HIGHWOOD CITY COUNCIL’S 5.2.23 MEETING IN A NUTSHELL
Appearance
In accordance with an Appearance Review Committee recommendation, the City Council voted to approve new business signage for Billy Bricks Pizza & Ice Cream (428 Green Bay Rd.); the subject property is the former location of Chicago Mike’s Ice Cream, who recently sold their business to the Billy Bricks Restaurant Group.
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 evaluating various redevelopment options. The City Council reviewed a preliminary version of a financial feasibility analysis. 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 $715k.
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 progressing. Weather permitting, the improvements are expected to be substantially complete by next week.
Parks and Public Spaces
The City Council has recently discussed a variety of beautification ideas (e.g., new entrance to Everts Park at Green Bay Rd./North Ave., new pocket park at Waukegan Ave./Walker Ave., new City-wide street and wayfinding signage, new lighting on Green Bay Rd. etc.). At a recent City Council meeting, Mayor Pecaro proposed the establishment of a Beautification Committee to help further investigate, plan and prioritize the various beautification ideas, and ultimately to make related recommendations to the City Council. The City Council voted to establish a Beautification Committee; the Committee will be comprised of Alderman Falberg, Alderman Levi and me.
Since shortly after the discovery of three explosives at the Openlands Lakeshore Preserve in April ‘21, the Preserve has been closed to the public. The City recently received documents related to the Navy’s conveyance of the subject property to Openlands, a conservation organization. The City Council directed the City Attorney to review the documents and other information - as well as to consult with Highland Park - to identify potential legal strategies to compel Openlands to restore and reopen the Preserve.
The City presently leases part of the Highwood Metra Station to Hydra Electric Tattoo. At a recent City Council meeting, the City Council discussed extending the lease for a final year and evaluating alternative commercial and non-commercial tenant concepts during that time. The City Council voted to approve a 1 year lease extension, covering the period of August 1, 2023 through July 31, 2024.
Zoning
Preservation Properties Group (PPG) purchased 130 North Ave. and is presently under contract to purchase the adjacent property to its west at 134 North Ave (i.e., the St. James rectory). 130 North Ave.’s existing use is multiunit residential and 134 North Ave.’s existing use is mixed with office and multiunit residential. Both properties are presently zoned R-1, which - in terms of uses - allows for parks and the like, places of worship, schools and single-family dwellings. PPG requested that both properties be rezoned from R-1 to GX. From the City’s Zoning Code, “The GX district is a transitional district, intended to support the core with offices and residential uses in between retail and service nodes in the downtown and in the edges of the downtown…..The form of this area remains pedestrian centered, but allows for a looser mix of uses, including residential and office on the ground floor.” The Planning & Zoning Commission held a hearing re the requested zoning changes and ultimately - as a result of a tie 4-4 vote - did not offer a favorable recommendation to the City Council. Some members of the Planning & Zoning Commission expressed concerns re GX’s maximum allowable building height; GX allows for buildings up to 5.5 stories (with the top 2 stories being set back a minimum of 12’). Importantly, PPG’s stated intended uses for the properties do not involve the development of new buildings, but rather continuance of the existing uses within the existing buildings; moreover, the City’s Zoning Code includes various requirements (e.g., frontage build-to zone, setbacks, impervious/semi-pervious coverage, parking, refuse/recycling/utilities locations, driveway access/garage entrance locations etc.) which would not allow for the properties separately or together to be developed up to the maximum height without granted zoning variances (i.e., formal exceptions), which would require a Planning & Zoning Commission hearing and ultimately City Council approval. The City Council voted to approve the requested zoning changes.
Other
The City Council voted to approve meeting minutes from April 18, 2023.
The City’s drinking water quality report - for the period of January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022 - is here.
Highwood Library’s May newsletter is here.
Starting this summer, the Highland Park Park District is extending resident privileges (e.g., priority registration, resident fees) to kindergarten through grade 8 students living in the geographic boundaries of North Shore School District 112 and students grade 9 through 12 living in the geographic boundaries of Highland Park High School.
Meeting Records