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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAugust 24, 1988 COW COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING August 24 , 1988 The meeting was called to order by Mayor VanDeVoorde at 6:30 p.m. , in the Council Conference Room of City Hall. Members present: Councilmen Fox, Moylan, Popple, Shales, Walters and Mayor VanDeVoorde. Councilman Gilliam arrived at 7:45 p.m. Absent : None. Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the Year Ending December 31, 1988. The Council was furnished with a copy of the subject report. Consideration of a request from citizens re uesting the right to store racing stock cars on their 3riveway and, do maintenance during the racing season. The City Manager stated the BOCA Property Maintenance Code/1978 provides that not more than one currently unregisteredkj and/or uninspected vehicle shall be parked on any property in a residential district , and said motor vehicle shall not at any time be in a state of major disassembly, disrepair or shall it be in the process of being stripped or dismantled. A vehicle of any type shall not at any time undergo major overhaul, including body work, in a residential district. Susan Chiapetto, 719 Parkway and Christine Walters, 263 Perry stated the vehicles on their property are only maintained at the track. The vehicles are only used as stock cars, and this should be considered a hobby. Ms. Chiapetto and Walters asked that the ordinance be changed to allow one vehicle on their driveway, they would be willing to pay for a license fee, but they are unable to obtain a State license because the vehicles cannot be driven on a street . Councilwoman Shales asked what period of time was involved for stock car racing. Ms. Chiapetto stated the racing season runs from March to October. Mayor VanDeVoorde said the problem could be solved by building a garage, or renting a garage for the vehicle-The Mayor further stated the City receives complaints all the time about unsightly vehicles throughout the City, and we are trying to improve the image of the City. Councilwoman Shales stated she would be willing to consider a change, but she would like to check with other communities to see that they are doing in cases of this nature. Committee of the Whole Meeting August 24 , 1988 Page 2 Councilman Walters stated it would be difficult to make any changes without opening the door to many other things. Councilwoman Shales made a motion, seconded by Councilman Walters to direct staff to bring this matter back with several options to resolve the matter. Yeas: Councilwoman Shales. Nays: Councilmen Fox, Moylan, Popple, Walters and Mayor VanDeVoorde. Consideration of a re�(uest from the Elgin Public Museum Incorporated for a new five year contract for Public Museum Operations. The City Manager stated special annual financial impact would be determined by proposed revision to the Council at the Museum's annual budget hearing. The proposed revision to the agreement indicates a minimum annual allocation of $35, 000. This figure is consistent with the Council funding awards of the past two years ( 1987-1988 ) . However, Council may not want to commit to a minimum funding figure for five years. j Councilwoman Moylan made a motion, seconded by Councilman Walters to approve the recommendation of the Elgin Public Museum, for a five year management/operation agreement, and to delete the first sentence of Section J, which reads: "The City of Elgin shall pay the Elgin Public Museum not less than $35 ,000 general operational support per year.' E+ This amount to be discussed in the upcoming budget review. I Yeas: Councilmen Fox, Moylan, Popple, Shales, Walters Ij and Mayor VanDeVoorde. Nays: None. Consideration of a request for a canopy installation over the public sidewalk on Highland Avenue by the Archives U Restaurant . i !! Councilman Walters made a motion, seconded by Councilman E: Fox to approve the subject request subject to staff preparing a revocable license containing conditions that the canopy much be maintained and kept in good repair and that the City is coinsured. Yeas: Councilmen Fox, Moylan, Popple, Shales, Walters and Mayor VanDeVoorde. Nays : None. Consideration of a request from the developer of the proposed Williamsburg Terrace for the City to agree to a possible refund procedure for development contributions. On June 22 , 1988, Council considered the preliminary plan and PUD of Williamsburg Terrace. The Council directed that approval would be based on the payment of fees for the entire area ( insofar as Airlite and Highland Avenue improvements ) at the time of approval of Phase I. Committee of the Whole Meeting August 24 , 1988 Page 3 A developer to the west of Airlite has discovered that Federal flood data may be in error and that it may require a new larger culvert under Highland or other improvements to achieve the flood plain dimensions set forth in the Federal guidelines. If this is true, Phase II and Phase III of the Williamsburg project may not be able to be released until those improvements are accomplished. The developer is prepared to go ahead with Phase I , as approved, and recognizes that the Airlite improvements will be required in any case. The developer is asking for an assurance that if Phase II and Phase III cannot be built , that portion of Highland Avenue improvement contributions associated with those projects will be refunded. Councilwoman Shales and Mayor VanDeVoorde felt the developer should only pay for those improvements for Phase I, until something is resolved with Phase II and Phase III . j Councilwoman Shales made a motion, seconded by Councilwoman Moylan to allow the developer to proceed with Phase I , as approved, and to pay the fees allocated to Phase I at this time. Yeas: Councilmen Fox, Moylan, Popple, Shales , Walters and Mayor VanDeVoorde. Nays: None. - Consideration of a report on the status of the Dundee Tax Increment Financing District and a recommendation to readvertise for proposals. The Council reviewed staff' s recommendation to discontinue negotiations with Capital Ventures as sole respondent to the original round of Request for Proposals and redis- tribute a new round of RFP's to selected development companies. The Request for Proposals would be distributed not only to those developers expressing interest to the City, but to other firms who may be interested in the project . Mr. Bonavolonta, of Capital Ventures, stated Lucky Foods is still interested in the relocation of the eastside Eagle store , but he does not have a firm commitment . Mr. Bonavolonta stated he still thought he could give the City the kind of development they wanted for this area, but he needed an additional 90 to 120 days to work on this project . Councilwoman Moylan and Councilman Fox stated the people living up in that area had been waiting over a year to see what is going to happen to their property, and it was not fair to ask them to wait longer when there is no commitment to-date. i Committee of the Whole Meeting August 24 , 1988 Page 4 Councilman Fox made a motion, seconded by Councilman Walters to put the project out for Request for Proposals. Councilwoman Popple and Mayor VanDeVoorde indicated they would be willing to give Capital Ventures another 90 days before putting out the Request for Proposals. The Mayor called for a vote on the motion by Councilman Fox. Yeas: Councilmen Fox and Moylan. Nays: Councilmen Popple, Shales, Walters and Mayor VanDeVoorde. Consideration of a recommendation from the Parks and Recreation Board for establishment of a youth representative on the Board. The Council reviewed a recommendation from the Parks and Recreation Board to amend the existing ordinance providing for the appointment to the subject Board to reflect "the youth coundil shall select one representative, such member to have full voting privileges and equal authority and responsibility with all other members duly appointed by { the City Council. Any such youth member shall be a resident of the City. The term of office shall be one year and shall commence on August lst and terminate on July 31st of the following year. In the case of the disbandment of the youth council the youth representative appointment procedure would revert to the previous arrangement of three representatives being appointed, one from each of the three high schools" . Councilwoman Moylan made a motion, seconded by Councilwoman j Popple to approve said recommendation. Yeas: Councilmen Fox, Gilliam, Moylan, Popple, Shales , Walters and Mayor I; VanDeVoorde. Nays: None. Consideration of a report with regard to parking system changes in the downtown area. Councilman Fox made a motion, seconded by Councilwoman Popple to approve the staff recommendation to remove all poles and meters , with the exception of+he Crocker Lot , and to increase the base fine for a violation from $2 .00 to $5.00 and increase the deliquent fine from $3. 00 to $10. 00. Yeas: Councilmen Fox, Gilliam, Moylan, Popple, Shales, Walters and Mayor VanDeVoorde. Nays: None. Removal of tree at 432 Summit Street Mrs. Phyllis Krueger appeared before the Council and stated she had been promised by the State that the tree in front of her premises would not be cut down in the process of widening Summit Street . Committee of the Whole Meeting August 24 , 1988 Page 5 The City Manager stated this was a State project and the City had no jurisdiction in the matter. Mrs. Krueger stated that she had been assured by Representative Kirkland that the tree would be .saved. The tree is 100 years old. Councilman Gilliam stated that he did not think there was anything that could be done because if the State has selected a design for this work he did not believe they would alter their plans to save a tree. Mayor VanDeVoorde suggested that perhaps Mel Dahl could talk to Ralph Wehner at IDOT to see if anything could be done. Councilwoman Shales made a motion, seconded by Councilwoman Moylan to direct staff to advise IDOT to try and save the tree since there was a promise made to Mrs. Krueger to do this. Yeas: Councilmen Fox, Moylan, Popple , Shales , Walters and Mayor VanDeVoorde. Nays: Councilman Gilliam. Consideration of a recommendation for an unanticipated v purchase of water meters by the Water Fund. Councilwoman Shales made a motion, seconded by Councilman Walters to approve an additional $14 ,022 .10 for the purchase of water meters to meet the needs for new construction. Yeas: Councilmen Fox, Gilliam, Moylan, Popple, Shales, }; Walters and Mayor VanDeVoorde. Nays: None. i Consideration of a request from the Garden Quarter Apartments for Fire Lane Enforcement . The Police Department and the Fire Department have both reviewed the proposed location of the fire lanes with in the complex and find the designations to be saitsfactory. Councilman Fox made a motion, seconded by Councilman Walters to approve the subject request . Yeas: Councilmen Fox, Gilliam, Moylan, Popple, Shales, Walters and Mayor VanDeVoord. Nays: None. Consideration of Change Order No. 1 to the East Chicago Street project . This Change Order is needed to order to complete the proposed project . and staff is recommending approval. Councilwoman Shales made a motion, seconded by Councilwoman Moylan to approve Change Order No. 1 in the amount of $4 ,892.45. Yeas: Councilmen Fox, Gilliam, Moylan, Popple, Shales , Walters and Mayor VanDeVoorde . Nays: None. Committee of the Whole Meeting August 24 , 1988 Page 6 Consideration of parking restrictions recommended for Academy Place. This parking restriction would eliminate three parking stalls and would require "No Parking" signs and painted curbs . In addition to the signs and paint , the Academy would like to install rubber posts at the entrance to prevent cars from entering the area, but allowing maintenance and safety equipment in. Councilwoman Popple made a motion, seconded by Councilwoman Shales to approve the parking restriction for Academy Place. Yeas: Councilmen Fox, Gilliam, Moylan, Popple, Shales, Walters and Mayor VanDeVoorde. Nays: None. Consideration of the July Capital Projects Report . Status Report Consideration of a Report from Members of the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners on Conference Attendance. f t, Consideration of the Management Letter from the City Auditors. Railroad Intersection South of Big Timber Road The Mayor asked the staff to look into the length of time this intersection is tied up with train crossings. South Grove Development - Harris Project The Mayor stated he would like to see something moving on this project , and perhaps a report from staff on the current status. Adjournment I= Councilwoman Shales made a motion, seconded by Councilwoman Popple to adjourn the Committee of the Whole Meeting to go into Executive Session to discuss land acquisition, personnel and litigation. Yeas: Councilmen Fox, Gilliam, Moylan, Popple, Shales, Walters and Mayor VanDeVoorde. Nays: None. The meeting adjourned at 10:10 p.m. Marie Yearma , City Clerk