Lincoln Central Association
Meeting Minutes 2010
(scroll down for prior meeting minutes)

MEETING MINUTES, October 28, 2010 - 7:00PM
Offices of Thomas Ward Insurance Group - 707 W. Willow Street

Board Members Present: David Varnerin, Paul Maggio, Gary Sinclair, Joan Simmons, Deirdre Graziano, Sally Drucker and Brian Kasal.

Next Meeting: Thursday, November 18, 2010 at 7PM at Thomas Ward Insurance Group - 707 W. Willow Street.103.

Call to Order: Deirdre Graziano called the meeting to order at 7:03PM.

Due to the attendance of Congressman Mike Quigley and a contingent from the Webster Square development, it was decided to let these individuals make their presentations first.

Congressman Mike Quigley:

As is his practice before most elections, Mike Quigley asked to attend our meeting. After some general comments about state and national affairs, the Congressman said that one of his highest priorities is to maintain a link and close connection with his constituents. This is done primarily through his office at 3742 W. Irving Park Rd. in Chicago. He also maintains close connections with offices of other elected officials in his (the 5th) district.

The Congressman indicated that the next election would be transformative for the nation. Hopefully, a way for competing views to work together to address the serious issues confronting the country will be found. The continuing mortgage crisis and immigration will be two issues in need of further work. The Congressman then answered several question from those present.

Lincoln Park Hospital Redevelopment (Webster Square):

A contingent (including Richard Zisook) from the development organization for Webster Square made a presentation on the current proposal to redevelop the former Lincoln Park Hospital. Materials have been posted detailing the redevelopment plan on lincolncentral.org for review and reaction by LCA membership and the community at large. The development group also has a web site (WebsterSq.com) with more details.

The first building discussed was the garage. That building will contain a 12,500 square foot Fresh Market. There would be storage space and 255 parking spaces on the first and second floors. The height of the building would remain unchanged and there would be a green roof. No alcohol would be sold in the market. Parking would be open to the food market customers as well as the tenants and visitors to the professional building across the street. Parking would be available to the community at large. Access to the garage and for deliveries to the Fresh Market will be midway on the north side of the structure from Webster Ave. There will be a two bay truck loading area where delivery trucks will back in from Webster and once inside will not be visible from the street. The alley east of the garage will not be used.

The professional building at the corner of Webster and Geneva Terrace will have its exterior appearance freshened, with particular emphasis on opening up the first floor. Glass will replace most of the exterior cladding on the first and second floors. There will be no retail in this building and appropriate documentation to the zoning would document that this building will be only for professional offices.

The tower portion of the building will be reclad in red brick and a garage will be constructed underneath it and the professional building for use by residents. The parking entrance will be on Webster. The delivery entrance will also be on Webster and will allow delivery vehicles and moving vans to pass through to the rear of the building where the loading or unloading will occur. The existing alley from the east will not be used for any activities of this building. The height of the building will be the same as the existing structure.

The buildings occupying the north portion of this site along Grant Place will be demolished and replaced with a 55-foot residential structure, which will be in line with other buildings now on that block. The bulk of the new building will be less than the existing structures to be removed. The new building will be set back from the street creating more green space. There will also be a green area in the center of the property for use by all residents of the project.

After several questions from the attendees, the development group left. The next step for LCA will be additional discussion at the November meeting and possible future community input. To date, there has been no reaction from the web site postings. The Walpole Point Homeowners Association is also considering this project since their complex borders the garage structure on the south

Approval of September 23, 2010 Board Meeting Minutes. Paul Maggio made a motion to approve the September Board Meeting Minutes. Seconded by Sally Drucker and approval by all directors present.

Treasurer's Report: The total fund balance at September 3oth was $29,260.61 including $4,539.18 for Bauler Park and $2,948.40 for Lincoln Central Park. The Association's balance was $21,773.03.

Committee Reports:

Zoning. Two additional matters have come before the Zoning Committee

1872 N. Howe St. There was agreement to a request for a side yard variance since this lot is only 23.5 feet wide. The request for a breezeway was rejected. Currently, the committee is waiting for reactions from the neighbors to this request.

525 W. Armitage St. (southeast corner of Armitage and Mohawk). There is a proposal to convert this multiple dwelling building into a single-family home. The new owners are currently negotiating with their neighbor about their plans.

Membership. Approximately 10 new individuals were added to our email list as a result of the Bauler Park Halloween event on October 23rd.

Communications. No report

Safety. No report.

Neighborhood Liaison. No report.

Fire Station Park. Paul Maggio updated the Board on the progress being made to revitalize this park. Vi Daley has committed funding for the replanting the park. LCA will formally organize an ongoing maintenance program, which will include fund raising for the park. Neighborhood involvement will be sought including volunteers to maintain the park as well as funds to hire outside gardeners to provide supplemental maintenance. Neighborhood events are also planned to increase interest in this park.

Meeting adjourned at 8:45PM

Submitted by: David Varnerin, Secretary

---

MEETING MINUTES, September 23,2010 – 7:00PM
Lincoln Park High School – Administrative Conference Room

Board Members Present: David Varnerin, Jennifer Uson, Richard Harris, Paul Maggio, Tom McGavin, Gary Sinclair, Rodger Owen and Joan Simmons. David Siegel, a proposed new Board member, was also present.

Next Meeting: Thursday, October 28, 2010 at 7PM at Lincoln Park High School - Room 103.

Call to Order: Rodger Owen called the meeting to order at 7:05PM.

Approval of July 22, 2010 Board Meeting Minutes. Paul Maggio made a motion to approve the July Board Meeting Minutes. Seconded by Richard Harris and approval by all directors present.

Treasurer’s Report: The total fund balance at August 31st was $29,251.18 including $4,665.58 for Bauler Park and $2,948.40 for Lincoln Central Park. The Association’s balance was $22,637.20

Committee Reports:

Zoning. Richard Harris reported that at the September Zoning Committee meeting, a revised proposal from developers of the Lincoln Park Hospital complex was made. The project has been renamed Webster Square and has a number of changes from the original proposal. The bulk of the proposed redeveloped site will be the same as previously submitted. However, there will be fewer residential units (162 condos instead of 220 to 325 Units). What has changed is the six-story structure at the corner of Lincoln and Webster, which was to have been a residence for seniors. It will now be developed as professional offices. The proposed retail part of the project will remain but the size of the stores has been reduced. The current garage structure will house a “Fresh Market” featuring gourmet and locally grown items. There will be 255 spaces in that structure and the roof will be a green roof. There will be additional parking in the main project building.

The Zoning Committee approved the revised plan as submitted. There was a discussion by several Board members as to the specifics and history of the project and in particular about the height of the structure, which remains the same as the existing building. Since a community meeting will have to be held to ascertain the community’s response to this revised plan, it was decided to table this item pending further discussion at the October Board meeting.

Membership. Paul Maggio reported on the Howe Orchard Burling Block Party held on Saturday, September 11th. Lincoln Central provided a jumper for the children. About forty names were obtained at the information table and those individuals will be solicited for membership and added to the LCA email distribution list. Board members were also urged to use the membership piece created by Tom McGavin as one way to introduce neighbors to LCA. Additionally, a membership table at the Bauler Park Halloween event on October 23rd will be set up in order to increase awareness of LCA. Dave Siegel, who organized the Oz Park Baseball Association, offered to assist by providing the emails of families who had joined OPBA. It was agreed that the list of OPBA would be reviewed to identify those OPBA members who live in LCA’s territory.

Communications. Director McGavin indicated that the next issue is in process but requested a lead story for the issue. It was suggested that stories on the revised Lincoln Park Hospital redevelopment and Fire Station Park would be good lead articles. Anne Moore will be asked to compose an article on the hospital and Paul Maggio and Sally Drucker will submit a summary of plans for the renovation of Fire Station Park.

Safety. No report.

Neighborhood Liaison. No report.

Fire Station Park. Paul Maggio presented a plan for the revitalization of the park, which was done by the landscape architectural firm of Hoerr Schaudt. The plan, which will be presented to Alderman Daley on September 28th, retains all of the existing walkway surfaces and focuses on replanting areas, which have been neglected over the last several years. There will be four themes of the new plantings – prairie, wetlands, savannah and woodlands. Illinois has all four of these types of natural areas. The meeting with the Alderman will determine how much funding is available for the project. The Alderman is looking to LCA to organize an ongoing maintenance program to keep up the replanted park.

Other Matters:

1. Event to Recognize Alderman Daley. There was discussion about organizing an event to thank Alderman Daley for all that she has done for the neighborhood during her tenure in office. With her decision not to seek reelection next spring, a number of other neighborhood association are also thinking about similar events. Gary Sinclair will check with other neighborhood associations to see what the thinking is on this subject. Perhaps an event hosted by several neighborhood associations would be something to consider.
2. A motion to nominate Dave Siegel as a new Director was made by Gary Sinclair. Siegel and his family have resided in the 2000 block of N. Cleveland Avenue for 7 years. Siegel is an independent technology consultant and organized the Oz Park Baseball Association. The OPBA was successful in signing up over 700 children for organized baseball in Bauler and Thebes Parks from May to July. The nomination was seconded by Paul Maggio and approved by all.

Meeting adjourned at 8:10PM

Submitted by: David Varnerin, Secretary

 

---

MEETING MINUTES, July 22,2010 - 7:00PM
Four Farthings Restaurant

Board Members Present: Deirdre Graziano, David Varnerin, Jennifer Uson, Richard Harris, Sally Drucker and Paul Maggio

Next Meeting: Thursday, September 23, 2010 at 7PM at Lincoln Park High School - Room 103.

Call to Order: Deirdre Graziano called the meeting to order at 7:05PM.

Approval of June 24, 2010 Meeting Minutes. David Varnerin made a motion to approve the June Board Meeting Minutes. Seconded by Deirdre Graziano and approval by all directors present.

Treasurer's Report: The total fund balance at June 30th was $27,020 including $5,220 for Bauler Park and $3,019 for Lincoln Central Park.

Committee Reports:

Beautification/Sustainability: As a result of prior discussions regarding Fire Station Park, it has been agreed that a new committee will be created to monitor the parks and open space areas in Lincoln Central. Sally Drucker and Paul Maggio have agreed to become involved with this committee. LCA stands to benefit from increased involvement with the parks, as this will reinforce our role as advocate for the community.

The first priority for this committee is Fire Station Park (behind the Chicago Fire Station located at Armitage and Larrabee). Alderman Daley has indicated that her office has funding for improvements to the existing park. She had arranged for some weeding and maintenance work on the park and feels that the park could use some additional plantings. She has requested LCA to help maintain the park after her improvements are made. She did not indicate a time frame for the additional park improvements.

In the June Board meeting, there was additional discussion on this park and suggestions were made on changing some of the aspects of the park. Several Board members made a preliminary survey of the park and an outside organization (Openlands) was involved as they had expertise, particularly in the area of community gardens. However, before any additional work is done, it was agreed that LCA would meet with the Alderman and the Department of Transportation (which is the city agency responsible for this park) in order to obtain agreement on a goal for this improvement project and a plan of implementation.

The Oz Park Advisory Council is having a public meeting on Monday, August 9th at 7:00PM at the Lincoln Park High School amphitheatre. All interested Board members are urged to attend.

Zoning. There were no new matters to come before the Zoning Committee this month. There was a general discussion of the importance of bringing the community together on important zoning issues. Other neighborhood associations are having similar difficulties in overcoming variances which the associations believe are harmful to the neighborhood but which the owners strongly want. In a number of instances, these new owners have spent considerable sums for legal expenses in order to get the variances they want.

Membership. Membership renewals were sent out in early July. Board members are asked to return their renewals as soon as possible.

A membership piece / brochure is being formulated by Tom McGavin with input by Paul Maggio and Dave Varnerin. This piece would be distributed to community residents and would explain what LCA is about and ask them to join.

Communications. Director McGavin has received several articles for the next newsletter and is still looking for additional material for the upcoming issue. Board members should email materials directly to Tom McGavin at tmcgavin@rubloff.com.

Safety. The crime situation has been quiet lately. We are still awaiting a response from the Alderman regarding a survey forwarded to her about speeding vehicles in front of the Buddhist Temple. Jennifer Uson will contact the Alderman's office to ascertain her response to the suggestion of a stop sign at the corner of Hudson and Menominee.

Meeting adjourned at 8:00PM

Submitted by: David Varnerin, Secretary

 

MEETING MINUTES, June 24,2010 7:00 PM
Four Farthings

Board Members Present: Rodger Owen, Richard Harris, Tom McGavin, Steve VanderVoort, Paul Maggio, Deirdre Graziano, Brian Kasal, and Sally Drucker

Next Meeting: Thursday, July 22, 2010 at 7PM at Harris Realty Group offices (509 W. Dickens), or Four Farthings outdoors, weather permitting.

Call to Order: Rodger Owen called the meeting to order at 7:05PM.

Approval of May 27, 2010 Meeting Minutes. Richard Harris made a motion to approve the April Board Meeting Minutes. Seconded by Steve VanderVoort and approval by all directors present.

Treasurer's Report: The Treasurer's Report for May was available for the meeting. LCA balances have not changed significantly since the April 22, 2010 meeting.

Committee Reports:

Zoning. The zoning committee sent a letter to Vi Daley in support of the rear yard reduction setback and breezeway variance for 1950 N. Howe St. The committee also approved the new steps and reduced height of the brick wall at 2128 N. Halsted. Signage is yet to be submitted for approval. A seond request for inspection of the building at 2049 N. Mohawk has been submitted to the Building Department. The committee is concerned that the structure exceeds the FAR and height restrictions. The board agreed that the zoning committee will invite Ken Fishbein to their meeting to discuss how LCA can benefit from the Sheffield zoning committee's experience. It was agreed that the zoning committee would invite the developer of the Lincoln Park Hospital property to present the current plans to the committee. The board will then review these updated plans and the zoning committee's recommendations.

Membership. Paul Maggio presented an outline of the brochure to be used for outreach to the community. Discussion was had regarding the best ways to distribute the brochures. Paul is willing to have an LCA presence at the LPHS Farmer's Market on Saturdays and will ask other board members to participate if possible. It was suggested that we should offer one year membership free on sign-up and hand out the bags we have from previous events. Tom McGavin felt the Bauler Park site has significant foot traffic and will consider how to distribute the brochures in that location. Richard Harris will request the contact list Dave Siegel, organizer of the Oz Park Baseball Program, offered LCA to use for membership outreach.

Communications. Tom McGavin encouraged the submission of future articles. Richard Harris has submitted an article about the Oz Park Baseball Program. He will contact the organizer, Dave Siegel, for possible pictures to include in the article. Dierdre Graziano submitted an article about the history of the Burling row houses. The next issue of the newsletter will be out sometime later this summer.

Neighborhood Liaison. Gary Sinclair and Roger Owen attended the recent Chilren's Memorial Hospital neighborhood meeting and acknowledged that the hospital is continuing to keep the community well informed of the process.

Safety. Steve Vandervoort informed the board that Vi Daley has approved the use of «stings» by the Chicago Police in the area. This includes ticketing cars that fail to stop at pedestrian crosswalks and bicyclists who fail to observe the rules of the road.

Beautification/Sustainability. Discussion was had regarding the role LCA currently plays in relation to all of the parks in our association. Roger Owen proposed that we have a more prominent and active role. The board agreed to reactivate this committee. Paul Maggio agreed to chair and Sally Drucker joined the committee. Dierdre Graziano will contact Judy on the Oz Park Advisory Board to request that we have a board member from LCA on that board. The committee will explore signage that can be erected at each park (OZ, Bauler, Lincoln Central, Ogden Mall and Fire Station) which would clearly state the LCA oversight and funding to maintain these parks. Firestation Park. Paul Maggio has had preliminary contact with the condo association nearby and concern was raised whether a victory garden would attract rats. Paul has obtained professional feedback and will speak with the association about rat prevention/park maintenance with the hope of gaining their support. Paul has contacted Openlands and Parklands to ascertain interest in supporting LCA and the response was enthusiastic. Paul and Sally will explore the funding, education and other assistance these groups might provide.

Future Meeting Arrangements. Deirdre Graziano sent a letter to Lincoln Park High School requesting if LCA can hold meetings at the high school starting in September, when school resumes. Brian Kasal will also look into the availability of the conference room at 1132 W. Armitage as a possible alternative meeting place.

Meeting adjourned at 8:10PM

Submitted by: Sally Drucker

---

MEETING MINUTES, May 27,2010 - 7:00PM
Lincoln Park High School - Room 103

Board Members Present: Rodger Owen, Jennifer Uson, Richard Harris, Tom McGavin, Steve VanderVoort, Joan Simmons, Paul Maggio, Deirdre Graziano and Brian Kasal

Next Meeting: Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 7PM at Harris Realty Group offices (509 W. Dickens).

Call to Order: Rodger Owen called the meeting to order at 7:06PM.

Approval of April 22, 2010 Meeting Minutes. Richard Harris made a motion to approve the April Board Meeting Minutes. Seconded by Steve VanderVoort and approval by all directors present.

Treasurer's Report: The Treasurer's Report for April was not available for the meeting. Joan Simmons said the LCA balances have not changed significantly since the March 31.

Committee Reports:

Zoning. The developers of the Lincoln Park Hospital site recently submitted an Application to the Chicago Planning Commission for a change in zoning, to B3-2 Community Shopping District Zoning, which will allow for larger stores. This change was not presented to the LCA zoning committee and has not endorsed the change. Deirdre Graziano contacted Anne Moore to learn more about this request.

A motion was introduced by Paul Maggio to send a broadcast email to inform LCA members of the June 7 meeting moderated by Michele Smith to discuss 43rd Ward Development. Seconded by Deirdre Graziano and approved by all present.

Membership. Paul Maggio is working on the brochure similar to the one being used by Ranch Triangle, which outlined what that Association was doing for the community.

Communications. Tom McGavin encouraged the submission of future articles. Richard Harris suggested an article about the Oz Park Baseball Program, which attracted 670 families on its first weekend. Richard Harris will contact the organizer, Dave Siegel, for more information. Steve VanderVoort submitted an article for summer safety.

Neighborhood Liaison. The Lincoln Park Community Wide Forum scheduled a community meeting on May 16th at 1:30PM at the Notebaert Nature Museum on the subject of Living Green in Lincoln Park. Joan Simmons attended and listened to four panelists discuss green solutions for the home.

Safety. Gang activity occurred at North Avenue Beach and the retail stores along Clark St. late at night. Alderman Daley and the police are aware of this issue.

Firestation Park. Alderman Daley has requested LCA's assistance and funding of supplemental maintenance in overseeing this pocket park next the the Firestation on Larrabee. Recently, landscapers accidentally pulled up all the perennials, thus new plantings are required. Deirdre Graziano will contact the nearby condo association to gauge interest in partnering with LCA to oversee the park. A motion was introduced by Paul Maggio to explore overseeing this park and implementing a victory garden program for the neighbors. Seconded by Deirdre Graziano and approved by all present.

Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber has hired a consultant to review and advise the retail vacancies along Clark Street.

Future Meeting Arrangements. Deirdre Graziano will draft a letter to Lincoln Park High School to request if LCA can hold meetings at the high school starting in September, when school resumes.

Meeting adjourned at 7:58PM

Submitted by: Jennifer Uson

---

MEETING MINUTES, April 22,2010 - 7:00PM
Lincoln Park High School - Room 103

Board Members Present: Rodger Owen, David Varnerin, Jennifer Uson, Richard Harris, Tom McGavin, Steve VanderVoort, Gary Sinclair, Joan Simmons, Sally Drucker and Paul Maggio

Next Meeting: Thursday, May 27, 2010 at 7PM at Lincoln Park High School - Room 103.

Call to Order: Rodger Owen called the meeting to order at 7:05PM.

Approval of March 25, 2010 Meeting Minutes. Gary Sinclair made a motion to approve the March Board Meeting Minutes. Seconded by Sally Drucker and approval by all directors present.

Treasurer's Report: The March Treasurer's Report was emailed to the Board subsequent to the meeting. The LCA balance totaled $19,354.28 after March income of $5.68 (interest) and expenses of $1,000 for the annual Directors and Officers Liability Insurance premium and $20.10 (voice mail). The total fund balance at March 31st was $27,642.84 including $3,124.56 for Bauler Park and $5,164.00 for Lincoln Central Park.

Committee Reports:

Zoning. There were no new matters to come before the Zoning Committee this month. With regard to the 1905 N. Howe matter discussed in the February Board meeting, the owners of the subject property were still awaiting formal responses from the owners of the two adjacent properties on the proposed variance items.

Membership. A number of ideas were discussed with an objective of increasing membership. Board members were encouraged to share reprints of the article in the Spring issue of the LCA Watchdog which presented reasons why neighbors should join LCA. Also discussed were several initiatives. One initiative would be a table at the Farmers Market in the LP High School parking lot on Saturdays. Another idea was to work with the organizers of the various summer block parties in our neighborhood. Paul Maggio indicated that he would look into organizing a block party on his street (the 1900 block of N. Burling). LCA would identify block parties in the neighborhood and offer to participate with financial and personal support.

A motion was introduced by Paul Maggio that LCA would support a block party (or parties) subject to the submission of a more detailed proposal with cost estimates. Seconded by Jennifer Uson and approved by all present.

Another membership idea was the creation of a brochure similar to the one being used by Ranch Triangle, which outlined what that Association was doing for the community.

Communications. Director McGavin encouraged the submission of future articles on subjects which come before the Board such as safety tips for residents and the summer block parties in the neighborhood.

Neighborhood Liaison. The Lincoln Park Community Wide Forum has scheduled a community meeting on May 16th at 1:30PM at the Notebaert Nature Museum on the subject of Living Green in Lincoln Park. A broadcast email will be sent out to members on this meeting.

Safety. The crime situation has been quiet lately. An article will be prepared for the next newsletter featuring steps that residents should take to insure their safety especially at night.

With regard to the survey dealing with the speed of vehicles passing through the intersection of Hudson and Menominee (in front the Buddhist Temple), a number of thoughtful responses have been received. Jennifer Uson has compiled these responses into a summary exhibit which will be forwarded to Alderman Daley along with a cover letter from LCA advocating ways to slow down the speed of vehicles through this intersection.

Oz Park Baseball Association. A meeting was held at the Alderman's office on April 5th, which included representatives from LCA, the Oz Park Advisory Council, Friends of the Parks, the Chicago Park District and the Oz Park Baseball Association. As a result of the meeting, agreement was reached whereby the Baseball Association will take actions to insure that the playing fields are cleaned up after each game, that traffic by participants to and from the games be done in a way to minimize disruption to the normal traffic flows in the area and that the Association will contribute $15,000 to Oz Park in 2010 to improve the playing field and to fund improvements to be proposed by the Oz Park Advisory Council. At the end of the season, an evaluation session will be scheduled to review the 2010 program.

A letter from Alderman Daley to David Siegel of the Oz Park Baseball Association confirmed these points.

South Pond Restoration Project. Mary Beth Johnson, the VP of Communication of the Lincoln Park Zoo gave a presentation on the restoration project of the South Pond. The project, which is scheduled to be completed on June 24th, will cost $12 million (of which $10 million has been raised). In addition to the complete reconstruction of the pond and shoreline itself, there will be educational facilities and programs to inform the public about the environment. The spring issue of the LCA newsletter has an article on the project. Additional information will be provided to LCA for future newsletter articles. More information about this project can be found on the Zoo's web site: lpzoo.org.

Meeting adjourned at 8:10PM

Submitted by: David Varnerin, Secretary

 

---

 

MEETING MINUTES, March 25, 2010 - 7:00PM
Lincoln Park High School - Room 103

Board Members Present: Rodger Owen, Deirdre Graziano, David Varnerin, Jennifer Uson, Richard Harris, Tom McGavin, Steve VanderVoort, Brian Kasal and Paul Maggio

Next Meeting: Thursday, April 22, 2010 at 7PM at Lincoln Park High School - Room 103.

Call to Order: Rodger Owen called the meeting to order at 7:01PM.

Approval of February 25, 2010 Meeting Minutes. Tom McGavin made a motion to approve the February Board Meeting Minutes. Seconded by Richard Harris and approval by all directors present.

Treasurer's Report: The February Treasurer's Report was emailed to the Board prior to the meeting. The LCA balance totaled $20,367.56 after February Income of $3.41 (interest) and expenses of $20.10 (voice mail). The total fund balance at February 28th was $28,656.12 including $3,124.56 for Bauler Park and $5,164.00 for Lincoln Central Park.

Committee Reports:

Zoning. There were two items on this month's agenda:

1. 1905 N. Howe Street. The attorney (Jessica Schramm of the law firm Thompson Coburn LLP) and the owner came to the meeting to review their presentation. They are seeking three variances (1) reduction in the rear year to 21' 4 1/4", (2) a reduction in the South side yard setback to 4" and (3) reduction in the North side yard setback to 6". These variations will allow the new building to be consistent with the neighboring buildings and allow the construction of a 1-story breezeway to the garage. The breezeway will not have an adverse effect on the building to the north because that building has a 15' high wall with no windows facing the 1905 N. Howe property. The breezeway height was minimized and is below grade. The raised back yard will have permeable earth underneath and no underground storage area. Both adjacent properties are for sale and the 1903 N. Howe property is believed to be under contract. Attempts to contact the property owners have been made and plans were sent out for their review. The 1909 N. Howe property owner had several concerns regarding the closeness of the new building. The 1905 owner has addressed these concerns. The Board requested a written statement from the 1909 owner as to his consent for the variations. No response has been received from the owner(s) of 1903 N. Howe. An additional attempt will be made to obtain a response from the property owners. The motion was made to approve the following variances on the 1905 N. Howe Street:

1. Reduction of the rear yard to 21'-4-1/4".
2. Reduction of the South side yard setback to 4".
3. Reduction of the North side yard setback to 6".

The owners will need to provide a letter of agreement from the 1909 N. Howe owner and must show a concerted effort to reach the owner(s) of 1903 N Howe Street by April 9, 2010 (two weeks from the Board meeting).

The motion on 1905 N. Howe was made by Richard Harris, seconded by Brian Kasal and approved by all Board members present.

2. 711 West Willow. Papageorge Haymes is requesting two variances on this vacant property: (1) Elimination of commercial space requirement on the ground level in lieu of providing additional parking (two spaces for each Unit) and (2) Reduction of the rear yard setback to 23" instead of 30". This lot is smaller than the standard city lot (85" instead of 125"). The prior proposed townhouse development on this property did not have any commercial space. The developers were unsuccessful in obtaining financing for the prior proposed townhouse project. There was discussion that there has tradionally been a reluctance to change zoning from commercial to residential. However, in light of the current economic situation, the Board agreed that the requests were reasonable. There was mention that in the future, there is precedent for returning the zoning to allow for the commercial activity now permitted. A motion to approve the two variances shown above was made by David Varnerin and seconded by Steve VanderVoort. Agreed by all Board members present.

Communications. Director McGavin indicated that another edition of the newsletter will be ready shortly and will include ideas from the Board on why residents should belong to a neighborhood association.

Neighborhood Liaison. The Lincoln Park Community Wide Forum hosted a presentation and panel discussion focusing on how businesses were incorporating environmentally friendly policies and procedures into the operation of their businesses. Four representatives from the local business community cited how incorporating a green way of doing business is helping to grow their business and is benefiting the community at large.

There will be more Forum presentations over the remainder of 2010 on how green affects individuals and institutions within Lincoln Park. Future meetings will be announced via email to members.

Safety. In response to concerns by neighbors about the speed of vehicles crossing in front of the Buddhist Temple (corner of Hudson and Menominee), a flyer was circulated to all nearby residents, schools and businesses, asking for their feedback. A number of very thoughtful responses have been received and more are expected. The responses are being compiled into an exhibit, which will be presented to Alderman Daley along with recommendations by LCA as to what should be done to improve public safety at this intersection.

Oz Park Baseball Association. Judy Johanson of the Oz Park Advisory Council made a presentation to the Board, outlining what has happened to the three baseball fields in Oz Park as a result of activity by the newly formed Oz Park Baseball Association (OPBA). The OPBA was created in mid 2009 with the purpose of organizing a baseball program for children aged 7 to 14 in Oz Park and other Chicago parks during the summer. There are numerous baseball programs in Chicago Park District parks throughout the city. The organizers of OPBA, without any attempt to contact either the Oz Park Advisory Council or LCA, applied to the Park District for use of all three baseball fields on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from May 22nd to August 1st. The Park District approved the application. This will effectively exclude any use of these fields by nearby residents during prime time periods. Also of concern was the fact that 780 children have been signed up for the program with about 50% of the participants from outside the 60614 zip code. This could cause parking and traffic problems particularly on Saturdays when the Farmers Market is being held in the Lincoln Park High School parking lot. There was also concern with the amount of litter that could be left in the park as a result of this activity.

There has been some discussion between the OPBA, the alderman and the Oz Park Advisory Council. However some issues remain unresolved. There is a meeting scheduled for Monday, April 5th at 3:00PM at Alderman Daley's office to address these issues. OPBA, Oz Park Advisory Council and LCA will be represented in this meeting.

Other Business. Children's Memorial Hospital has requested a letter of support in their attempt to secure more funding for improvements to their outpatient facility located on the 2500 block of North Clark Street. A letter was presented to the Board, which would provide CMH with the support that they are seeking. A motion to approve this action was made by Steve VanderVoort, seconded by Rodger Owen and approved by all Board members present.

Meeting adjourned at 8:20PM

Submitted by: David Varnerin, Secretary

---

 

MEETING MINUTES, February 25, 2010 - 7:00PM
Lincoln Park High School - Room 103

Board Members Present: Rodger Owen, Deirdre Graziano, David Varnerin, Jennifer Uson, Joan Simmons, Richard Harris, Gary Sinclair, Sally Drucker, Tom McGavin and Paul Maggio

Next Meeting: Thursday, March 25, 2010 at 7PM at Lincoln Park High School - Room 103.

Call to Order: Rodger Owen called the meeting to order at 7:10PM.

Approval of January 27, 2010 Meeting Minutes. Gary Sinclair made a motion to approve the January Board Meeting Minutes. Seconded by Deirdre Graziano and approval by all present.

Treasurer's Report: The January Treasurer's Report was emailed to the Board prior to the meeting. The LCA balance totaled $20,384.38 after January Income of $4.83 (interest) and expenses of $297.43 (January meeting food and refreshments) and $20.10 (voice mail). The total fund balance at January 31st was $28,672.94 including $3,124.56 for Bauler Park and $5,164.00 for Lincoln Central Park.

Committee Reports:

Zoning. There was no Zoning Committee meeting in February. One item will be coming before the committee in March. A single lot parcel at 1905 N. Howe will be requesting a side yard variance and a breezeway. The site now has a building housing several dwelling units. The building will be demolished and replaced by a single family home.

Also, since our Board Meeting, LCA requested the Building Dept. to inspect 2049 N. Mohawk. We have received numerous complaints about the building from nearby residents. Many neighbors fear it is exceeding the allowable FAR within Zoning. The tracking number for our request is 1000254773. The committee will follow up on this.

Membership. The results of a special membership offer to Walpole Point residents resulted in 4 new memberships The Association had emailed our membership offer to Walpole homeowners just prior to our January Board meeting. Membership totals 250.

Communications. Director McGavin indicated that the newsletter structure had been fine tuned with the last newsletter issue. The framework for future issues is in place. A call to the membership for articles will be sent out shortly. Board members were encouraged to submit articles and photos for the next newsletter. Several ideas for future articles were discussed by a number of Board members.

Directors were asked to submit one reason for membership in LCA to Tom McGavin. These ideas would be the basis for new membership materials.

Neighborhood Liaison.

1. At the Children's Memorial Community Forum held in February, there was discussion of the acute financial situation of Children's and other hospitals due to the state's financial crisis. State reimbursement payments to hospitals are running months late. The hospital is looking for support from neighborhood organizations in urging state lawmakers to address the problem and to help Children's get reimbursement for pediatric specialists who render services in satellite facilities like the one located at 2555 N. Clark St. At present, these services are reimbursed only if performed at the hospital's main location. It was agreed that a letter of support would be drafted and brought before the Board for approval.

2. The present main hospital buildings will be listed for sale in 2010. The new building on Chicago Avenue was topped out in January. Occupancy is set for 2012. The hospital is undertaking an allergy study and families are being sought out to participate in the study.

3. At the Children's Hospital Community Wide Initiative, three "green" events are planned for 2010. An event in March or April will target businesses, a second event in May will aim at residents and a fall event will target children. Director Sinclair indicated he would write an article on the green initiative.

4. Bauler Park cleanup is set for April 17th. Announcements will be sent out via email and flyers to publicize the event and attract volunteers will be distributed.

Safety. With regard to crime, the last two months have been very quiet. There have been no community alerts for the Alderman's office or the CAPS meetings.

A safety issue was discussed regarding a dangerous pedestrian street crossing in front of the Buddhist Temple (corner of Hudson and Menominee). This is a two-cornered intersection. Many cars heading east on Menominee and turn north onto Hudson at higher than appropriate speeds, thereby endangering pedestrians crossing Hudson. At particular risk are children crossing there from the Lincoln Park Nursery School at Fern and Menominee. A committee consisting of Deirdre Graziano, Jennifer Uson and David Varnerin will poll the neighbors and the school to see what the community feels should be done. A stop sign, placed at the intersection by an unidentified neighbor, was removed by the city.

Other Business. Several LCA directors attended an organizational meeting initiated by a group of downtown resident associations. The purpose of this and future meetings would be to serve as a way to exchange ideas among associations. Despite the differences between the downtown communities and the Lincoln Park area, it was felt that future exchanges of ideas would prove useful. Three issues were identified for initial emphasis by the group - membership - development, communications and community events. Meeting would be held quarterly.

Meeting adjourned at 8:10PM

Submitted by: David Varnerin, Secretary

---

 

MEETING MINUTES, Jan. 27, 2010
Bacino’s Restaurant, 2204 N. Lincoln Ave,

Board Members Present: Rodger Owen, Deirdre Graziano, David Varnerin, Jennifer Uson, Joan Simmons, Richard Harris, Gary Sinclair, Steve VanderVoort

Next Meeting: Thursday, February 25, 2010 at 7PM at Lincoln Park High School - Room 103.

Call to Order: Deirdre Graziano called the meeting to order at 7:30PM.

Treasurer’s Report: An abbreviated Treasurer’s Report was presented. For 2009, LCA’s financial position was essentially unchanged. A 6-year financial summary is shown below which incorporates the 2009 financials already distributed to the Board.

Lincoln Central Association
Financial Summary 2004 - 2009

 

Income	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Memberships	$3,805	$4,640	$4,900	$5,310	$4,408	$4,632
Fund Raising Initiatives		2,042	1,431	-1,450	--	--
Interest Income	232	394	439	489	301	66
Total Income	$4,037	$7,076	$6,770	$4,349	$4,709	$4,698
Expenses
Liability Insurance	$1,000	$1,000	$1,000	$1,000	$1,000	$1,000
Newsletter Printing / Layout	1,957	$4,567	2,822	2,825	1,450	1,840
Newsletter Postage	112	284	232	257	78	--
Refreshments	1,053	287	285	--	350	222
Postage		--	--	--	--	--
Supplies		52	--	--	--	--
Telephone (Voice Mail)	240	242	242	242	338	242
Web Site Maintenance	4,200	1,692	1,692	95	100	848
P.O. Box Rental	70	70	74	84	86	184
Filing Fees	15	15	15	15		25
Misc.	240	5	5	5	40	88
Grants to the Community	1,500	1,000	250	600	--	250
Maintenance – North Larrabee	1,290	760	--	--	--	--
Membership Shopping Bags	--	--	--	--	1,221	--
Total Expenses	$11,677	$9,974	$6,617	$5,118	$4,663	$4,699
Net Change	($7,640)	($2,898)	$153	($774)	$46	($1)

Membership: Year-end membership was 246, down slightly from the prior year (254). A new membership initiative is underway which is offering the residents of the Walpole Point complex a complimentary one-year membership.

Election of New Directors and Officers: The main order of business was the election of new Officers and Directors. Deirdre Graziano read the slate of new Officers and Directors. (Candidate statements had been posted on the web site since mid December).

After a call for additional nominations, a resolution was made by Gary Sinclair that the slate of Officers and Directors be accepted and made official. Seconded by Brian Kasal and subsequently by all present. (9 new and former directors and 16 LCA members). The new Officers and Directors are listed below:  

Name	Position	Term
Rodger Owen	President	2010
David Varnerin	Secretary	2010-2011
Richard Harris	Director	2010
Brian Kasal	Director	2010-2011
Paul Maggio	Director	2010-2011

 

Lincoln Park Hospital Redevelopment: Alderman Vi Daley summarized where things stood at the present time. The community meeting held earlier in the month and attended by several LCA members elicited many comments from the community. Daley’s office is awaiting a further proposal from the developer, which hopefully will take into consideration community input. The developers have met with individual groups (including Lincoln Central’s Zoning Committee) over the past several months. Alderman Daley encouraged all groups to coordinate their interactions with the developer and work together with her office in this matter in order to achieve a reasonable consensus on the project. It was emphasized that leaving the hospital buildings empty is not a realistic option and would be detrimental to the community.

Committee Reports: Deferred until the February Board meeting

Meeting adjourned at 8:30PM Submitted by: David Varnerin, Secretary

---