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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMarch 08, 1989 COW Committee of the Whole Meeting March 8 , 1989 Mayor VanDeVoorde called the meeting to order at 6 : 30 p.m. , in the Council Conference Room of City Hall. Members present : Councilmen Fox, Gilliam, Moylan, Popple , Shales , Walters and Mayor VanDeVoorde. Absent : None. Consideration of proposed amendments to the boundaries of the Elgin Enterprise Zone . Recently the City received correspondence regarding a proposal to expand the boundaries of the Enterprise Zone to include a larger area on the west side of the river. Additionally, as a component of the Michigan Street Redevelopment Project , the staff has examined the possibility of extending Enterprise Zone benefits to that area. At their regular meeting of February 10 , 1989 , the Elgin Economic Development Council considered the proposed amendments to the Enterprise Zone Boundaires and voiced unanimous support for the action. Councilman Walters made a motion, seconded by Councilwoman Moylan to approved the proposed amendments. Yeas: Councilmen Fox, Gilliam, Moylan, Popple, Shales , Walters and Mayor VanDeVoorde. Nays : None . Consideration of certain parking restrictions on Weston Avenue. The Traffic Committee was presented with a request from Dr. Stockman to have the existing unrestricted public parking in front of the Wing Park Manor Professional Building changed to a 2 hour parking zone. The 2 hour parking zone will extend from the "No Parking Zone" , on the east side of Weston Avenue at Wing St . , southerly along the east side of Weston Avenue for a distance of 65 feet . Currently, the unrestricted public parking in front of this establishment is occupied by vehicles which are parked all day. Patients , some of them elderly, are forced to park some distance away. Councilwoman Moylan made a motion, seconded by Councilwoman Shales to grant the subject request . Yeas: Councilmen Fox, Gilliam, Moylan, Popple, Shales , Walters and Mayor VanDeVoorde . Nays : None. Consideration of the installation of a YIELD sign on Adeline Drive at Royal Blvd. In recent years , both streets have been extended and traffic has increased. The unusual geometrics of this modified tee intersection make it difficult for motorists to determine r Committee of the Whole Meeting March 8 , 1989 Page 2 who has the right-of-way. This confusion could result in accident and/or injury. Councilwoman Popple made a motion, seconded by Councilwoman Shales to approve a YIELD sign on Adeline Dr. at Royal Blvd. Yeas : Councilmen Fox, Gilliam, Moylan, Popple , Shales , Walters and Mayor VanDeVoorde. Nays : None. Consideration of a resolution regarding the use of motor, fuel tax funds . Councilman Walters made a motion, seconded by Councilwoman Popple to approve the appropriation of $865 , 000 .00 of Motor Fuel Tax Funds for street maintenance and other related work. Yeas : Councilmen Fox, Gilliam, Moylan, Popple, Shales , Walters and Mayor VanDeVoorde . Nays : None. Consideration of a request from Pulte Home Corporation regarding certain improvements associated with the Glens of College Green. Council reviewed correspondence from Pulte Home Corporation, which raised the following issues: 1. Whether or not Pulte should bear the entire cost of providing an additional lane on Bowes Road for the length of the Glens of College Green. 2 . Whether or not a 12" watermain needs to be extended south from College Green along McLean Boulevard and west along Bowes Road to the Glens . 3 . Whether or not the Bowes Road Sanitary Sewer interceptor needs to be 42" in diameter. I Staff responded to Council as follows : 1. For the Bowes Road Improvement , the recommended method for distributing a portion of this cost to Pulte is consistent with adopted city policy regarding roadway improvements in support of development . 2 . A 12 inch watermain expending south of McLean Boulevard and a 16 inch watermain extending from McLean Boulevard to the westerly edge of the proposed development are required. A recapture ordinance would be established to provide for one-half the cost of the 12-inch watermain by future connection on the westside. The City would refund one-half the cost of the 12-inch watermain for the east side of McLean Blvd. , for the length of property owned by the City. Committee of the Whole Meeting March 8 , 1989 Page 3 The City would incur the cost of oversizing from a 12- ich to a 16-inch watermain extending from McLean Blvd. , to the westerly edge of the proposed Pulte development . A reimbursement ordinance would be provided covering one- half the cost of a 12-inch watermain for the south side of Bowes Road while a similar ordinance would be provided for the reimbursement of the northerly half of a 12-inch watermain from the easterly edge of the subject property to McLean Blvd. 3 . The Bowes Road interceptor sewer service area represents one of only three such service areas available in the Elgin planning area ( the other being the Big Timber and the Poplar Creek interceptor sewer service areas ) . Consequently, the Bowes Road sewer service area represents one of only a few remaining areas open to significant growth for Elgin. It is common practice to require oversizing of sewer lines to accommodate future growth, with the oversizing subject to recapture as new developments hook-on. The proposed oversizing and recapture recommended for the Pulte development is consistent with established policies of the City and Sanitary District . The staff finds no basis for excepting the proposed Pulte development from standard city policies regarding roadway, water and sewer system improvements . Councilman Gilliam made a motion, seconded by Councilman Walters to approve the staff recommendations . Yeas : Councilmen Fox, Gilliam, Moylan, Popple , Shales , Walters and Mayor VanDeVoorde . Nays: None. Consideration of a recommendation from the Greater Downtown Elgin Commission concerning liquor licensing. The GDEC recommended that the Council implement a citizens task force made up of the GDEC members , business people of the downtown area, members of the liquor industry and concerned citizens to review and recommend changes to the current liquor ordinance. Councilwoman Moylan stated the members of the Mall Commission , Liquor Commission and GDEC should come up with a plan for the mall in regard to the liquor ordinance that would be fair. Councilman Fox stated he would like to see a moratorium on liquor licenses until a downtown plan is available . Mayor VanDeVoorde reminded the Council that the Liquor Commission held a series of hearings in 1987 and 1988 and Committee of the Whole Meeting March g , 1989 Page 4 there were no major changes proposed. Councilwoman Moylan asked if it was possible to notify all neighbors affected when a liquor license application was filed. Mayor VanDeVoorde stated this could be done but asked what it would accomplish. The applicant would still have to meet zoning and other requirements . If the Liquor Commission decided on the application based on the number of neighbors present , they would be on thin ice. The Council was advised that the applicant for the mall liquor store had withdrawn his application. Councilman Fox made a motion, seconded by Councilwoman Shales to ban liquor stores and taverns in the downtown mall area. Yeas: Councilmen Fox, Moylan, Popple, and Shales . Nays: Councilmen Gilliam, Walters and Mayor VanDeVoorde. Consideration of a proposal for engineering services for a high service pump. Councilman Gilliam made a motion, seconded by Councilwoman Moylan to award a contract for engineering services for the Riverside high service pump and piping additions to the low bidder, Clark Dietz , Inc. , for a total amount not to exceed $15 , 042 . 00. Yeas : Councilmen Fox, Gilliam, Moylan, Popple , Shales , Walters and Mayor VanDeVoorde . Nays : None . Consideration of establishing fire protection charges to certain properties outside city limits . Councilman Walters made a motion, seconded by Councilwoman Popple to approve the 1989 fire protection charges to the various properties outside the city limits so that invoices and agreements may be prepared and sent to the owners . Yeas : Councilmen Fox, Gilliam, Moylan, Popple , Shales, Walters and Mayor VanDeVoorde. Nays: None . Consideration of a request from the Hemmens Advisory Board exempting certain performances from the Hemmens Surcharge . Three non-profit organizations have scheduled events in Hemmens as part of a continuing season or series of events for which tickets had already been sold prior to the establish- ment of the surcharge . Since these three lessees would be unable to recover the cost of the surcharge through ticket sales or be able to Committee of the Whole Meeting March 8 , 1989 Page 5 reprint the tickets , they have requested that they be exempt from the surcharge for the following events : House of Blue Leaves, Miss Illinois Pageant , and Come Back to the Five and Dime Jimmy Dean. Councilwoman Shales asked if the Hemmens Advisory Board still thinks the surcharge is a good idea. Councilman Walters stated they feel the Council wants the building to pay for itself and they are attempting to make Hemmens more self-sufficient . Councilwoman Shales stated we should subsidize because the Hemmens is a real asset and we should not aggravate people. This is just a nusiance and it will still not pay for itself. Ross Ricks stated the amount of revenue from the surcharge is about $10, 000. Councilwoman Shales made a motion, seconded by Councilwoman Popple to drop the surcharge. Councilman Gilliam stated the Council makes the decision. These same people ask for a new sound system and other services and we provide it . Somewhere along the line we have to take a stand. Councilwoman Shales withdrew her motion and Councilwoman Popple withdrew her second. Councilman Walters stated he would report to the Hemmens Advisory Board how the Council felt about the surcharge. Councilman Gilliam made a motion, seconded by Councilwoman Popple to grant the request of the Hemmens Advisory Board exempting the three non-profits , outline herein, from paying the surcharge. Yeas: Councilmen Fox, Gilliam, Moylan, Popple, Shales , Walters and Mayor VanDeVoorde . Nays: None. Consideration of a request from the Hemmens Advisory Board to submit a grant application to the Illinois Arts Council. Councilman Gilliam made a motion, seconded by Councilwoman Moylan to approve the subject request . Yeas: Councilmen Fox, Gilliam, Moylan, Popple , Shales , Walters and Mayor VanDeVoorde. Nays : None. Consideration of a report regarding the status of 1102 Dundee Avenue. Chapter 19 .46 of the Elgin code regulates the buildings Committee of the Whole Meeting March 8 , 1989 Page 6 designed or intended for a use not permitted in the district in which they are located. The existing building was designed and intended to be occupied by retail uses , which are permitted in the B-3 district . Accordingly, the building may be repaired or reconstructed on the existing foundation, provided that the improvements do not result in greater nonconformities with repsect to the current zoning ordinance. Councilman Fox asked staff to look at code taking into account parking spaces and setbacks , and not just the zoning. Consideration of an Ordinance regarding store signage require- ments for certain video products . In previous discussion the Council asked if the City ordinances could be amended to require segregation and signage as was done by most of the video rental stores . The Corporation Counsel prepared an amendment to the city code which would provide for this segregation and signage. Councilman Fox stated he would prefer voluntary compliance by the video dealers and he was having trouble with the word "segregation" . Councilman Gilliam stated he would rather see voluntary compliance. Councilman Fox stated a letter could be sent to the video store owners requesting compliance. Mayor VanDeVoorde stated he thought a letter would be better than changing the ordinance . Councilman Fox made a motion, seconded by Councilwoman Moylan for a letter to be sent to the video store owners requesting compliance . Yeas : Councilmen Fox, Gilliam, Moylan, Popple , Shales , Walters and Mayor VanDeVoorde . Nays: None. Consideration of a request by a member of the Planning Committee to attend the American Planning Association Conference. Councilman Walters made a motion, seconded by Councilman Fox to approve the above request . Yeas : Councilmen Fox, Gilliam, Moylan, Popple , Shales , Walters and Mayor VanDeVoorde. Nays: None. Consideration of a report on current City Projects . The City Manager stated the subject reports would be distributed to the Council quarterly. Committee of the Whole Meeting March 8 , 1989 Page 6 Consideration of a report on Capital Projects . Status report . Consideration of an ordinance amending certain penalty provisions of the municipal code. Staff requested that an ordinance amendment be authorized to address violations of Title 20 of the Elgin Municipal Code - Designation and Preservation of Historically and Architecturally Significant Property. Councilman Shales made a motion, seconded by Councilwoman Popple to approve the proposed amendment to the code. Yeas : Councilmen Fox, Gilliam, Moylan, Popple , Shales , Walters and Mayor VanDeVoorde. Nays: None. Rental property at 225 S. State St . This residence was deeded to the City in 1901, along with the property known as Central Park. Because of certain deed restrictions regarding the sale of any portion of the property, the City has been renting this property for the past several years . The tenants recently informed us of a problem with the furnace, and after same was inspected it was determined the furnace must be replaced, the cost would be approximately $2 ,000. Staff questions the value of making such a costly expenditure to this structure which also has some other maintenance needs and affords little return to the City. Staff recommends the following: 1. Not to replace the furnace at this time. 2 . Staff should re-review our alternatives for the City' s use or disposal of this structure. 3 . That the rent for this structure be reduced to $175 . 00 a month for March and April, and that the tenant be informed that their month-to-month lease will probably be terminated this fall. The Council felt that since there is no heat available to the tenants , they should be relocated and any advanced rental should be refunded to them. Mayor VanDeVoorde stated the City should enforce the codes just like any other landlord. Committee of the Whole Meeting March 8 , 1989 Page 7 A majority of the Council felt that staff should find place to relocate the tenants immediately. The City Manager stated it is very difficult to find any rental units . Councilman Gilliam stated the tenants should be told to move , the City could put them up in a motel for two weeks . Councilman Fox stated there must be some network for emergencies where people have fires and they have no place to go. Council directed that staff remove the tenants and assist them in finding suitable housing. Adjournment Councilman Gilliam made a motion, seconded by Councilwoman Popple to adjourn the Committee of the Whole Meeting. Yeas : Councilmen Fox, Gilliam, Moylan, Popple , Shales , Walters and Mayor VanDeVoorde. Nays : None. - �i Marie Yearman City Clerk i