Here’s a recap of our live coverage of Monday night’s Evanston City Council Administration and Public Works Committee meeting.
The meeting is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.
A packet with information on the agenda items is available online.
Meeting called to order at 5:03 p.m.
Alds. Kelly, Harris, Nieuwsma and Reid are present. Burns arrives late. Kelly chairs.
Minutes approved.
Consent agenda
Including items A1, A2, A3
Approved.
Items for consideration
A4 – Evanston Lumber delivery trucks
Ald. Jonathan Nieuwsma (4th) says this would issue a memo to police would confirm that lumber trucks are allowed to go down Oakton Streets — because of difficulty negotiating turn at Main Street and Custer Avenue.
Ald. Devon Reid (8th) says he’s opposed to the proposal.
Nieuwsma says he, Ald. Geracaris and Mayor Biss agreed that this was the best approach.
Approved 4-0.
A5 – Ordinance that would ban truck access to Clesen greenhouse on Florence.
Reid says neighbors tell him business has grown in recent years and increasingly has trucks blocking streets. Suggests they should expand elsewhere.
Suggests advancing the proposal to Council and then holding it there.
Burns says this issue isn’t ready to move on to Council. Says he spoke to one of the Clesen family members. Says existing code can address the issue or perhaps need new rules to bar blocking driveways and perhaps increasing fines. Shouldn’t be prohibiting commercial vehicles from making deliveries to a long-standing business.
Nieuwsma says he agrees with Burns. Suggests city may need to hire a consultant to look at freight logistics issues citywide — perhaps having a staging area in a non-residential neighborhood until their designated delivery time.
Ald. Krissie Harris (2nd) says main goal is to get people into compliance — need to try that again first.
Ald. Clare Kelly (1st) wants to take measures immediately with increased fines. Wouldn’t want to live with that situation either.
Mike Rivera, administrative services director, says staff has reached out to the company in the past. Says there are no-idling signs on Dewey. Says police have been deployed there many times — but sometimes can’t respond because of other calls.
Says the vehicles involved are generally third-party carriers, not owned by Clesen.
Burns notes that there are a lot of semi-trucks on Emerson Street in his ward — not ideal but it happens, he says. Shouldn’t address it in a piecemeal manner.
Wants to know how many fines have been issues.
Rivera says the company needs to manage its deliveries better. Says the city does that for its own deliveries.
Reid says he wants to only ban semi-trucks — but his proposal would actually attempt to ban any truck over 8000 pounds gross weight — which would include banning even many larger pickup trucks and vans.
Deputy City Manager Dave Stoneback says the police department had a meeting in June with Clesen. Says the meeting notes are in the packet. Says a second quarterly meeting hasn’t happened, because of short-staffing at the police department.
Approved 3-2. Nieuwsma and Burns vote no.
A6 – Ordinance to allow disposal of abandoned or unclaimed vehicles
Stoneback says city now is paying a daily fee at North Shore Towing to park the vehicles totaled and towed after an accident. Proposal would reduce the wait time to 10 days before the vehicles could be disposed of after notice to the owner.
Approved 5-0.
Meeting adjourned at 5:49 p.m.
City Council meeting to start at 6 p.m.