HIGHWOOD CITY COUNCIL’S 11.19.24 MEETING IN A NUTSHELL
Appearance
The owner of KirbyFit, a personal training studio located at 4 Highwood Ave., applied for approval of new business signage. The City Council voted to approve the request.
Development
Developer B3 Companies presented two preliminary concept plans for a new residential development on vacant land located south of Prairie Ave., between South Central Ave. and Western Ave. (click here and here for renderings). One plan includes eight single-family residences, while the other includes seven. In both plans, all driveway access would be from Western Ave. Both plans would require zoning relief, with the process detailed below:
First, the city's Planning & Zoning Commission, a volunteer board composed of appointed city residents, will convene to hold at least one public meeting to consider the requested zoning relief.
Next, the Planning & Zoning Commission will make findings of fact and recommend to the City Council whether to approve or deny the requested zoning relief.
Lastly, the City Council will convene to hold at least one public meeting to consider the Planning & Zoning Commission's findings and recommendation and ultimately decide whether to approve or deny the requested zoning relief.
No formal action taken by the City Council, discussion only.
Finance
The City Council voted to approve the payment of various bills totaling $524k.
The City Council voted to accept the City Treasurer’s financial report covering the period of May 1, 2024 through September 30, 2024.
About 20% of the city’s revenue is collected from property taxes and 80% from other sources (e.g., sales taxes, charges for services); when combined with property taxes levied by other government units (e.g., county, school districts), this translates to about 14% of each property’s tax bill going to the city. The city levies property taxes for the following purposes:
General corporate (informed by a recommendation from city staff)
Fire protection & emergency medical aid (based on a contract with the City of Highland Park)
Library and Community Center (informed by a request from the Library & Community Center Board of Trustees)
Police pension (informed by an actuarial recommendation and a request from the Police Pension Fund Board of Trustees)
Firefighters’ pension (informed by an actuarial recommendation and a request from the Firefighters’ Pension Fund Board of Trustees)
Special recreation (based on a budget determination made by the Northern Suburban Special Recreation Association Board of Directors)
The city's property tax levy has been relatively flat over the past 5 years (click here to see a chart comparing the last 5 years of tax levies). The City Council continued discussion re the 2024 property tax levy and voted to adopt an ordinance that increases the tax levy by $84k or 4.9% from 2023 (click here to see a chart comparing the 2023 and 2024 tax levies).
In 2020 and 2021, city borrowed money - by way of general obligation bonds - to help fund infrastructure improvements and economic development projects. These bonds were secured by the city’s ability to levy property taxes. The city has determined that its current fiscal year revenues are sufficient to make the bond payments without levying taxes for the same. The City Council voted to approve ordinances abating the 2024 property tax levy from making payments related to bonds issued in 2020 and 2021.
Infrastructure
The city operates a water treatment facility and periodically conducts assessments to evaluate its condition and plan for future improvements. Earlier this year, the City Council approved a proposal from Jacobs, a professional services firm with relevant technical expertise, to conduct a facility condition assessment and make related recommendations. City staff summarized the report from Jacobs, which includes recommendations to 1) construct a stairway along the driveway leading to the facility (cost estimate $350k), convert the existing chemical delivery system (cost estimate $650k), and upgrade the existing control system (cost estimate $500k). The City Council discussed the recommendations and continued further discussion to a future meeting.
Licensing
The owner of La Plancha Loca (552 Sheridan Rd.) applied for a class B liquor license and passed the required background check. This license permits the sale of beer, wine, and spirits for consumption on premises as well as the retail sale of beer and wine. The City Council continued discussion re the application and voted to approve issuing the license.
Parks & Public Spaces
In 2022, the city purchased 340 Green Bay Rd. for the purpose of expanding Everts Park. The blighted building on the property was subsequently demolished and the site has since been used for temporary surface parking. With the design and engineering work for the park expansion nearly complete (final renderings here and here), the city plans to request construction bids soon, aiming to begin construction in the spring.
Public Comment
Multiple residents that live in Euclid Ct. expressed concerns about the impacts of street parking in the area.
Public Safety
The city employs part-time police officers on an as-needed basis to supplement its full-time officers. City staff presented compensation data from neighboring communities and recommended the City Council consider a market-based pay adjustment for part-time officers to improve recruitment and retention. The City Council continued discussion re the recommendation and voted to approve increasing the hourly rate for part-time officers from $30 to $40.
Recycling
The city is now providing a new optional curbside recycling service. The goal of the service is to divert hard-to-recycle plastics from landfills. Importantly, this new service supplements conventional recycling, it does not replace it. Click here to find a video that animates how the service works and here for additional informational (e.g., free starter kit, where to buy the bags, accepted items).
Special Events
Amdur Productions inquired with the city about hosting an art festival next summer in the downtown business district. The City Council discussed the opportunity and continued further discussion to a future meeting.
Township
State law allows government units to create, manage, and fund facilities and services to provide treatment for individuals with mental illness, developmental disabilities, and substance use disorders. To fund these efforts, government units can levy an annual property tax of up to 0.15%; however, this tax must first be approved by voters through a ballot referendum. By way of the 2024 general election ballot, Moraine Township asked voters to approve the Township levying a property tax of up to 0.03%. The ballot referendum passed and the Township is now seeking residents to apply for the Community Mental Health Board which will administer the funds. Click here to find information re applying for the Board (deadline for applications is November 25th).
Other
The City Council voted to approve meeting minutes from October 15, 2024.
The Library & Community Center’s November newsletter is here.
The Library & Community Center’s 2024 annual report is here.
The Chamber of Commerce’s November newsletter is here.
More Than Paint, a documentary film that chronicles the Highwood International Mural Festival is premiering on November 21st at 7:00 pm at Wayfarer Theaters (1850 2nd St., Highland Park); additional information here.
Celebrate Highwood’s Elf Invasion Pub Crawl event will be held on December 7th from 2:00 pm to bar close in the downtown business district; additional information here.
I had reprints made of the rare book, 28 Miles North: A Story of Highwood (Wittelle, 1953); if you would like a free copy, please reply to this email with your address and I will drop one off at your home before long.
Meeting Records