City Council members Monday said they generally favor a staff plan to shift street sweeping to daytime hours, from what’s current mostly a nighttime schedule. But they split on proposals to save money by reducing how often some streets are swept and to raise fines but eliminate the towing of cars to enforce street-sweeping regulations. […]
Posted inGovernment
Solar rules shot down
Aldermen Monday told the Plan Commission’s Zoning Committee to go back to the drawing board in designing new regulations for solar collectors on homes. The aldermen agreed with complaints from the Environment Board that the proposed new rules were too restrictive — too focused on aesthetics and not enough concerned with energy efficiency. The aldermen […]
Posted inGovernment, Public Safety
Spy cameras win split vote
The City Council voted Monday to buy three surveillance cameras for mounting on power poles around town. One would be placed at Evanston Township High School and be paid for by the school district, the other two would be used by city police. Alderman Lionel Jean-Baptiste, 2nd Ward objected to the purchase, saying the $91,500 […]
Posted inBusiness
Oops, it’s unconstitutional!
Evanston aldermen scrambled Monday to revise an affordable housing ordinance after the city’s legal staff told them the version the council passed three weeks ago would not survive a court challenge. In a rush to do something before voters cast ballots on a real estate transfer tax hike, the aldermen last month had voted to […]
Posted inGovernment, Real Estate
Planners: Boost west side diversity
Some Plan Commission members say there’s not enough housing diversity in the rezoning plan city consultants have developed for the industrial corridor along the old Mayfair railroad right of way. The plan calls for several hundred new townhouse and apartment units, but no new single family homes. Chairman Albert Hunter, at Wednesday’s Plan Commission meeting, […]
Posted inEntertainment
House in a day, the gingerbread way
Around fifty people filled the Community Room at the Evanston Public Library Sunday for free Gingerbread House Workshop with Chef Michael Niksic. Chef Niksic says he uses meringue icing only to decorate the houses — it’s not strong enough to hold them together. Children and their parents received recipes and learned the intricacies of the […]
Posted inGovernment
Green affection short on roots here
If you just looked at the top of the ticket, you’d think Evanston voters showed a huge swing toward the Green Party in last week’s general election. Green Party gubernatorial candidate Rich Whitney drew 18.35 percent of the vote here, closing in on Republican Judy Barr Topinka’s 20.81 percent. The winner, incumbent Democrat Rod Blagojevich, […]
Posted inGovernment, Real Estate
All precincts report on referendum
With votes reported from all precincts — but absentee ballots still to be counted — Evanston’s referendum to increase the real estate transfer tax 20 percent to fund affordable housing programs is losing by a 798 vote margin. With votes reported from all precincts — but absentee ballots still to be counted — Evanston’s referendum […]
Posted inBusiness, Government, Real Estate
Planners hit looks of Central Place condos
Evanston’s Plan Commission is expected to vote on the proposed condominium development at the Evanston Theater site on Central Street at a special meeting Nov. 29 after wrapping up public testimony on the project Wednesday night. Evanston’s Plan Commission is expected to vote on the proposed condominium development at the Evanston Theater site on Central […]
Posted inBusiness, Government, Real Estate
Residents eye new Main-Chicago condos
Developers and city officials unveiled plans Thursday night for a nine-story condominium and retail development at the southeast corner of Main Street and Chicago Avenue that would resolve a three-year legal dispute over the property. A neighbor takes a close-up look at a model of the project and neighboring buildings. The property’s former owner, James […]
Posted inBusiness, Real Estate
Voters appear to reject tax hike
Voters appear to have rejected a proposal by Evanston aldermen to raise the real estate transfer tax 20 percent to fund affordable housing. With just four of 70 precincts left to report, the referendum is trailing by a 48 to 52 percent margin. Referendum backers would have to get more than 75 percent of the […]
Posted inBusiness
Property tax hike could top 10 percent
City Manager Julia Carroll this evening laid out a range of possible property tax hikes — from 5.6 to 13 percent — to Evanston aldermen, who didn’t seem very happy with any of them. Mayor Lorraine Morton said there should be no increase in taxes. “We are losing people in our city,” the mayor said, […]
Posted inGovernment, Real Estate
Property taxes a key to affordability
ANALYSIS Three factors beyond Evanston’s control, and two the city can influence, will have far more impact on housing affordability than the 20 percent real estate transfer tax increase that voters will pass judgment on Tuesday. ANALYSIS Three factors beyond Evanston’s control, and two the city can influence, will have far more impact on housing […]
Posted inGovernment, Real Estate
Can tax hike solve affordability crisis?
ANALYSIS Evanston voters go to the polls Tuesday to decide the fate of a plan to raise the real estate transfer tax 20 percent to fund as-yet-unspecified affordable housing programs. The tax increase is expected to raise $800,000 to $1,000,000 per year. The way I figure, that might be enough to solve 44 percent of […]
Posted inBusiness
Methodist board plans new HQ here
The Methodist Pension Board unveiled plans today to build a new four-story headquarters building on the site of its current offices at 1200 Davis St. The Methodist Pension Board unveiled plans today to build a new four-story headquarters building on the site of its current offices at 1200 Davis St.
Posted inGovernment, Real Estate
City faces cuts, or big tax hikes
City Manager Julia Carroll says Evanston faces a structural budget problem, with expenses increasing at 4 to 5 percent per year but revenue rising only about 3 percent. She told aldermen Monday night that if cuts aren’t made, the city would need to increase the property tax levy next year by nearly $3 million — […]