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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-124 Resolution No.06-124 RESOLUTION DECLARING SUPPORT FOR THE FOX RIVER RENAISSANCE ALLIANCE NOW, THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ELGIN,ILLINOIS,that the City of Elgin hereby expresses its support and encouragement of the Fox River Renaissance Alliance Project. s/Ed Schock Ed Schock, Mayor Presented: June 14, 2006 Adopted: June 14, 2006 Omnibus Vote: Yeas: 7 Nays: 0 Attest: s/Dolonna Mecum Dolonna Mecum, City Clerk COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING May 24, 2006 The regular Committee of the Whole meeting was called to order by City Clerk Mecum at 6:03 p.m. in the Council Chambers. Present: Councilmembers Figueroa, Gilliam,Kaptain,Rodgers, Sandor, and Walters. Absent: Mayor Schock. Councilmember Gilliam made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Figueroa,to appoint Councilmember Walters as Mayor Pro Tem. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Gilliam, Kaptain,Rodgers, Sandor, and Walters. Nays: None. Approval of Minutes Councilmember Figueroa made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Gilliam, to approve the minutes of the May 10, 2006,regular meeting. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Figueroa, Gilliam, Kaptain,Rodgers, Sandor, and Walters. Nays: None. Consideration of an Ordinance Regulating Condominium Conversions An ordinance will be presented at tonight's Council meeting for passage by the City Council. Councilmember Sandor made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Figueroa, to remove the proposed ordinance regulating condominium conversions from the table. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Figueroa, Gilliam, Kaptain,Rodgers, Sandor, and Walters. Nays: None. Councilmember Sandor made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Gilliam,to amend the proposed ordinance to require that all buildings be fully equipped with sprinklers in accordance with all NFP standards. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Figueroa, Gilliam, Kaptain,Rodgers, Sandor, and Walters. Nays: None. Presentation by Fox River Renaissance Allance Councilmember Kaptain gave a presentation regarding the Fox River Renaissance Alliance, which is a newly formed group which has been meeting since late last year. The following is a summary of his presentation. He stated that the group's purpose is multifaceted. The scope of the project of what we are going to initiate is beyond the work of one organization. We need to combine our energy and resources and develop a fundable plan which we believe will change the face of our community. A number of groups have expressed an interest in participating in the project. We are not here tonight to ask for money. Our goal is to present the plan to the Council and the community and to ask the Council to adopt a resolution of support of the concept. This will enable us to explore potential funding sources that are available through the state and possibly the federal government. Councilmember Kaptain stated that the proposal is split into three separate committees to pursue projects which are varied,have different goals, and involve different groups. The projects are Water Quality, Education, and Wetlands. Our organization is based on three separate groups moving forward independently but in constant communication with each other. This will enable s Committee of the Whole May 24, 2006 Page 2 us to most efficiently reach a common goal. Further, if one project can't get funding,the other two projects can still move forward. The first project is improving water quality,which is the original basis for formation of the Alliance, and it grew from there. Councilmember Kaptain is the chairman of this project, and about a year ago he thought about putting a lighted fountain in the area just north of the Kimball Street Dam as an amenity. It would be an attraction at night and would also serve the purpose of providing aeration. They are looking at aerating the area up to I-90. Supplemental aeration will improve the water quality of the Fox River within the corporate limits of the City of Elgin. This stretch of the Fox River has been declared impaired by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, and one of the reasons for impairment is low dissolved oxygen. There is roughly a quarter of a billion cubic yards of sediment at that stretch of the Fox River,which is the most in any region in the Fox River in Illinois. This aeration portion of the project could be eligible for funding from the IEPA, Illinois DNR, Fox River Water Reclamation District, and it is anticipated that the City of Elgin would also eventually contribute funding for the fountain and potentially for part of the aeration. Councilmember Kaptain stated he believes the educational portion is the most exciting portion of the project. The chairman of this project is Carol Medal of the Gail Borden Public Library. They propose creating an environmental resource and education center at the Gail Borden Library. This will be a multifaceted approach which involves education programs for children and adults, archives for existing environmental research projects, and hands on learning programs which will make this attractive to people of all ages and levels of knowledge. This project will reach out from the library to potentially include the green, environmentally friendly buildings which are currently being proposed for our City. Elgin will become a destination for people from all over Northern Illinois to learn more about the environment. Potential funding sources for this portion could come from the State of Illinois, Kane County, and private foundations. The third phase of the project is a wetlands project which will be directly in front of the Gail Borden Library. Peggy Stromberg of the Elgin Public Museum and Denise Raleigh of Gail Borden Library are co-chairs for this project. This unique project has been tried and used on the Chicago River, and it became an attraction for visitors and tourists to walk by and see what a wetland actually is. They propose floating wetlands as a living classroom and shoreline restoration project for the area adjacent to the library. In the future,the wetland could be expanded up the river, and people would be able to experience what the Fox River shoreline looked like in pre-settlement times. Underwater monitors would be used to provide real time water quality data and perhaps also a look at what is happening underneath the wetland. This type of project was very successful in Chicago last summer. Possible funding sources for this portion would be the State of Illinois for Brownfield sites. This portion will be the link for all three projects. The City of E!win's participation is crucial in these projects because both riverbanks are public propertv owned by the City of Elgin. Committee of the Whole May 24, 2006 Page 3 Through the actions of this Alliance and the success of the projects, Elgin will become the leader in the Fox Valley on environmental issues by taking a proactive step to improve the quality of life for our residents and setting the tone for the growth of our City. This portion of Elgin will become a destination for people interested in the environment, a focal point of Walton Island, and will enhance the value of city-owned property at the Elgin Salvage site because there will be improvements along that stretch of the river. By providing a downtown destination, we will be supporting the goals of our community which include: the river as a resource, recreational, cultural, leisure issues, an active downtown, a bike path and bikeway system, an l economic growth. This is an opportunity for the City of Elgin to join a partnership with other institutions and organizations to create a new image for our City. Elgin will become a City where children can bike safely to the library and see and learn about the river that flows through our town. Elgin will become the City where people can visit unique natural areas and learn about the enviromnent from professionals and volunteers and perform research, all in one location. The Fox River Renaissance Alliance requests a resolution from the Council in support of the concept presented tonight. Councilmember Gilliam mn,' a motion, seconded by Councilmember Figueroa,to instruct staff to develop a resolution in s port of the project presented by Councilmember Kaptain. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Cou lie i': iembers Iigueroa, Gilliam, Kaptain, Rodgers, Sandor, and Walters. Nays: None. Consideration of Parkin;?" ices for Disabled Person—Increased Minimum Fine for Violations Councilmember Sandor m 'c a motion, seconded by Councilmember Gilliam, to approve the proposed ordinance incrca�' th c m i n i m u m fine for unlawfully using a parking place designated for disabled persons and to catc a violation for unlawfully displaying a disability license plate, parking decal, or placard. Discussion was held increasing the requirement in the Illinois Vehicle Code that municipalities impose fines ,'Or such violations in an amount not less than$250 or more then $350. The proposed ordiiix-c provides for a fine of$250. However, Councilmembers favored increasing the minim u m 1-1 P to S'5 0. Councilmember Sandor a niotiol;, to amend the minimum fine for unlawfully using a parking place designated for disabled persons to $350. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Figueroa. Gilliam, Kaptain, Rodgers, Sandor, and Walters. Nays: None. Upon a roll call vote to appr,we the proposed ordinance as amended to revise the City's parking regulations to increase the i 1imum line to 5350 for unlawfully using a parking place designated for disabled persons and to ,.:atc a violation for unlawfully displaying a disability license plate, parking decal, or placard: `.' as: Cott rncilmembers Figueroa, Gilliam,Kaptain,Rodgers, Sandor, and Walters. Nays: iNonc.