we have not included the approximately 100 or so new um residential people who will be living between the Walton and the Walbrite. um the addition of 48 new cars that would congest traffic coming from the proposed Walton project uh when it becomes inhabited. So, how can the village safely rely on traffic studies? I know they mentioned conservative, but um right now I've been walking um in front of that metra for the past 8 years and since co it has gone down quite a bit. I also have a partner who travels it and it is not as used as it was. So, I don't think it will be just cuz uh there is a brand new huge uh building next to it. Um Walton's garage is set up off center to Second Street. It directly moves its traffic right into the um the Walnut uh place um a senior living which is double parking and includes an hourly bus, Highland Park bus for senior residents. My neighbor Val, who is new into the building, is 85 and pulled me aside and asked me if I would ask you guys to consider consider this senior

bus that frequently has to it frequently stops. It's filled with Walnut Place residents needing their time to get out of this bus in a double lane that is going to be pointing from a narrow alley behind the new Walton um right into um a a place where a bus has to double park and she has been in that bus when the buses had to call the police to ask for cars to move. It is a more narrow street than Laurel, which is the street that I was as a resident hit by both a car that didn't stop at a stop sign um uh and almost killed. And also, I was hit with my aging golden retriever just last year uh by a car that did not stop. So, I I know what it's like to not have um to people who are compliant. There are no stop signs going east or west on Walnut. Walnut has a Catholic church right there at the corner at Green Bay, which is a hill that goes down and you speed fast. And if there's a bus in a 23 foot road versus the Laurel almost twice the size, people go around it and now they're going to be coming and meeting the people coming up from the Walbrite garage, not just the congestion that is behind um the new Walton garage, which itself is narrow. So, I just really would like there to be consideration of um all the people who uh welcome new uh progressive developments into our community, but also um take into account Highland Park's bylaws on uh heights and and and and greenery and and and especially safety because I feel given the population of pedestrians that are there um we are setting ourselves up if we don't put in stop signs um at least on Walnut as

safeguards um for uh more injuries than just myself has had. So, thank you for letting me talk longer. Thank you.

Hi. Um I'm Dennis Seagull. I also live at 1633. I have submitted my comments in writing already. I think what is more relevant uh to the greenery concept and the bulk that we're all concerned with is actually having you view this beautiful block that we have that's within walking distance of the downtown area and is just magnificent for those of us who've grown old and um walked to the downtown area. The fact that the two um buildings, the Walton and the Walbrite are of similar style um also is a concern because uh they are unlike any of the other condo buildings on our block. And though they've made a big issue out of the fact that the fifth floor is set back so that you don't notice the bulk from the street. Those of us who live across the street on the fourth and fifth floor of 1633 are staring at it and will be staring at it all the more. And one of the most objectionable things to me is to be looking at those horrendous looking black metal horizontals versus the limestone which at least is gray. Instead of seeing a beautiful blue sky, we'll be looking at these black horizontals and basically you're being told that from the street they're set back, so it doesn't matter. Well, it

matters to us who are living there. What I want to pass around are photos that I took myself just the other day, giving you an idea because I think only Mrs. Ladau actually has walked the 16-,700 block of Second Street. We We all have. I I am pretty confident. Yeah, you may not have seen us, but we were We've I've been there twice. I think everybody on this group has taken the time to look. I I would still like to pass around the pictures if I may. Please give them to the clerk. Okay. Thank you.

And they're labeled for each of the buildings. Uh, the one that's really of primary concern is looking at the Wallbrite, which has been under construction now for probably 2 years with all of the horrendous noise that goes on and early morning starts and traffic and beeps and everything else. The fact is that you passed and agreed to all the variances for the Walbrite. And if you go back and you look at it right now, it is totally oversized. It is out of character with the rest of our beautiful neighborhood. And in fact, the existing building, a brick building at the corner of First and Walnut on the angle that has been cut off uh by the construction of the Walbrite. What you've allowed in what you granted here for the Wallbrite is a building on the on the corner that is virtually destroyed at this point. It has very little value because it is surrounded by this oversized building. And that was very unwise. And I would like you to consider that you are now in the process of possibly allowing again something much too large, too dense um for our develop for our neighborhood.

Thank you, Mr. Seagull. Thank you. Um are there any other members of the public who wish to be heard? This would be the time to come forward. Okay. Um curious to know how the council wishes to proceed at this point. Council member T.

I mean it just uh I think there's a theme here about desire for more green space or open space without knowing how exactly recommending what that should how that should happen. But I think that has come up quite a bit here and it's been one of the key things from the neighbors. Uh and the other one was about the public benefit. uh seems like it there seems to be a majority here feeling like it's inadequate in some way or another without necessarily having declared whether it would make it to be adequate. So um you know I don't know if we want to make a recommendation on that. I'd like council member uh center uh site tying in these two topics of more green space and public benefit. Uh, again, I don't know if there's a way through that. Um, and it might even be an offset thing where the mig green space might happen. Maybe not in the building itself, but very near it, depending on what they own and don't own. But there's some movement there to may address those two things.

Thank you. Anybody else? Council member, I I think I'd like to make the motion or I think we should move to uh ask for additional findings and move forward with this, but with those caveats or recommendations if that's appropriate. So, the motion would be to direct approval documents for final consideration. Council member Bloomberg. Um, you could do that and we could put some specific requirements that have to be met before it becomes a final consideration. But before we do that, um, the developer, the applicant has heard some of the concerns. I wonder if you want to address those at this point.

That's great. Yep. Um so the uh public benefit is in it should be in relation to the relief we're seeking and we are uh assuming you're you're in favor of the project. We we would uh welcome that recommendation and we could come forward at the next meeting. uh with a proposal which right now I'm not sure exactly what it could be but we need to think about it to increase the green space whether it be on site or make a proposal offsite on a specific location we could potentially have conversations with uh director Fontaine about anything the city might be looking somewhere else so we're looking to to make that a condition subject to your approval Okay. I I I think for me I would be comfortable going ahead with a motion. Uh my suggestion uh echoing what I've heard from uh my colleagues is a public benefit um that recognizes in addition to the contribution you're making which is not insignificant. I I want to recognize that. Um, I know it's not as much as you contributed for the Walbrite, but in terms of the number of units you have and the fact that you are paying a fractional unit as as an obligation, $100,000 towards inclusionary zoning offsite is a significant public benefit. I I want to acknowledge that. But because of the loss of green space, if you may find an opportunity to create green space as a public benefit offsite, um I would be interested to hear that

since you may not be able to reduce the size of the building. Alternatively, understanding that the building the number of variances you're seeking may not be great, but because one of those variances does significantly impact green space, whatever public benefit you come up with, um, maybe should acknowledge that as something a little bit more than just large the value of the enlarged inclusionary units if that provides you some guidance. Yes. Thank So, if you're comfortable with that, I'm going to make a motion that we move to direct uh the preparation of documents for the preliminary approval of the project uh subject to our approval of of the public benefit.

It's the final is it final? It's it's combined preliminary and final. They did ask. Okay. I didn't I didn't quite understand that as all right. uh for the preliminary and final project subject to approval of the public benefit and green space and I'd second that. Any further discussion from the council? I do have one comment. I like the creativity about talking about the green space in another place and I think that's really wonderful. But I do have to say I've heard loud and clear from these neighbors

about how important it is on their street and on this site. And so while I I like your creative thinking as a Highland Parker in general, because this is project specific, I would really like you to look most closely at doing it in our neighborhood there. Great. Thank you. With that, I'll ask the clerk to call the vote. Council member center. Hi. Council member Buckman. Hi. Council member Ross. Hi. Council member Tapia. Hi. Council member Little. I. Council member Bloomberg. Hi. Mayor Roing. I that's seven I's no nays and this item will return with final preliminary and final documents with potential changes for consideration at a future council meeting.

Yeah, we'll have that mayor. Thank you. And we do have some feedback from the council that is helpful. We'll work with staff and the applicant to see if we can arrive at a benefit that would be reflected in the final document. So, uh it'll be all teed up if we're able to reach a core and uh based on our understanding of of the council's direction tonight. Great. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you. Um item 12 C is proposed Lake Cook Road Path, a Lake Cook Department of Transit project.

Thank you.

Okay. Thank you, mayor. Thank you. I am Gita Newkerk. I'm the city manager. I do not represent the Lake County Division of Transportation, but um I am here today as well as our public works director, Ron Bannon, um to present for your consideration a Lake County uh Lake County Division of Transportation project. Um there's no formal vote being requested this evening, but the county is seeking council feedback pertaining to this proposed project. There's a uh staff report that's included in the packet. We have a couple of slides that just we want to share with you um and then open for your feedback and discussion. Um so this project was started a couple years ago um by Lake County. Uh it is an approximately $10 million project. Um it would be constructed by Lake County and um consistent with other agreements. Upon completion, we would enter into an intergovernmental agreement with the county whereby the city of Highland Park would oversee then maintenance of um this pathway. The project location is Lake Cook Road. Um a construction of a path on the north side of the street. Um on the east side, it's about Turnbull uh Woods uh Court and then on the west side going to Skoi Boulevard. Um, and again, this proposed path is on the north side of the street. As part of the county's review process, they have had a number of uh, meetings with impacted property owners. They've communicated with Cook County Department of Transportation, the Chicago Botanic Gardens, um, Illinois Department of Transportation, and then of course had just general public information meetings to get feedback as part of this process. Uh so based on the public engagement um and I want to just give you kind of some numbers in terms of overall public

feedback. So they had an interactive map. They got 560 responses to that. They conducted a survey, received 745 responses. Um they had a meeting where there were 87 attendees and then 46 written comments. Um and so that feedback was done last year. Overall, they did hear uh majority of individuals in response to this proposed project were in support of a path. Um they identified a path for safety reasons, for connectivity. This proposed project does coincide with our move HP plan. So, it is consistent with initiative that we've looked at in the past as a city. It provides good connectivity. Um, and you can see kind of all the reasons that were outlined there as well as in the staff report. They also looked extensively at different alternatives to this proposed path. Uh, most notably, and I know council member litterer and I had a couple of conversations about the feasibility of looking at the path on the south side. Um, and they looked at north side, south side, looked at different widths as well as locations where the proposed path would go. And so what is being proposed um for kind of all the different criteria that that are listed on there um they are proposing it on the north side. So a good question though to ask just given the number of residential properties on the north side is why aren't they looking at it on the south side? So, this was shared with the city council last week, but again, just want to highlight bullet points of just all the different um environmental impacts, safety impacts, as well as uh additional cost considerations of why the north side is the preferred location. So, here is um just kind of a bullet point of of um of factors. It's also important to note that through the stretch of this corridor, there are two

bridges. There's flood plane and four traffic signals. So there's a lot happening um in this proposed location and they did do a comprehensive evaluation which ultimately um their recommendation is the north side improvement. They also looked at the location of where the path would go and they are um you can see kind of on the images there the existing locations um reducing the footprint of the vehicular aisles. Um there's certainly they still meet regulations, but having a minimum 8 foot path would be closer to the street to minimize impact on neighbors, but it does make the street more narrow. Um so you can see there it is a highly traveled street. I mean, everyone recognizes that from um you know, average daily traffic counts as well as just different uh pedestrian and cyclists in the area. But overall they felt that this was the safest most preferred option just given all the vehicles pedestrians as well as cyclists in the area. In terms of next steps um again they're looking for the city's feedback um on this proposed project. So our recommendation is that we would follow up with them with either you support it um do you support it with conditions? do you not support it with conditions? Um, we'd follow up with them accordingly and then they're going to continue um working on design plans. They'll continue with the public engagement. We'll certainly stay in contact with them and communicate as well um to to our residents and businesses in the area. And then um and then you can see ultimately would be just final uh final plans and then ultimately if it is constructed it would um we would bring back formally an IGA with Lake County and then we would take over uh maintenance of that. But again I want to

stress in terms of the city it's not our construction project and it doesn't cost us anything. So it's Lake County dollars. We're sensitive to anyone's dollars being spent. Um but it is important that it doesn't hit our financial bottom line. And with that, open it up for questions.

Great. Thank you so much. Um, and I have to share my history with this stretch, and that is that my dad was the one who got the sidewalk installed in the 60s after seeing children walking to Braayside in the near dark on the edge of the road. So, oh my goodness, I'm happy to have this sidewalk get widened. Um, this is, I think, very needed to improve safety and especially, I'd mentioned this before, ADA accessibility, particularly crossing the highway. It's always been a bit of a challenge. Um, and you always feel as though cars may or may not see you. So, if this improves um the ability to make that crossing and to continue from the McCclary path over to the Skoi path, I don't know when they plan to continue that south, but at least it's a great addition to the nonvehicular connectivity of the community. One question that I do have that I do have a serious concern about is, you know, the road does narrow. Um, and I recognize that this is starting at Turnbull Woods and heading west. So on those days that the Chicago Botanic Garden is traffic is backed up past the highway or a big night on Ravenia where we're now kind of squeezing that third lane in, what's the impact going to be on that traffic? And and is there any anything that we can do to mitigate because it gets backed up pretty badly over there? Yeah, that's a good question. Mayor, I know that the lane widths will go down to a minimum of 11 ft. So,

and it's 11 1111 where there's theoretically and how does it'll only change though going west of Turnbull, right? Yeah. Or will there be a a shift? That's correct. Because because they have a center center median uh that's throughout the the corridor there. they can they can use that distance or or that narrowing of those lanes to make up the the the space in the right of way. So, they're really using that space to not impact any residential properties. So, they're keeping the the parkways basically the same. Uh 5ft buffer and then 8ft path uh on the north side. So, um signal improvements throughout. So, I would say as far as as that goes, perhaps uh some signal uh enhancements to to keep traffic moving.

Great. Um because I got to say the addition of the path on the Cook County side was just a total game changer and now to have that controlled signal crossing to then head to the north um is a great idea and I agreed with you because I filled out the questionnaire and I was like why not in the south get rid of you know all the conflicts with the driveways but apparently that's not an option. So um I welcome this tremendously. Council member Little.

Having said that, I completely agree with mayor most of it. Um I'm completely supportive of this in terms of connectivity and a bike path and I think there's a real need. Um I also know that the way it currently is set up, it appears that we would go from this wonderful path on the south side and cross to the north right at the Botanic Gardens basically just east of the Botanic Garden entrance, right? Mh. And part of what is so wonderful about the path um currently on the south side is that instead of the wetlands, it it's elevated, right? It just goes through the woods.

So, it goes through the woods, it meanders, and it's elevated and it's okay for bikes and it connects and it's wonderful. And asphalt's expensive, and this is a $10 million project. So, one of the I mean I completely support this, but one of the things I would like to see questioned because I know how upset they are about this, but before we go and perhaps lose some trees, before we narrow our street, before we really um I'm very worried about those houses. I know the way I fly down Lake Cookook Road on that bike. Sorry to admit that. and and I love that. But that doesn't mean that I know there's no houses there. I know there's no driveway

on the south side. So on the south side, I feel perfectly safe.

But when we cross over, even though it'll be a wider sidewalk, it's still there's a house, there's a house, there's a house until you get to the highway. So, my thought would be to look into having a similar southside elevated wood um bike path that crosses to the north either right before the highway and the bridge. So, we don't have that additional problem because it seems that that's a huge expense or or it doesn't cross at all to the north. But to me, the best would be just to continue south and just have the full connectivity. But if we have to cross to the north, I'd rather see it further west so that in fact we don't have to both narrow the road and I appreciate the effort that's been made to preserve people's private land and I like the wider sidewalk to your point, but to take away that street is busy.

Yeah. And frankly, there are reports in there if you look at the tag report from the cars and the increased number of traffic there is. So to narrow that to me seems incredibly shortsighted. Um so

the narrowing I mean the narrowing actually slows traffic in that regard. So I mean there is a uh safety element just in narrowing that. You know when people have narrower lanes they tend to drive slower. And so that's one aspect of that. They did look at the southside. They explored six different options crossing at all different locations. Uh the southside has greater tree impacts uh more mature trees. There's wetland concerns and there's some environmental concerns with uh like endangered species perhaps. Yes. But even even with that uh to come through there, there's also some utility uh issues. So they did look at it uh and um can they look at it a little more? Yeah, I think I

Well, here's that's okay. And what we could do is if the council, I guess preferably would would like to see it on the southside understanding all these factors, we could certainly include that in there. But I think the qu the policy question is again because they've done an exhaustive look. So they're going to say we've we've looked at it. We hear you, but we've looked at it. Are you going to support a north side path? So understanding you may support it on the south side. The question is still what they are proposing right now. Do you support it on the north side with the caveat that we'd really prefer it on the south? Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. But we appreciate the project.

Yeah. I mean, I I think that I don't want to speak for county. Uh but they're going to say that they did review that. I mean, and we've been, like I said, they started with six, they narrowed to three, and then down to this one. This is their option at this point. So, what they're looking for from the council is consensus. They want to move forward from this conceptual plan, start, I mean, they've already invested many dollars in this project. They want to start design and they want to hold public meetings and uh let the people know that Highland Park and Lake County are are partnering. You know, we're in a partnership and we're in agreement with this with this approach. What they don't want is to roll out the next phase of this showing the north side and then Highland Park says, "Well, wait a minute. We're not going to be okay with this." Right. There's one other point. Sure. And then I know other people want to be

I'm sorry. The only other point I just want to be on the record is at least questioning. I don't believe this is all Lake County. I believe 20% of this project is Lake County and 80% is federal. And as much as I know the money is not our concern, I do think it's necessary that we clarify for the public record that it is not just a Lake County project. It's federal dollars. My my understanding is that at this time, it's my understanding is that it's all Lake County dollars. they feel that this may be eligible for some type of a reimbursement given the nature of the project, but right now it's Lake County in investment of of $10 million of Lake County dollars. Thank you, Council Member Bloomberg.

Um, I'd like to say that I am unequivocally in favor of it. Um, with respect to the funding, I would be concerned about counting on federal dollars at this period in history. I'm also a little concerned about advocating to put it on the south side, which is Cook County. I don't know that Lake County really is willing to fund a development like this in Cook County. Yeah. So, with that said, and I I appreciate your preference, but this is what's before us and I'm delighted with it. Council member Tapia. Well, I I'm supportive of it, so I'm ready for us to vote once everybody comments. Council member Ross.

Uh, thank you. I uh also um had questions about the southside because there are no houses on the south side and um I want to ask has uh TAG and staff considered the safety I mean I assume you have but the safety issue of of the driveways there there there are cyclists who won't use a bike lane that is interrupted by driveways because the road um the cyclists have the right way, whereas a homeowner can just pull out, back out. Um, and so it's going to be interrupted cycling for some of the more serious cyclists. Uh, and and so that's my question because it is a safety issue having driveways.

Yeah, there are five driveways impacted. Uh, two of those are are double driveways. So, if you want to count those twice, but there's five homes, I should say, that that have crossings there. when they look at when they study that, they do look at how many different uh pedestrian vehicle interactions there are. And this north side provides the lower number than the south side. Uh if you stayed on the south side and kept it all the way through, the ramps that they have to cross, uh like the southbound ramp uh sees a lot more traffic. So basically what I'm saying is that on the north side, even with the driveways, uh there that's the lowest number of pedestrian vehicle interactions and at low speeds. The a followup to my question is is could did did you consider um not widening the sidewalk but simply um you know putting a a painted bike lane in for those four feet of the that that you know what I'm saying?

Yes. Um, I think the the path connectivity that they're looking for is I think they were looking for like an 8-ft mixeduse path to connect those to that north trail in the Skooki Valley. And the reason I ask is because again there's a right of way on I think some cyclists anyway consider that safer just being rode be because they have the right of way there. Yes. Yeah. I think when when you talk to the serious uh cyclist and I I know we have one here uh they're they're not going to uh they may not use that path at all. right? They're going to they're going to prefer to stay in the traffic, but this this 8ft path, you know, for the less experienced cyclists, for children, for strollers, you know, so I think it's it's mixeduse path.

I I had to ask the I just wanted to ask question because I overall, you know, support this as well. Um, but there are safety issues on the other side. Sure. And there are two bridges. I would say one bridge is ours and the other's ID dot and and what they're what they have to do is put in a partitioned wall to protect the people as they cross those bridges. So, it is it is a significant investment, a significant project. Great. Thank you, Council Member Brookman.

Thank you. I'm in favor of this. I think this uh has a potential to connect neighborhoods safely. Um continue and uh then I just think about now my son Braden um it gives him an easy uh safe passage to the other east side of the highway to go to his friend's houses. So, uh I'm definitely in favor of this. So, thank you. Great. Council member center,

I don't have any further comments. I I uh am supportive. I I I'll just comment quickly, I guess, on on the houses and the driveways and I recognize that that's challenging for both the cyclists and concerning for the homeowners. I mean, I think we can make that argument on a lot of roads in a lot of different places throughout the community. And um I think we just all need to be cognizant of that and hopefully they'll get and be careful. And be careful. Yeah. But, uh, yeah, I think I'm it's exciting to be able to to hopefully see this move forward and, uh, uh, improve our overall, uh, ability to, uh, support a bike friendly community.

Great. Thank you. Um, any members of the public wanting to be heard on this side that had the Thank you.

Hi, Mark Portman. Uh 40-year resident of actually owner of um uh in a home in Highland Park. And I'm in the minority, obviously. I can see that right away. But, um I appreciate all the comments from the staff. I appreciate Gita's comments. I especially appreciate the comment that you made at the end or the reference that was made at the end about the the so-called bicycle clubs. They are not going to be using this. There's no way. Um, this in my opinion, and I realize it's not a Highland Park project. I realize it's being funded by Lake County. By the way, I've had two separate conversations with the two different project managers on this from Lake County Department of Transportation, and both have said it's going to be 20% funded by Lake County, 80% funded by federal government. Now, I don't know how those federal funds are managed. Okay? But there there must be some kind of already they believe maybe funds that have already been set aside. So I would also question the um whether or not the federal funds would be forthcoming given the circumstance of what's happening in Washington these days. But nevertheless, two project managers have told me that. Um they've also told me that they would consider doing the project on the south the south side the extension if you will of the north branch. They would consider that because in their mind they still have a little bit of a project connecting whatever happens when it gets over Skoi Boulevard and they would have to create a little bit of an extension to get to the Skoi bike trail, valley trail, whatever they call it. So they consider this to be a connectivity as well and they would go forth with the project keeping in mind that lake that Cook County would also have a similar project going south from um Lake Cook Road. So I think they view it as being part and

parcel to a you know community effort if you will. I have to say I think this is a disaster waiting to happen. The the one thing that's lacking in the um staff report was the average daily volume of vehicle traffic, automobiles, trucks, um buses, emergency vehicles, etc., etc. 114,000 average daily I'm sorry, 14,000 15,000 to 17,000 average daily volume compared to bicyclists and uh pedestrians 140. Let's think about that. That's a 100 to one ratio. I don't know who this is going to serve. I really don't. And if the concept is to be to get more bicyclists and more pedestrians walking in this particular area, that's just going to create more congestion to an unbelievably con. This has got to be the the most congested uh zone, if you will, traffic zone in all of southern Lake County. It's just I and I go to Botanic Gardens every Thursday and every every Thursday I walk by there and I say, "Oh my god, this is just a disaster waiting to happen." But I appreciate you're listening and

Thank you. Thank you, Mayor. Can I make Can I make one comment to Mark? Mark, I think the the the problem with the ratio that you just mentioned was that that is current state, right? in terms of the in terms of the denominator, there's not a lot of people bike riding their bikes there because there's not a safe place for them to do it.

Oh, I I agree with that. And what I was saying was given the fact that you've already got 14 to 15,000 uh vehicles, that's not going to go down. Those vehicles are not going to go down. The pedestrians and the bicycles will go up. And when you look at that map, I I'm not worried. I personally am not, and I I appreciate you letting me talk. I I I I'm not worried about the um everything leading up to the Skooki River, the the the the on-ramps and the offramps on 41 and then now that you think you've already, you know, been successful on your trip, now you've got to get across Skoi Boulevard. Those are I mean and the volume of traffic over there is unbelievable. So I think it's a disaster. Personally I think it's a disaster waiting to happen but I understand it's not a lake county. Now by the way if you don't mind my saying I think the city should take a position in neutrality. If I was on your if I was on the deis and they're asking us you know you folks for your opinion why is it that you you don't have a you you are not required to say you're in favor of it. You're not required to say you are against it. You can take a position of neutrality. And let's not forget that when the complaints start coming in, you know, from all the people who are unbelievably affected by the by by what's happening over there, the calls are not going to go to Lake County. They're going to come to Highland Park. I don't think it's been that long since Clavy Road. And we all remember that all of the the comments came to Clavy Road. They didn't go to Lake County or ID dot or whoever.

Thank you, Mr. Portman. Appreciate it. And I know that we could take a position of neutrality, but apparently we have not. I'm going to ask you to grab your seat as your three minutes are way over. Uh, Council Member Tapia. Yeah, you know, I love you, Mark, but uh as a avid cyclist and I bike everywhere, we desperately need to get that bike lane on Lake Cook Road. I mean, it's so dangerous without it and it's a beautiful stretch and it is busy, but you have options, you know, one of the busy stuff, but in order connectivity, it just makes total sense. It's it's a missing piece here in an important way. So, I'm in favor of it and I would like to, you know, make the motion to have us vote on I think there's other we just say thumbs up. Here's some comments.

Other members of the public who wish to be heard, come on forward. You don't want to. Okay.

Hi, Mayor. How counsel. Um I'm Elliot Rosson. Uh I live in the Highlands area and I'm the chair of the transportation advisory group. I'd like to talk about uh what uh they thought and what they um perceived from this project. As you know, in March, let county came and presented to us that we had a lot of questions, a lot of the same questions that you had um the south side versus the north side versus a north south option. And um I've worked with Lake County on a lot of projects and Lake County I think is a gem in the state in terms of how they think about and plan for these types of big complex projects. If you look all over the county, they connect paved roads, they connect uh dirt roads up to Wisconsin over to uh Mckenry County down to Cook County. and they are thinking in a much bigger vision of what is necessary. This gap between Skoi Valley Bikeway and the Botanic Gardens is huge. It was identified in move HP explicitly as was the safety issues going across Skoi Boulevard and 41. Right now you have to go on the north side. They would be using that for the north option. going on the south side across those two roads is non-issue because the volume of traffic going going south entering from the south and going to the south is way more than coming from the north. So um it's another reason why you have to keep it north at that point at the least. The environmental issues for the Botanic Garden are huge. Um I drove by actually I rode by there the other day this week uh last week and um if you if you look at the vegetation there you can see that

there's some severe drop offs there's a lot of u very mature trees uh there are roads in there it's you can understand why the botanic garden would be against having it there and the idea of having to work with um the forest preserves of like of Cook County, which is who owns the Botanic Gardens. Um Cook County itself, I do DOT and Lake County just creates an incredible number of conflicts and and um and disputes. Um the bike lane or the bike path is designed for those people who are really not comfortable riding on the road and those are the people you want to encourage. We want to make sure they can get from the Skoi bike path down to the Botanic Gardens. And as was mentioned, that uh path is going to continue south. I've been in touch with Northbrook about that. They're making progress. They have some, you know, a couple of things with Union Pacific North and uh Kameed that they're working through, but that's going to happen sometime in the future.

Do I get extra minutes because the previous person equal opportunity. Okay, thank you. Maybe wrap it up in two minutes, though. Okay, thank you.

Um I I'll be um very short. Um safety was the biggest concern here. I've ridden uh this connection many many times. It is terrible to go on the north side. The road is is dirty. Transitioning across the northbound entrance is absolutely messy. One of the things they they talked about a lot and the consultant talked about was how they were going to clean up the entry. So, when you're going south on 41, cars make a right-hand turn on red. They're going to clean that up cuz one of the things they found is anything that is in in a curved entrance is much more dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists. So, they understand how to fix those intersections. That'll be a huge part of this. and going across Skoi Boulevard, too. So, they've really thought this through. It's not something that's new to them. Um there's a lot to be worked out and um we fully supported the north the north route and we unanimously approved a recommendation to the city council to uh give your support so that they can move forward and do a public hearing in the fall and the in the winter and move ahead on next engineering. So there's a lot of work that still has to be done but it's a great project.

Great. Thank you so much. Right. if you have any questions about that. Um I think you guys have all the uh information you need for a decision here. Thank you. Right. Thank you. Any other members of the public who wish to be heard? Okay. Uh thank you for the presentation and uh keep us posted on what happens with Lake County and um I am now seeking a motion to adjourn the city council meeting. So moved. Second. All in favor say I. I. We will now move back to our committee the whole meeting.

We are call roll again. I don't think you need to. Okay. Note for the record that well would note for the record that council member Papy is not council member will be here momentarily. He is indispensable. Chop chop 18. We're waiting for you. All righty.

Um, our one last item for committee the whole uh in session is an update regarding the relocation of Miss Nitro. Now, I'm going to say this because I am the mayor. We do not need to every single person go through and explain five reasons why you want or don't want Miss Nitro in a particular place. I just want to hear from you. Are you okay with Miss Nitro going to wherever we end up going? Yes. No. Thumbs up, thumbs down, move on because we still have closed after this and it's late. Amanda, go ahead. Okay. With that in mind.

Oh yes. Um, so as you know from our staff report, we are seeking your feedback this evening on three potential new locations for Miss Nitro. Um, the reason for that is we were working, as you know, with Arbor Terrace, Highland Park, and their parent company. We were unable to come to an agreement regarding um, a license agreement for that property. So, here we are. Um, these are three locations that you that you've already seen. So, I'm going to go through them fairly quickly. So briefly about Miss Nitro, as you know, this is the large scale pure goho sculpture that stood outside the Highland Park Public Library for years. It is composed of large industrial bronze pipe. Um she is currently in storage awaiting her final location and conservation treatment. So as you might recall, our um first location that we discussed last time around was unanimously recommended by the cultural arts advisory group and staff that is Brown Park in the Ravenia District. Uh we have a selection of advantages and considerations on the screen. I will not read them to you because I'm sure you already know it, but I would just like to highlight that this evening um I believe all council members did receive some comment from a resident um highlighting advantages of and disadvantages of each of these locations in line with his um his Oh, I'm not talking in the microphone. I'm sorry. Thank you, Eric. Um in line with his understanding of Peter Vos's original intentions for the work. So, I encourage everyone to take a look at that as well. I think it was really informative. Um, one I would just like to highlight from that presentation is that that resident identified Brown Park as being the only one of the three locations before you that situates the work near a civic building in a welltraedicked, highly visible area. So, please keep that in mind.

I'm sorry, but there's a reason why that person made that point. Is that clear? Because that's what the sculptor Yes, that's what you just said. Yeah, Peter, have a seat. All right.

So, Peter Bo, one of one of the um one of the reasons why he was um so pleased with the location of the library for this work is that he felt that the juxiposition of his piece next to a prominent civic building like the library was um a real value ad. Uh so in this case, Brown Park is situated close to Ravenia station number 32. Um, next, Lincoln Place Park, a little south down St. John's. Um, you may recall this from our previous discussion. Um, there is another sculpture. I just want to emphasize that there is another sculpture existing in this park. It's Terrence Carvitz's Solar Journey. Um, you can see just part of it. It's a multi multi-piece um, work in the far right corner in that picture. And then third um, is the immediate east parcel at the Highland Park Public Library. If you think about kind of where the entrance is and then the parking structure, this is the parcel to the east of that. Um, I think that we did discuss this quite thoroughly with CAG. Um, Aaron and I both did last summer. Uh, I don't believe that council had an extensive conversation on this one. Um, some advantages here that it is adjacent to HPPPL. Um, there is parking, but it's in very close proximity to residences um that may limit future development of the space. It's also um not as high traffic as you would imagine given the proximity of the library because the entrance to the library is on the other side. Um so with that in mind, I know that was a very quick overview. Here's the feedback we're requesting. Let me go back to SL the slide about Brown Park because this is our staff recommendation tonight. Um I think that as you see on the screen, um moving Miss Nitro to this location is well aligned with the character of the district. We know the Rubinia district is an artsy area. We capitalize on that for advertising our businesses. Um proximity to Rubinia

Festival. We do have ample parking, high visibility from the metra. Um and if you recall, one of the key parts of KAG's discussion of all of these locations was the notion of a gateway versus a destination. And one thing I I said I would share from our KAG chair is that he did feel that Brown Park was uniquely situated to be both a destination and a gateway. um he liked that the gateway to the Ravenia District could be the the sculpture, but also it's a destination that people can go and visit.

If I could just interject. Um so Brown Park and Lincoln Park are owned by the park district. Um and so they have given us approval to consider these sites for the sculpture. Um but they haven't given final approval of their location. Um the parcel east of the library is owned by the city, but there is a restrictive covenant on that property um that limits it for park district use with that. We had talked to them about um possibly having a park there or some other type of passive recreational programming. So policy tonight, our recommendation is that you give us a couple of options. What what we'd prefer not to do is not walk away with just one location and then the park district says no and now we're back to square one. So, if you could just give us a couple of locations that you're comfortable with, then we can move accordingly. And if you want to prioritize them, of course, we're open to that.

Um, I didn't see the preserve and a spot next to the senior center entrance. I thought that was one of the places that was considered or is that like not really on the radar? It was on It was on the radar if you don't mind it. It was on the radar for the cultural arts advisory group. It was recommended by um one of our adviserss and then when we spoke about it with the park district, they um they're not ready to turn the preserve into the sculpture park at this time. They're focusing on it being a rewed prairie area.

Makes sense. Okay. Thanks. Okay. Anybody? Let's just go around the table. You mean what do you think? Uh, I instinctively Brown Park seems like a good location destination and and gateway. Um, I I I meant to ask before this meeting, but we've had so many so many things to consider. uh that that council be provided with a really simple drawing of not necessarily even the the sculpture, but just well a line drawing of it in plan

on a site plan to to see and I I did ask for that at the very first meeting um that we we discussed this. Yeah, we did provide it for Arbor Terrace as you may recall um which was the preferred location and we provided that subsequent to that meeting. I I don't remember that. Um but but anyway, could we see it for all the sites? It would be helpful. I I really don't think that's a lot of work to plop that down on a site plan. Sure. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, John. Oh, Andre, sorry. Park. All right. Thank you, John. Good with Bra second choice Lincoln. Is that what it's called? Lincoln Place. Place. Yeah. Thank you.

Thank you. Um Brown Park. First choice. Um really like the Brown Park location. Uh second place, second, I would say. Um second, um the by the library, I would say second. Okay. I'm really popular tonight. I'm really sorry about this, but um I am um first of all, I think doing east of the library is ridiculous. I don't think we should tie up that space. Okay.

Um I don't think it's in keeping with what we've been saying for the last couple of years. And so now to throw it over there, I think is a big mistake. Um, I also think we just spent what, $125,000 repetitinaing to the best possible way we possibly could this sculpture to give it the true respect and opportunity to shine quite literally as best it can. And I think that it's one thing to say it's in an area and kids are going to climb on it. That's great. It's another thing to say this is like a central piece that kids are going to jump on and climb on and I don't want to say destroy but that is not what this is meant to be.

There is and I am very much opposed to it being in Brown Park. I don't think that that is the vision that we in terms of vibrancy had for Brown Park with everything we've done in terms of building up from an economic development perspective. um the Roger Williams area, west of the tracks, east of the tracks, Jen's Jensen for concerts and food truck Thursdays. Then there's a playground just to the south of Brown Park which is highly trafficked and the kids run wild. They run through Brown and then they run to all the other things and it is one it's just a great area but it's not highly trafficked in terms of that kind of appreciation in my estimation.

The reason I love the idea of Lincoln Place is because I think there's a sculpture sculpture there. I think it would really enhance it to have this beautiful sculpture there. It also gives us the opportunity in the future perhaps if we acquire another sculpture or at some point I don't know what we ended up doing with the boy on the swing or whatever by the police station by the police station. I mean I would really look to that as a different type of cultural garden

and want to develop that and I see the potential for developing it over time. It is highly trafficked by people on the path. It is highly trafficked by the neighborhood. And that's a neighborhood that we don't give anything to because there is no economic development there, nor should there be. But this is the kind of almost passive beauty that I think would really bring in a different type of culturalism to that area. And that's why I really like Lincoln Park Place, Lincoln Place Park if we if I needed to do a second alternate. And I know people don't like it because it's not highly trafficked, but I can tell you now that they've done everything over at Central Avenue at the end of the bridge at the We did such beautifification over there. There's the park over there.

Mhm. Central Park. And I And there's other statues there, too. So, these are the two places that I walk everywhere in this town. And those are the two parks where I've noticed a statue or something that's beautiful and simple. And you know, frankly, since you all have started working on the remembrance, I now look at parks as some place I I kind of look at them as a place to be peaceful and quiet. And I think that both of those offer us that opportunity with plenty of space. That's the other thing. I don't think Brown is big enough. I think it's busy. It's congested. It's crazy over there, which is wonderful. That's the vibrancy we want. This isn't the same tone and it takes a lot of space.

Thank you, Tony. I have no preference. Okay. Um I'm full with Brown Park and I don't like the other options. So yes, I did want to throw in there because I forgot to mention because did ask for two. Lincoln would be my second, but Brown Park is still my first. My first. Okay. Um yeah. Okay. Thanks. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. if you could get the drawings as soon as possible to Thank you.

Um, okay. So, close session will now be in our committee the whole So, I am seeking a motion to go into close session for purposes of pending litigation, purchase or lease of property and security. Um, I'll let you tell us what your motion includes as far as the actual sections of My motion includes going into close session for discussion of pending litigation and purchase or lease of property pursuant to five ILCS120/2C11 and five as well as security under as well as security uh 2C8. Thank you. Second. Thank you. Would you please call the vote? Council member center. Hi, Council Member Brockman. Hi, Council Member Ross.

Hi, Council Member Tatia. Hi, Council Member Lark. Hi, Council Member Goldberg. Hi, Mayor. I Seven Eyes, nos. We will go into close session.