Here’s a recap of our live coverage of Monday night’s Evanston City Council Planning and Development Committee meeting.
The meeting is scheduled to start at 5:45 p.m.
A packet with information on the agenda items is available online.
Meeting called to order at 5:48 p.m.
Chair Jonathan Nieuwsma (4th) says item P2 the planned development for a daycare center at 3434 Central St. has been removed from the agenda at the request of the applicant and will not be heard tonight either at P&D or City Council.
Also present Ald. Clare Kelly (1st), Ald. Melissa Wynne (3rd), Ald. Bobby Burns (5th), Ald. Eleanor Revelle (7th), Ald. Devon Reid (8th), Ald. Juan Geracaris (9th)
Minutes approved.
Public Comment
Larry Raffel, 3509 Central St. says daycare project is “totally inappropriate” for the site.
Other speakers attack both items P1 and P2.
Sue Loellbach, of Connections for the Homeless, speaks in favor of the HODC project.
P1 – Sale of city-owned real estate at Church and Darrow
Moved by Reid, seconded by Geracaris.
The sale is designed to facilitated development of affordable housing at 1815 Church St. by HODC and a new Mt. Pisgah Church at 1805 Church St.
Details of the swap are in the packet.
Burns speaks in favor of the land swap proposal. Says is a meeting planned Tuesday regarding issues at a different HODC development at 319 Dempster St.
Kelly asks what happens if the corner lot remains empty if the church can’t finance construction. Also concerned about conditions at 319 Dempster. Says hopes Tuesday’s meeting will come up with permanent, lasting proposals for improvement there. Wants reduction in police and fire calls there.
Reid suggests that if city money or land is involved a potential developer should have to demonstrate financial capacity to complete the project. Suggests policy change in the future. Suggests city should hang onto land and perhaps do long term leases rather than sales. But will support this project.
Approved 6-1. Kelly votes no.
Meeting adjourned at 6:26 p.m.
City Council to start at 6:45 p.m.
I chuckle every time I read about Devon Reid talking about finances and what others should do. It’s the joke that keeps on going …