HIGHWOOD CITY COUNCIL’S 5.16.23 MEETING IN A NUTSHELL
Appearance
In accordance with an Appearance Review Committee recommendation, the City Council voted to approve a new outdoor seating area for La Casa De Isaac & Moishe (311 Waukegan Ave.).
Development
The City purchased the properties at 420 and 424 Sheridan Rd. (i.e., the properties across the street from Buffo’s) as well as the property at 430 Sheridan Rd. (i.e., the property in between the Bocce Club and Teddy O’Brian’s). All of the buildings on these properties were subsequently demolished so that the sites could be used for surface parking. With consensus that surface parking is not the highest and best long-term use for the properties, the City Council commissioned Houseal Lavigne, an urban planning and geospatial design firm, to provide assistance with evaluating various redevelopment options. The footprint of the studied area includes the aforementioned City-owned properties as well as the privately-owned Buffo’s parking lot to their south. Houseal Lavigne conducted a presentation of the analysis completed to date, which included a fiscal impact analysis (City perspective), a gap analysis (developer perspective) as well as related zoning considerations. Additional analysis is expected over the coming weeks. No action taken, discussion only. Over the past few years I have become increasingly worried that Highwood is dangerously close to the precipice of too much largescale development too fast; my definition of largescale development = 5 stories and 40 residential units, which is the average scale of the three recent Green Bay Rd. developments. Probably to the annoyance of some, I have been regularly on the record making worried noises and discouraging additional largescale development. To be explicit, I will not be voting in favor of any largescale development - or anything close to that scale - for the foreseeable future, and will actively lobby against any such proposed developments.
Finance
The City Council voted to approve the payment of various bills totaling $188k.
The City Council continued discussion of a draft operating budget for the current fiscal year (i.e., May 1, 2023 – April 30, 2024). A vote to formally approve the draft budget is expected to take place on June 6, 2023. The draft budget includes:
no year-over-year increase to City property taxes
no new debt
maintenance of cash reserves above the recommended funding level
police body cameras and new vehicle cameras
various infrastructure improvements, studies and plans (e.g., roadway resurfacing/reconstruction; sidewalk replacements; water treatment facility condition assessment, filter study and intake maintenance; etc.)
initial phase of lead service line replacements
park improvements
new street and wayfinding signage
new bleachers in the Rec Center
continuance of grant programs (e.g., business district building facades, residential non-conforming use conversions)
Infrastructure
Improvements on Holabird Cir., Holabird Loop, Janes Loop, Jeffreys Pl., Michigan Ave., Oakridge Ave., S. Central Ave., Stables Ct., Stables Ct. East and Stables Ct. West are substantially complete. Completion of punch list items are ongoing (e.g., parkway restorations, roadway markings etc.).
For approximately 1 year the property at 433 Funston Ave. has been experiencing backups related to a private sewer issue. While the problem is private, resolving the problem benefits the broader sewer system. Accordingly, the City considered multiple options to resolve the problem. In the end, the property owner obtained proposals to resolve the problem at a cost of $47k. The City subsequently agreed to reimburse the owner for the total cost upfront, with $22k of which being recorded as a lien against the property and payable to the City upon the sale of the property. The City Council voted to approve the reimbursement agreement (which includes a provision that holds the City harmless from all future costs related to sewer backups on the property).
Licensing
The owners of Mojo’s Listening House (448 Sheridan Rd.) applied for a class A liquor license (i.e., sale of beer, wine and spirits on premises) and passed the required background check. The owners presently have a class O liquor license (i.e., bring-your-own (BYO) beer and wine). The City Council voted to approve issuing the upgraded license.
Parks and Public Spaces
Construction of a storage garage at Memorial Park (i.e., the Western Ave. ballpark) started this week. Weather permitting, construction is expected to be substantially complete by mid-June. Once complete, the existing ramshackle storage units in the park will be removed.
Public Safety
In ‘21, the State passed a law to require all law enforcement agencies to employ the use of officer-worn body cameras. The City is required to implement the use of body cameras for all officers by January 1, 2025. Further, the City is required to adopt a written policy that minimally includes various requirements related to the 1) operation, care and maintenance of the cameras and 2) retention of and access to the camera recordings; the City is also required to provide an annual report to the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board. The City Council directed City staff to begin implementation now in an effort to be operational by end of the City’s fiscal year (i.e., April 30, 2024).
Other
The City Council voted to approve meeting minutes from May 2, 2023.
Following the Lake County Clerk’s certification of the April, 4, 2023 Consolidated Election results, Judge James Simonian administered the oath of office to Alderman Fiore, Alderman Slavin and me.
Meeting Records