Lincoln Central Association
Meeting Minutes 2011
(scroll down for prior meeting minutes)

LINCOLN CENTRAL ASSOCIATION

MEETING MINUTES, November 8, 2011– 6:00PM

Private Function Room of The Store at Halsted and Armitage

Board Members Present: Rodger Owen, Deirdre Graziano, David Varnerin, James Borkman, David Armstrong, Gary Sinclair, Joan Simmons, Sally Drucker and Richard Harris. Also present were Zoning Committee members Tom Ward, Anne Moore, Craig Saenger and Doug Jensen.

Next Meeting: January 25th at 6:30PM at Four Farthings Pub. This is the annual election meeting. No December meeting.

Call to Order: Rodger Owen called the meeting to order at 6:25PM.

Approval of October 2011 Board Meeting Minutes. Motion to approve made by Gary Sinclair, seconded by Joan Simmons and approved by all present.

The November Board and Zoning Committee was combined to accommodate the request by McCaffery Interests for time to present their plans for the redevelopment of the Children’s Memorial Hospital site. McCaffery is in the process of making presentations to all Lincoln Park community associations in order to elicit comments and feedback about their plans.

Children’s Memorial Hospital Redevelopment Presentation.

Three individuals representing McCaffery Interests were present at this meeting. Joseph Antunovich, Architect, Iris McCaffery, Principal and Pamela Austin, Project Manager.

The presentation began with a summary of the community’s priorities for this site as identified by the HOK Study. These were:

1. Respect the existing neighborhood
2. Create a distinct mixed use place
3. Promote a multi modal transportation network
4. Support sustainable regeneration.

The slide presentation then pictured the site and highlighted the specifics of the proposed redevelopment. Many of the existing buildings on the site will be retained and / or modified. Buildings retained: Nellie Black (NW corner of Fullerton and Orchard), Wilson Jones building (2300 block of Orchard), the parking structure on Lincoln, the boiler house building (on Lincoln) and the terra cotta annex buildings (on both side of Lincoln immediately south of Fullerton). These structures face the surrounding community and will serve as a transition to the new structures that will be built in the central portion of the triangle block.

Plans for the central portion of the triangle block include two new rental residential buildings and open space at ground level between the buildings, which will serve as access to all buildings in that block. The height of the two new residential buildings will average the height of the top of the current heliport on top of the hospital. There will be approximately 700 rental units in the complex, with the majority in the triangle block. The existing Wilson Jones building on Orchard will be converted to a hotel. A market study will determine the demand for a hotel on this site. At least 10% of the units will be affordable housing. The mix of apartment sizes will be studio, one, two and three bedroom units. The two new residential buildings will be tapered, with set backs on the top five or six floors, thereby reducing the bulk of the structures. All new residential construction will be set back from the lower portions of the building, which will house retail merchants.

A key element in the redevelopment is the inclusion of retail along Lincoln Avenue thereby serving as a catalyst for street level activity in the 2300 block of Lincoln. Retail would be on the first and second level of the new and existing buildings (basement level may also be used). The developers are seeking an anchor tenant, which would attract other smaller retailers. The sidewalks would be widened where possible to accommodate more pedestrian traffic. McCaffery believes that this project can help boost retail activity in the entire area.

The existing parking structure will be retained and serve the parking needs of the entire project. An attempt will be made to place retail in front of the lower floors of the parking ramp to serve as a visual buffer, thereby improving the aesthetics of that portion of the project. The buildings just north of the parking ramp will be redeveloped as additional rental housing. The existing façade of the terra cotta building (White Elephant Shop) will be retained. Additional floors will be added to this structure but set back from the current building footprint.

All of the structures on the triangle block will have one service entrance located on Fullerton across from Burling. A service door will close off this entrance and will lead down to the lower level loading area, which can accommodate delivery trucks. Trucks will drive into the service ramp with the door closing behind them. Once the delivery has been completed, the truck will then drive back out onto Fullerton.

The project will be completed in two phases, with the first phase dealing with the northern portion of the triangle block and the second, dealing with the southern portion (including the smaller residential building). The developer hopes to complete the project sequentially with no long time period between the two phases. One additional item under consideration is including the existing MB Financial Bank Building (northeast corner of Halsted and Fullerton) into this project. The existing MB bank branch only occupies a small portion of the building. This site would represent an attractive redevelopment opportunity and would complement the CMH redevelopment.

Board Discussion of Redevelopment Plan

Once the presentation was completed, there was discussion by Board and Zoning Committee members. The reaction was uniformly positive. The developer was able to incorporate the majority of the community preferences into the plan. There was discussion of the strains a large development like this might make on the area’s public schools, particularly Lincoln School. Lincoln School has been near capacity for some time. It has reached full capacity during the past year. It was felt that the issue of the Lincoln School’s capacity was a community wide issue and would be best addressed by the Alderman, the community and Chicago Public Schools.

It was decided that a letter / communication indicating LCA’s support of the project would be sent to the Alderman. The letter would convey LCA’s desire to participate in resolving any issues, which might arise in the approval process.

Other Business.

1. Nominating Committee. Anne Moore, Sally Drucker and Dave Varnerin will serve on the Nominating Committee. Six Board member terms expire at the end of 2011 and there is one vacant Board position. Meetings will be scheduled by the Committee to create a slate for consideration in the January election meeting.

2. The large blue sculpture located on the new home under construction at the corner of Armitage and Burling was discussed. The sculpture is higher that what is allowed by standard zoning. Numerous inquiries by various members of the community have been made to Alderman Smith’s office to obtain copies of the approval for this sculpture. It is believed that former Alderman Daley signed off on the sculpture. The original presentation to the Zoning Committee for this home showed a sculpture to be located at the corner of the property. However, the size of the sculpture was not presented for consideration by the Zoning Committee. The Committee will have to follow up to insure that all required approvals were obtained for the sculpture and then determine whether any further action is required.

Next Meeting. . The next meeting will be the annual election meeting on January 25th at 6:30PM at Four Farthings Pub. Announcements will be sent to all members about this meeting

Meeting adjourned at 8:00PM

Submitted by: David Varnerin, Secretary

MEETING MINUTES, October 27, 2011– 6:30PM
Offices of Thomas Ward Insurance Group - 707 W. Willow Street

Board Members Present: Deirdre Graziano, David Varnerin, Paul Maggio, Gary Sinclair, Joan Simmons, Sally Drucker and Richard Harris

Next Meeting: November 8, 2011 at 6:30PM at Glascott's at Halsted and Webster. (Combined Board and Zoning Committee meeting).

Call to Order: Deirdre Graziano called the meeting to order at 6:35PM.

Approval of July and September 2011 Board Meeting Minutes. Motion to approve made by Gary Sinclair, seconded by Joan Simmons and approved by all present.

Treasurer's Report: The total fund balance at 9-30-2011 was $32,149 including $8,003 for Bauler Park, $1,823 for Lincoln Central Park and $376 for Fire Station Park. The Association's balance was $21,946.

Committee Reports:

Parks and Beautification. The logistics for the clean up for Fire Station Park and the Halloween Event at Bauler Park were discussed. For Fire Station Park, the proposals for ongoing maintenance for 2012 and beyond were briefly discussed. Earlier this year, it was felt that some professional maintenance was needed to supplement the volunteer effort. A decision will be made as to which landscaping firm will be selected in early 2012.

As far as the Bauler Park Halloween event is concerned, more volunteers are needed and an email will be send to Board members seeking assistance. The event will be held on Saturday, October 29th and volunteers were asked to report at 2:30PM. Also, a list of tasks will be created for this event, which will serve as a template for future events.

Zoning. There was a discussion of the three matters, which came before the committee in October. All of the matters were what are considered administrative matters, which had not previously been referred to LCA for consideration. Administrative adjustments are intended to provide a streamlined approval procedure for minor modifications of selected zoning standards. Made by the City's zoning administrator, administrative adjustments enable developments that are more in keeping with the established character of local neighborhoods, provide flexibility that will help promote rehabilitation and reuse of existing buildings, and provide limited flexibility for new construction to address unusual development conditions.

Zoning issues eligible for the administrative adjustment process include: 

• Lot area
• Floor area ratio
• Porch and stairwell enclosures
• Below-grade terraces
• Setbacks
• Rear yard open spaces
• Building heights • Spacing between townhouses
• Nonconforming licensed taverns
• Frontages on private streets
• Certain parking requirements
• Wireless communications facilities
• Driveway/vehicle access standards
• Ground-floor commercial space requirements

The decision by Alderman Smith's office to refer these kinds of matters to LCA was viewed as a positive development.

The three matters for October were as follows:

2215 N. Halsted: Special Use Request
The Zoning Committee voted unanimously to support the business' (Flirty Girls) special permit application for valet parking, with cars parked at multiple sites - 2209, 2154 and 2156 N. Halsted. The business owner will be leasing the additional parking from the landlord Timothy Glascott to comply with the zoning code. As a courtesy to neighbors, LCA asks that business owners minimize "pile up" of cars waiting to be valeted or picked up from valet so that traffic can move unimpeded, on Halsted Street and Webster Avenue. 

1833-35 N. Mohawk - Administrative Adjustment Request
The Committee unanimously supported the applicant's request for a rear yard adjustment (on 1835 lot) in order to add a one story attached addition and bay window to his existing (1833 N. Mohawk) single family 4 story residence. The one story addition measures 11' x 20' and the bay window measures 4' x 13.44'. The owner wishes to enjoy and gain access to his open green side yard (1835 N. Mohawk). We applaud the green space this owner and his neighbor created on the 1835 lot. 

1942 N. Cleveland - Administrative Adjustment Request
The Committee unanimously opposed the application as presented for: the elimination of the rear yard open space requirement, rear yard setback reduction to the rear of the garage, a side yard setback reduction in order to build a rear addition with an attached garage to the existing (1880's) structure. In spite of hardship (frame home that limits height) we feel strongly that rear yards remain open and at grade. As presented, the lot would be overbuilt.

Revised and restated LCA Zoning Guidelines will be placed on the web site. A copy of these guidelines will be given to the Alderman's office so that they may present them to all applicants seeking variances or other changes.

Membership. No report.

Communications. No report.

Neighborhood Liaison. No report

Safety. No report.

Other Business.

1. Richard Harris was congratulated on the success of Dickens Fest 2011, which resulted in net donations to LCA of approximately $2,500. Plans for next year's event were discussed briefly and some concerns voiced by some neighbors over this year's event will be taken into consideration.

2. Scheduling a time for the McCaffery presentation on Children's Memorial Hospital site redevelopment was discussed. The firm's representative at one time had indicated that he would come to our November meeting but has now asked for a rescheduling to Tuesday, October 8th. Since the date coincides with the monthly Zoning Committee meeting, it was decided to schedule the presentation at the start of the Zoning Committee meeting. The entire Board will be asked to attend the meeting, which is held at Glascott's on Halsted. The time: 6:30PM.

Next Meeting. The next regular meeting will be November 8 at 6:30PM at Glascott's on Halsted.

Meeting adjourned at 7:30PM

Submitted by: David Varnerin, Secretary

LINCOLN CENTRAL ASSOCIATION

MEETING MINUTES, September 22, 2011– 6:30PM
Offices of Thomas Ward Insurance Group - 707 W. Willow Street

Board Members Present: Rodger Owen, Deirdre Graziano, David Varnerin, Paul Maggio, Gary Sinclair and Richard Harris

Next Meeting: October 27, 2011 at 6:30PM at the Offices of Thomas Ward Insurance Group, 707 W. Willow Street.

Call to Order: Rodger Owen called the meeting to order at 6:35PM.

Approval of July 2011 Board Meeting Minutes. Because there was not a quorum, the July Board meeting minutes will need to be approved next month

Treasurer's Report: No Report

Committee Reports:

Zoning. Anne Moore gave a presentation about the zoning process and how her committee looks at various matters, which come before the committee. The committee frequently has to deal with some strong and highly opinionated individuals who are seeking variances from the current zoning code. The committee tries to be responsive but focuses particularly on size variances sought for side and rear yards. When all documentation is complete for each applicant matter, the Zoning Committee will submit the request together with their recommendation to the full Board for a vote. LCA will then submit its position to the Alderman.

There was a discussion that all recommended positions would need to be fully articulated in writing for the Alderman. Where appropriate, the rationale for each position will need to be clearly stated in the letter to the Alderman.

Membership. No report.

Communications. The summer newsletter was distributed during the week of September 5th. Comments about the issue were generally positive.

Neighborhood Liaison. No report

Safety. No report.

Update – Fire Station Park

Fire Station Park was officially dedicated on September 17th. Present at the dedication were Alderman Michele Smith and former Alderman Vi Daley, who was instrumental is making the park renovation possible. Also present was Peter Gray the designer and fabricator of the sculpture, which is presently located at the park (A River Runs Through).

The Board complimented Paul Maggio and Sally Drucker on their hard work in forming the task force of volunteers, who worked on the park and contributed materials and services to the effort.

Oz Park Developments

Please refer to the July meeting minutes for a summary of developments pertaining to the Oz Park basketball hoops prior to August 1st.

During August, there were two meetings in the Alderman's office to discuss ways to improve safety in Oz Park and in particular in the basketball area. Represented at these meetings were Alderman Smith, Lincoln Park High School (LPHS), Oz Park Advisory Council, Chicago Park District, Chicago Police Department and Lincoln Central Association. The issue of safety was discussed at length. The High School representatives maintained the position that the rims should be removed when school is in session in order to provide a safe environment for their students. Members of the community groups felt that a permanent removal of the rims penalized all upstanding citizens of the community who wished to use the basketball court. A number of ideas were put forth to improve safety in the basketball area. One idea was the institution of a neighborhood watch program specifically targeting the basketball area. Among the ways the watch program would be implemented would be the distribution of a special flyer to park users and surrounding residents, businesses and organizations. Contact would be made with St. Vincent De Paul Center to obtain their support for this program, which is important given their proximity to the basketball court. Another idea for improving safety was the placing of temporary locks on the rims in the afternoon on school days. Several incidents had occurred during this time period over the past several months and the school administrators felt that it was critical to insure student safety during this time period. The subject of who would place and then remove the rim locks was discussed. LPHS indicated that their budget was tight and that they might be able to provide an individual for this purpose but that they would need financial support for this. The Alderman indicated that her office was prepared to provide support for this and asked whether community groups were prepared to contribute financial support for this.

The Chicago Police had stated in these meetings that their primary focus after school was along Armitage Avenue where the majority of students headed on their way home. The Police indicated that they did not have sufficient manpower to cover the north area of Oz Park, which includes the basketball area. The Oz Park Advisory Council and other members of the community had been trying to get increased police presence in the north area of Oz Park due primarily to observed drug activity by students.

Also, in early August, the Oz Park Advisory Council met with Chicago Park District officials at their monthly Board meeting. The Council conveyed to the Park District that the community feels strongly that the Oz Park basketball hoops should remain in place. Petitions signed by 459 area residents were presented to the Park District

After these meetings, the neighborhood watch program was initiated, with the distribution of the flyer throughout the community. St. Vincent De Paul Center was contacted to insure their participation. And, most significantly, once school began on September 6th, police officers began covering the north side of Oz Park after school was dismissed. The police presence plus increased community awareness has increased security and reduced the tendency of students to congregate in the basketball area. Continued attention will need to be focused to insure a safe environment for all.

Alderman Smith had asked neighborhood groups whether they would contribute financially toward paying for the individual who would be charged with placing the rim locks on the basketball hoops. There was discussion by those present about this and a consensus emerged that providing financial support was outside the mandate of the association and that the association's financial resources were limited in any event. There was support for the position of the Oz Park Advisory Council on this issue. The Oz Park Council had declined to provide financial support for a Lincoln Park High School employee to install and remove rim locks on the basketball hoops.

Other Business. Early in the meeting, there was discussion about the DickensFest 2011 on September 24th. Board members were encouraged to attend and lend support in particular to staffing the entrance table where donations to Lincoln Central Association would be sought.

Next Meeting. The next regular meeting will be October 27th at 6:30PM at 707 W. Willow Street.

Meeting adjourned at 7:45PM

Submitted by: David Varnerin, Secretary

MEETING MINUTES, July 28, 2011– 6:30PM
Offices of Thomas Ward Insurance Group - 707 W. Willow Street

Board Members Present: Rodger Owen, Deirdre Graziano, David Varnerin, Sally Drucker, Paul Maggio, Brian Kasal, Joan Simmons and James Borkman

Next Meeting: September 22, 2011 at 6:30PM at the Offices of Thomas Ward Insurance Group, 707 W. Willow Street. No August Meeting

Call to Order: Rodger Owen called the meeting to order at 6:35PM.

Approval of June 2011 Board Meeting Minutes. Motion to approve by Sally Drucker seconded by Paul Maggio. Approved by all board members present.

Treasurer's Report: The total fund balance at 6-30-2011 was $30,890.83 including $8,342.78 for Bauler Park, $1,823.40 for Lincoln Central Park and $813.92 for Fire Station Park. The Association's balance was $19,910.73.

Committee Reports:

Zoning. No Report. The Zoning Committee would like to make a presentation to the Board recapping LCA's zoning process. This presentation will be made in the September Board meeting.

Membership. Membership renewal notices were sent out in July. Board members were encouraged to send in their renewals.

Communications. Two articles have been received thus far towards the next issue. Several Board members indicated they would forward articles, which would be included in the next issue, anticipated for September.

Neighborhood Liaison. No report

Safety. Dave Armstrong submitted the following prior to the meeting.

The district 18 CAPS team had its July meeting on Thursday, July 14th.  The topic of the night was a discussion of safety from burglary in the community.

This was one of the more interesting meetings that I have attended.  The CAPS team brought six convicted burglars to the meeting.  The objective of the event was to have them talk about what crimes they had committed, and how they had committed their crimes so that we might be able to better understand and identify the risks that exist, and the preventions that we can take.

The meeting was very well organized, and very informative.  There were a lot of informative ideas that came out of the meeting. 

The CAPS teams are planning a future meeting on the topic of Social Media.  Importantly, their intent is to have both parents and their children attend the meeting together to learn more about the uses, and potential risks, of social media.

Update – Fires Station Park

Sally Drucker and Paul Maggio reviewed recent activities for Fire Station Park. There will be a dedication of the Park on Saturday, September 17th at 11:00AM. Alderman Michele Smith and former Alderman Vi Daley will be present. An article will be included in the next newsletter about this and announcements will be sent out via the broadcast email system. Individuals were encouraged to continue volunteering their efforts.

The park committee is looking into what arrangements for supplemental maintenance are feasible. Estimates will be obtained from a number of landscape companies that have done landscape work in the Lincoln Park area. A decision will be made later this year as to how much professional landscaping will be needed for 2012.

Oz Park Developments

As a result of a several fights this past spring involving Lincoln Park High School students, which occurred in the general vicinity of the Oz Park basketball court area, the school principal, believing that student safety was at risk, asked Alderman Smith to have the rims removed. This was done in late May. The Alderman had indicated that safety around the High School was a top priority for her. No community input was sought before the hoops were removed. Members of the community, including the Oz Park Advisory Council requested a meeting with the Alderman to review this decision.

There was a meeting in Oz Park on July 19th with representatives of the Oz Park Advisory Council, Lincoln Central Association, Lincoln Park High School, the Chicago Park District and the Chicago Police Department. Prior to the meeting, LCA members who lived in the immediate area of the basketball court were contacted via email or telephone to determine the extent of the problem around that area. Several responses were received which did not indicate that there were any safety concerns about the basketball court area of Oz Park. Those responses were given to Alderman Smith.

At the July 19th meting, the facts of the situation were reviewed. The Police indicated that they had received no calls about any of the fights, which had occurred last spring. They presented crime statistics, which did not show any crime problems in the general area of Oz Park. The Alderman indicated that she was concerned about safety and asked for community help in improving safety in Oz Park and in the basketball court area. Representatives of the community objected to the removal of the rims as this penalized the entire neighborhood because of the actions of a few. The High School indicated that several students had been disciplined, although they were not able to be specific due to confidentiality concerns.

The Alderman asked that a task force be established to look into safety issues and to recommend actions, which would improve safety for Oz Park and the surrounding community and the high school. Representatives from all the groups present at the July 19th meeting were asked to being a series of meetings (with the first being held on July 22nd) to begin a formal safety program.

Subsequent to the July 19th meeting, the Park District replaced the hoops due to the support of the community for this. The rims were remounted on July 22nd. The Oz Park Advisory Council indicated that they were gathering signatures to demonstrate the community's support for keeping the basketball area open and available. A request for a letter supporting this from Lincoln Central to the Advisory Council was made.

Motion: A motion was made by James Borkman to send a letter to the Oz Park Advisory Council supporting the efforts of the Oz Park Advisory Council and members of the community to maintain the basketball area in Oz Park. Seconded by Deirdre Graziano and approved by all Directors present. The letter was delivered to the Oz Park Advisory Council on August 2nd.

Next Meeting. Since a number of Directors will not be available for the usual August meeting, it was decided to cancel that meeting. The next regular meeting will be September 22nd at 6:30PM at 707 W. Willow Street.

Meeting adjourned at 7:40PM

Submitted by: David Varnerin, Secretary

LINCOLN CENTRAL ASSOCIATION

MEETING MINUTES, June 23, 2011– 6:30PM
Offices of Thomas Ward Insurance Group - 707 W. Willow Street

Board Members Present: Rodger Owen, David Varnerin, Sally Drucker, Gary Sinclair, Paul Maggio, Brian Kasal, Richard Harris and Joan Simmons.

Next Meeting: July 28, 2011 at 6:30PM at the Offices of Thomas Ward Insurance Group, 707 W. Willow Street.

Call to Order: Rodger Owen called the meeting to order at 6:40PM.

Approval of May 2011 Board Meeting Minutes. Motion to approve by Gary Sinclair, seconded by Sally Drucker. Approved by all board members present.

Treasurer's Report: The total fund balance at 5-31-2011 was $28,694.32 including $7,327.78 for Bauler Park and $1,948.40 for Lincoln Central Park. The Association's balance was $19,612.75.

Committee Reports:

Zoning. No Report

Membership. Membership renewal notices will be sent out in July.

Communications. No report

Neighborhood Liaison. Gary Sinclair indicated that the farewell event for former Alderman Vi Daley was very well received. Vi Daley was very pleased with the gift presented to her by the community organizations at the event.

There was additional discussion about the list of potential repair projects for the ward menu money ($1.8MM). LCA had been asked to prioritize items on this list, which LCA feels are more urgent. A survey of projects within Lincoln Central was made by several board members on June 4th to identify those higher priority items. That list was subsequently submitted to Alderman Smith.

Safety. No report.

Updates – Fires Station Park and Bauler Park

Fire Station Park

Sally Drucker and Paul Maggio reviewed recent activities for Fire Station Park. A planting event at the park is to be held on Sunday, June 26th to install recently obtained donated perennials. Also discussed was a document, which the Department of Transportation (which has responsibility for the park) has asked LCA to sign. The document commits LCA to maintain the park going forward. After a discussion on this ensued, it was decided that Joan Simmons would review the document from a legal standpoint and determine whether any changes needed to be made before LCA would be in a position to sign the agreement.

Since the last board meeting, the park has seen significant replanting, funded largely by Vi Daley and donations from area merchants such as Home Depot. Additional areas in the center of the park will need additional work, which it is hoped will be provided by neighborhood volunteers and additional financial support. There has been a meeting with Alderman Smith on this park and it was indicated that money is tight, given the impending budget reductions. The maintenance of this park will require more neighborhood involvement both in the form of volunteered labor and financial support. A formal maintenance program will have to be set up and the park committee will be working on this.

It was requested that an appreciation gift be given to three individuals at the firm, which donated the park's landscape design in conjunction with the park revitalization program. A motion to approve gifts totaling $150 was made by Bryan Kasal, seconded by Gary Sinclair and approved by all Board members present.

Bauler Park

This year's fund raising program has been very successful to date thanks to a donation from Classic Kids photographers on Armitage. At last fall's Halloween event, coupons were distributed to attendees, which indicated that Classic Kids would donate a portion of the proceeds from the business of customers who mentioned Bauler Park during the fourth quarter of 2010. Their donation amounted to $1,809.

Director Vacancy. The nominating committee submitted the name of James Borkman to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Dave Siegel last winter. James Borkman was in attendance at the meeting and he briefly reviewed his background, which was submitted to the Board prior to this meeting. He answered a number of questions made by Board members. After Mr. Borkman left the room, a motion to approve his joining the Board to fill the vacant 2011 – 2012 term was made by Paul Maggio, seconded by Sally Drucker and approved by all present.

Meeting adjourned at 7:40PM

Submitted by: David Varnerin, Secretary

MEETING MINUTES, May 26, 2011- 6:30PM
Offices of Thomas Ward Insurance Group - 707 W. Willow Street

Board Members Present: Rodger Owen, Deirdre Graziano, David Varnerin, Sally Drucker, Suzanne Leonard, Richard Harris, Joan Simmons and David Armstrong

Next Meeting: June 23, 2011 at 6:30PM at the Offices of Thomas Ward Insurance Group, 707 W. Willow Street. Weather permitting, the meeting will be held at Fire Station Park. Confirmation will be sent out several days prior to the meeting.

Call to Order: Rodger Owen called the meeting to order at 6:35PM.

43rd Ward Office Organization. In attendance at this Board meeting was Chasse Rehwinkel, the Assistant Director of Constituent Services for Alderman Michele Smith's 43rd Ward office. Chasse described the new office organization and will be sending a 43rd Ward Office Personnel listing as soon as it is available. The Ward office will be creating a new broadcast email list, as Vi Daley's list was owned by Friends of Vi Daley. Michele Smith, as Ward Committeeman, had created a broadcast email list, which is being transitioned to the Ward web site. Individuals interested in being included in this list should contact the Ward office (773-348-9700) or email yourvoice@Ward43.org .

The individual who will be handling Zoning matters will be Rick Bohn, initially. The Office is in the process of hiring another individual who will be in charge of zoning matters. However, the new person has not officially joined the office staff, but is expected to do so shortly.

Chasse indicated that the office staff would be entirely new, with no holdovers from Vi Daley's staff. He indicated that Chuck Eastwood has been helpful in the transition process. He encouraged the Board to contact the office with any problems or concerns.

Recognition by the Board was given to Gary Sinclair on the fine job he did in organizing the May 12th Farewell Event for former Alderman Vi Daley at John Barleycorn's. The event proved to be enjoyable for all in attendance.

Approval of April 2011 Board Meeting Minutes. Motion to approve by Sally Drucker, seconded by David Armstrong. Approved by all present.

Treasurer's Report: The total fund balance at 4-30-2011 was $25,389.82 including $4,117.78 for Bauler Park and $1,998.40 for Lincoln Central Park. The Association's balance was $19,323.64.

Committee Reports:

Zoning.

I. 1736 N. Mohawk Street. This matter came before the Board several months ago and was being held by the Board until proper notification and consent to the variance was obtained from the property owner to the south.

After the April Board meeting, the property owners provided to LCA evidence that they had informed the owner of 1734 N. Mohawk of the variances being sought and scheduled the matter before the Chicago Zoning Committee on May 20th. The following was submitted to the Board electronically on May 16th in order to get Board approval on this and to convey that approval to the Alderman's office (The new Alderman was sworn in on May 16th).

The full Board is requested to approve the variances sought by the owners of a new residence to be constructed on a currently vacant lot at 1736 N. Mohawk Street. The variances pertain to a side yard variance on the north side of the property and a rear yard variance pertaining to a subterranean breezeway between the home and the garage. The Zoning Committee has approved these variances subject to a letter from each of the property owners adjacent to the property.

An approval letter has been obtained from the owners of the condominium immediately to the north of this lot (1738 N, Mohawk). The owners of 1734 N. Mohawk have been contacted (both via written, in person and telephone outreach) and informed of the proposed variances. The owner is quite elderly (79) and is not comfortable with the idea of issuing a written letter to anyone. The firm seeking the variance spoke with the daughter of the owner about this matter. The daughter indicated that her mother was aware of the proposed variances and did not indicate any objections.

It is the position of the Zoning Committee that a genuine effort was made to inform the owners of 1734 N. Mohawk about these changes and, despite the lack of a signed approval letter, the Board should proceed with a formal vote on this matter. The matter is going before the Chicago Zoning Committee on Friday, May 20th.

The requested variances are as follows:

1. Allowed Minimum Side Setbacks: 4.8' feet (combined), 2'0" feet (Side)
2. Proposed Minimum Side Setbacks: 2'-6 «" (Combined), 0'-6" (North) and 2'-0 «" (South)

3. Allowed Minimum Rear Setback: 34.16'
4. Proposed Minimum Rear Yard Setback: 22.4'

The rear yard setback is related to the construction of a sub-terrain breezeway and the variance only pertains to that portion of the home. The majority of the rear side of the home will be in line with the buildings on the adjacent properties. The breezeway is being allowed in this instance due to the owner's need for wheelchair access between the home and the garage.

Please email your vote with regard to this matter to David Varnerin by 6:00PM Wednesday, May 18th.

The vote by the Board was Approval: 12. Opposed: 0. A letter was sent to Alderman Smith stating LCA's approval to this request on May 18. However, Alderman Smith requested that the matter be delayed for one month, in order to permit her staff to review the particulars of this request.

II. Doggie Diner (corner of Burling and Armitage). There was discussion about some problems with this property and the fact that proper permits may not have been obtained with regard to some of the changes made to the property. It was decided that a list of concerns will be compiled and a meeting will be scheduled with the appropriate individual in the Alderman's office to see if any actions can be taken. The owner of the property is uncooperative. There is concern that some of the construction was done without proper permitting.

Membership. No report.

Communications. The Spring issue of the Watchdog newsletter was distributed the week of May 9th. Comments about the issue have been favorable.

Neighborhood Liaison. No report.

Safety. David Armstrong submitted the following report prior to the meeting:

The CAPS leader made the following observations on safety as summer approaches:

There has been a slight increase in residential burglaries, which is typical in summer. Residents are cautioned to keep their doors and windows locked and to be observant about what goes on in your neighborhood. With many families away for summer vacations, residents were urged to secure their homes and make arrangements for mail and newspaper pickup. Also, during the summer, people use their autos more frequently, sometimes resulting in garage doors being left open. Residents are urged to contact their neighbors if they observe garage doors open for an extended period. Persons with garages on an alley are urged to place their street number on their garage door.

Finally, CAPS are available to provide information to help set up Block Clubs.ÿ These can be used to coordinate safety, and encourage communication, on a block.ÿ For more information, contact the 18th District CAPS office at 312-742-5870.

TIF Presentation LCA member Tom Tresser gave a presentation to the Board as a follow up to the article which was included in the Spring 2011 Newsletter. His presentation focused on how the use of TIF's has changed from the original purpose, namely to spur development of blighted areas, to an all-encompassing way to finance civic improvements. TIF's have expanded to such an extent that approximately 11% of Chicago taxes are diverted into various TIF funds. This is in fact shortchanging other taxing bodies, such as the Board of Education, which is in need of additional funding. Tresser pointed out that there is a complete lack of transparency in the TIF program. The only way to uncover what is actually going on is to attempt to access records, which have not been put on line. Tresser cited uses of TIF funds to subsidize profitable businesses (Grossinger Auto, Willis Tower and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange). The most recently available totals for TIF funds is $1.4 Billion (as of 2009). Tresser urged the Board to oppose future TIF's particularly in non-blighted areas such as the 43rd Ward. Tresser's authored an article on the subject, which appears in the Spring 2011 newsletter.

Updates - Fires Station Park and Bauler Park

Fire Station Park

Sally Drucker reviewed recent activities for Fire Station Park. The committee is working on placing information about our vision for this park. Information about park design needed funding and neighborhood involvement will be included. The Spring event in the park attracted many families and the names of over 20 interested individuals were obtained.

Many individuals have been involved in various activities in reinvigorating this park. Volunteers have done much weeding and the Chicago Department of Transportation (which oversees the park) has done spot spraying. Some vegetables have been planted and CDOT will be planting perennials in the next few weeks. The path construction by Home Depot will begin on June 1st and volunteers will begin building trellis structures and plant identification stakes. Permanent signage is being designed.

June events being planned are a date (June 11th) for volunteers to build trellises for the vegetables and a Kick Off gathering on June 25th. Deb New will be formalizing a fund raising program to supplement the existing commitments obtained for park supplies and donations.

Drucker made a request for additional funding for fencing, coupling, trellises, twine for the trellises and hoses. The estimated cost is $595. A motion to approve this funding was made by Deirdre Graziano, seconded by David Armstrong and approved by all present.

Bauler Park

Solicitation to former contributors went out in early April and to date, just over $3,500 has been received in contributions, bringing the total funds to approximately $7,000. A park cleanup on May 21st attracted several neighbors and Board members. Funds will be used for supplemental maintenance in mid summer and fall. Additionally, Park District approval is being sought for the purchase and installation of one piece of playground equipment. This approval process is taking longer than expected.

Meeting adjourned at 8:15PM

Submitted by: David Varnerin, Secretary

MEETING MINUTES, April 28, 2011- 6:30PM
Offices of Thomas Ward Insurance Group - 707 W. Willow Street

Board Members Present: Rodger Owen, Paul Maggio, Gary Sinclair, Sally Drucker, Deirdre Graziano, Richard Harris, David Armstrong, Joan Simmons, Brian Kasal and Suzanne Leonard,

Next Meeting: May 26, 2011 at 6:30PM at the Offices of Thomas Ward Insurance Group, 707 W. Willow Street

Call to Order: Rodger Owen called the meeting to order at 6:35PM.

Approval of February and March 2011 Board Meeting Minutes. Approved unanimously.

Treasurer's Report: An incorrect report was submitted and Joan Simmons will provide a revised report at May meeting.

Committee Reports:

Zoning.

1736 N. Mohawk Street. As requested by LCA, the owner had his lawyer contact the owner of the 1734 home to the south via certified mail. No response has been received to date. The board agreed to defer a vote until we receive confirmation of receipt of notification by the neighbor and written feedback from same. As soon as this information is available it will be submitted to the board for review and a vote.

Membership. We received over 20 sign-up entries at the Egg Hunt event, which we will follow up on. Richard Harris suggested we provide each a free membership for the first year.

Communications. Deirdre Graziano recommended that we talk to Edgar, owner of the Taco Joint on Halsted, to give discounts to LCA members. If agreed, we would send an email to members which would be their proof of membership to receive that discount.

Joan Simmons commented that our website is not current and recommended that if this is difficult to achieve we might consider creating a more "neutral" and not time-sensitive site. Gary Sinclair and Deirdre Graziano will discuss options and bring recommendations to the May board meeting.

Children's Memorial Hospital.By this summer, one developer will be selected from the four remaining developers who have submitted plans for the Children's site. Deirdre Graziano will send the Crain's article, which is an analysis of the 4 developers' plans to the Board. CMH makes the final decision.

Neighborhood Liaison. Gary Sinclair confirmed the appreciation/farewell party for Alderman Vi Daley, on May 12th from 7:00PM to 10:00PM at John Barleycorn's Pub on N. Lincoln Ave. at Belden. There will be a cover charge for the event of $5. Gary has arranged for an artist to create and engrave a glass goblet to be given by all neighborhood associations. He has received verbal agreement from all groups and requested that LCA provide $800 to fund the cost until he is reimbursed by the other organizations. The board approved funding and the exact price will be confirmed and apportioned to each organization.

Safety. David Armstrong has volunteered to be the LCA liaison to the District 18 CAPS program.

Director Vacancy. A vote was postponed until Keith Volgman, the proposed new Board director, has an opportunity to meet the Board formally. Gary Sinclair will provide the Board with the By-Laws regarding voting in new Directors.

Fire Station Park. Rodger Owen congratulated the success of the Earth Day/Egg Hunt party at the park. Many pictures were taken and Gary Sinclair, the star photographer, will share his pictures with us to begin creating an archive for the park. Sally Drucker updated us on the status of the process. With many organizations involved, continuing reassessment of the plans and coordination with all participants will be critical. Volunteers are an essential part of the success of the project and will be cultivated early on.

Other Business. Paul Maggio discussed the success of the block party on Burling. A template has been created and will be shared with other blocks to create similar parties.

Richard Harris confirmed that a permit was obtained for the September 24, 2011 Dickens Fest street party. Four Farthings will provide entertainment and Carnival Foods, Gemini Bistro are committing their support. Roger Owens suggested that LCA have a raffle with an iPad as the winning item.

Meeting adjourned at 7:30 PM

Submitted by: Sally Drucker

MEETING MINUTES, March 24, 2011– 6:30PM
Offices of Thomas Ward Insurance Group - 707 W. Street

Board Members Present: Rodger Owen, David Varnerin, Paul Maggio, Gary Sinclair, Sally Drucker and Deirdre Graziano. (Since a quorum was not present, no votes on several items could be taken at this meeting).

Next Meeting: April 28, 2011 at 6:30PM at the Offices of Thomas Ward Insurance Group, 707 W. Willow Street

Call to Order: Rodger Owen called the meeting to order at 6:35PM.

Approval of February 2011 Board Meeting Minutes. Deferred until April Board meeting.

Treasurer's Report: The total fund balance at 2-28-2011 was $26,016.76 including $3,919.18 for Bauler Park and $1,998.40 for Lincoln Central Park. The Association's balance was $20,099.18.

Committee Reports:

Zoning.

1736 N. Mohawk Street. Representatives of the owners of a proposed single family home to be constructed on a now vacant substandard sized lot (24.05 feet wide) made a presentation. The Zoning Committee had approved the two variances, which pertain to the side setback on the north side of the home and the rear yard setback, as shown below:

1. Allowed Minimum Side Setbacks: 4.8' feet (combined), 2'0" feet (Side)
2. Proposed Minimum Side Setbacks: 2'-6 ½" (Combined), 0'-6" (North) and 2'-0 ½" (South)
3. Allowed Minimum Rear Setback: 34.16'
4. Proposed Minimum Rear Yard Setback: 22.4'

The rear yard setback is related to the construction of a sub-terrain breezeway and the variance only pertains to that portion of the home. The majority of the rear side of the home will be in line with the buildings on the adjacent properties. The breezeway is being allowed in this instance due to the owner's need for wheelchair access between the home and the garage.

The Zoning Committee approval was contingent on the written approval of these variances by the two adjacent property owners. The owners of the condominium building to the north (1738 N. Mohawk) have approved the variances. Several attempts to contact the owner of the 1734 home to the south have been made but no response has been received to date. Two sets of materials describing the proposed variances were delivered to the 1734 N. Mohawk home. The representatives of the proposed new home were asked to make an additional attempt to contact the owner to obtain their approval.

An electronic vote will be taken of the full Board on this matter asking for their approval of the variances sought, subject to obtaining the approval of the 1734 home.

Membership. No report.

Communications. Due to a number of personal matters taking up the majority of his time, Tom McGavin will not be able to serve as editor of the newsletter or to be involved in other areas of the Board. For the next several months, it was agreed that any submissions for future newsletters be forwarded to Dave Varnerin, who will work with our newsletter technical consultant to publish another issue of the Watchdog.

Safety. It was agreed that a Director should be designated as LCA's liaison with the CAPS program.

Neighborhood Liaison. Director Sinclair has been in contact with other neighborhood associations about an appreciation / farewell party for Alderman Vi Daley, who will be leaving office in May. The event has been scheduled for May 12th from 7:00PM to 10:00PM at John Barleycorn's Pub on N. Lincoln Ave. There will be a cover charge for the event; the exact amount has not been determined at this time.

Lincoln Park Hospital (Webster Square) and Children's Memorial Hospital Update.

1. The zoning variance sought by the developers of Webster Square was unanimously approved by the Chicago Zoning Committee on March 22nd. The Board expressed its appreciation to those representatives on the Board and on the Zoning Committee who had attended numerous community meetings over the past several months in an attempt to reach a consensus on this issue. Although there remain many individuals still opposed to this project, Lincoln Central will continue to work with all members of the community on this issue and other issues going forward.

Lincoln Central and the Walpole Point Owners Association signed the Community Agreement pertaining to this project. The Agreement deals with the construction process for this project (such as operating times, parking for construction workers, traffic considerations on the streets surrounding the site) and the delivery times for the proposed grocery store. The Agreement attempted to replicate the Agreement dealing with the construction of the 2520 N. Lakeview condominium. The Mid North Association did not sign the Agreement.

This zoning matter will come before the full Chicago City Council on April 13th.

2. Children's Memorial has received a number of development proposals covering the hospital main site. The hospital will proceed with the best plan as per the community studies and with the plan, which provides it with the maximum value or the property. Active consideration is being given to a TIF in order to enhance the property's value.

Director Vacancy Keith Volgman, the proposed new Board director, attended this meeting. Due to a lack of a quorum, his name will be submitted to the full Board electronically for approval prior to the April Board meeting.

Fire Station Park. Paul Maggio and Sally Drucker have been working on plans for the restoration of this park. A meeting will take place shortly with Alderman Vi Daley and the Chicago Dept of Transportation to fund the restoration. Individuals have been identified in the community who have indicated their willingness to commit time and energy in the maintenance of this park.

In an attempt to increase community awareness in this project, the park's committee has scheduled an Earth Day – Spring event. A small budget totaling under $400 was proposed. The date of the event will be April 23rd from 10:00 AM until Noon.

Meeting adjourned at 7:50PM

Submitted by: David Varnerin, Secretary

MEETING MINUTES, February 24, 2011– 6:30PM
Offices of Thomas Ward Insurance Group - 707 W. Willow Street

Board Members Present: Rodger Owen, David Varnerin, Paul Maggio, Gary Sinclair, Richard Harris, Tom McGavin, Joan Simmons, Suzanne Leonard and David Armstrong and Brian Kasal.

Next Meeting: March 24, 2011 at 6:30PM at the Offices of Thomas Ward Insurance Group, 707 W. Willow Street

Call to Order: Rodger Owen called the meeting to order at 6:38PM.

Approval of November 2010 and January 2011 Board Meeting Minutes. Gary Sinclair made a motion to approve the November 2010 and January 2011 Board Meeting Minutes. Seconded by Paul Maggio and approved by all directors present.

Treasurer’s Report: The total fund balance at 12-31-2010 was $26,640.22 including $3,919.18 for Bauler Park and $1,998.40 for Lincoln Central Park. The Association’s balance was $20,722.64. Below is a comparison of the annual financials since 2005 for the Association only (excluding funds held for Bauler and Lincoln Central Parks).

Lincoln Central Association
Financial Summary 2005 - 2010

Committee Reports:

Zoning.

1736 N. Mohawk Street. The owners of a proposed single family home to be constructed on a now vacant substandard sized lot (24.05 feet wide) are requesting two variances, which the Zoning Committee has found acceptable. The variances pertain to the side setbacks on the north and south side of the home and the rear yard setback, as shown below:

1. Allowed Minimum Side Setbacks: 4.8’ feet (combined), 2’0” feet (Side)

2. Proposed Minimum Side Setbacks: 2’-6 ½” (Combined), 0’-6” (North) and 2’-0 ½” (South)

3. Allowed Minimum Rear Setback: 34.16’

4. Proposed Minimum Rear Yard Setback: 22.4’

The rear yard setback is related to the construction of a sub-terrain breezeway and the variance only pertains to that portion of the home. The majority of the rear side of the home will be in line with the buildings on the adjacent properties. The breezeway is being allowed in this instance due to the owner’s need for wheelchair access between the home and the garage.

Attempts to contact the adjacent neighbors have been made without success. Once contact has been made, the committee will be notified of their position with regard to these variances. At that point, a vote by the Board will be taken with regard to these variances.

Membership. There was a discussion about the need for additional members. Views were advanced on the need for additional members although some Directors felt that growing the membership was not a top priority. A discussion ensued about the early history of the Association when pressing issues were confronting the community. At that time, membership was important particularly with regard to saving significant structures from demolition and with regard to safety related issues. Now that the Lincoln Park community has been gentrified, the issues confronting the community are to many residents not as critical as they were in the past. Hence, lower membership and community involvement.

Board members were urged to mention LCA to their neighbors and urge them to join. The membership list will be distributed in this regard.

Communications. Director McGavin initiated a discussion about the relevance of the newsletter and whether it should be continued. A discussion followed in which a number of directors indicated that they felt that the newsletter should be continued. Director McGavin then urged individuals to submit material, which can be used for future articles. It was suggested that a separate meeting be scheduled in which this issue can be discussed further.

It was also agreed that all communications from LCA to the outside be reviewed by him. These would include letters (other than routine correspondence), brochures, flyers, etc.

Safety. No report.

Neighborhood Liaison. Director Sinclair indicated that he has been in contact with other neighborhood associations and Children’s Hospital about an appreciation / farewell party for Alderman Vi Daley, who will be leaving office in May. Decisions have to be made with regard to the date of the event, whom to invite and whether to ask for donations / contributions by attendees at this event. The Board will be advised about future discussions about this matter.

Lincoln Park Hospital (Webster Square) and Children’s Memorial Hospital Updates.

1. The zoning variance sought by the developers of Webster Square was unanimously approved by the Chicago Plan Commission in December 2010. The Alderman was able to negotiate additional changes to the proposed development in December and January. These changes were also approved unanimously by the Chicago Plan Commission on February 17th. A community meeting is scheduled for Monday, February 28th at 6:30PM at Lincoln Park High School Auditorium to present these changes to the community for further input. A meeting on this matter before the Chicago Zoning Committee is scheduled at 10:00AM on March 22nd in the City Council chambers in City Hall.

2. In a community relations meeting earlier in February, representatives of Children’s Memorial Hospital indicated that they have received a number of proposals for the hospital property that was put up for sale last year. No descriptions about the proposals were put forth. The hospital is looking at the feasibility of using a TIF (Tax Increment Financing) in conjunction with the sale and future development of this property. No time frame was given as to when a decision will be made on which development proposal will be selected.

Street Festival – Four Farthings. Director Harris has had discussions with John Corry, the new owner of Four Farthings about putting on a street festival in October 2011. The festival will be a one-day event (Saturday) and would be in the afternoon from 1PM to 6PM. The event would be family oriented. A specific proposal will have to be formulated before LCA’s commitment to this project can be made. Director Harris asked for volunteers to work on the planning for this event and Directors Sinclair, Owen and Maggio indicated their interest in doing so. A proposal will be presented to the Board at a future date.

Director Vacancy Several individuals were considered to fill the slot created by the departure of Dave Siegel. Director Kasal indicated that he has had a discussion with Kenneth Volgman, a long time member and supporter of LCA, about serving on the Board. He has agreed. However, before a vote can be taken, a brief biographical statement will be circulated to the Board for their review and approval.

Other Priorities for 2011. Several items were discussed with regard to areas for attention in LCA. These included further organization and work on improving Fire Station Park as well as a continuation of the Bauler Park maintenance / improvement program. Paul Maggio and Sally Drucker are heading up the Fire Station Park effort and Dave Varnerin is involved in the Bauler Park program. In conjunction with both programs an effort will be made to solicit additional members for LCA, as was done in last year’s Halloween event in Bauler Park.

Meeting adjourned at 7:55PM

Submitted by: David Varnerin, Secretary

MEETING MINUTES, January 26, 2011 - 6:30PM
Bacino's Restaurant - 2204 N. Lincoln Avenue

Board Members Present: Rodger Owen, David Varnerin, Paul Maggio, Gary Sinclair, Tom McGavin, Steve VanderVoort, Richard Harris, Joan Simmons, Deirdre Graziano, Sally Drucker and Brian Kasal.

Next Meeting: February 26, 2011 at 6:30PM. Offices of Thomas Ward Insurance Group – 707 W. Willow Street

Call to Order: Rodger Owen called the meeting to order at 7:05PM. It was stated that the main order of business was the election of Officers and Directors. Prior to making a formal motion to approve the slate of Officers and Directors, Brian Kasal introduced the two new Directors who will be joining the Board for a two-year term. Director Kasal gave a brief background statement for David Armstrong and Suzanne Leonard.

Election of New Directors and Officers: David Varnerin read the proposed slate of 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 David Varnerin that the slate of Officers and Directors be accepted and made official. Seconded by Deirdre Graziano and subsequently by all present. (12 new and former directors and 30 LCA members). The Officers and Directors are listed below. Three of the Positions are for a one-year term as opposed to the standard two-year term. This was done to equalize the number of Director positions expiring each year.

As a result of the resignation of Director David Siegel, on January 24th, there remains an open Director position. The Board will fill this position as soon as possible.

Comments by Alderman Vi Daley: Alderman Vi Daley, whose term in office will expire this May, thanked LCA for its past efforts in the community. She indicated that the neighborhood associations and organizations were important factors in getting things done in the 43rd Ward over the past decade.

It should be noted that two Aldermanic candidates running to succeed Vi Daley were present at the meeting – Michele Smith and Chuck Eastwood.

Motion to Adjourn: Motion made by Gary Sinclair. Seconded by Deirdre Graziano and approved by all present.

Addendum to January Meeting Minutes

In the time interval between the November 18, 2010 Board meeting and the annual meeting, two matters came before the Board which were voted on electronically.

1. Lincoln Park Hospital redevelopment. A vote was taken of the full Board on the matter of the Zoning Committee's recommendation to approve the rezoning of the former Lincoln Park Hospital site from hospital use only to mixed use commercial. This would permit the planned renovation of this property by Sandz Development. The specifics of the Webster Square development are shown at WebsterSq.com.

The reason for the timing of the LCA Board vote was the move by the developers to seek approval of the zoning and the proposed development before the Chicago Planning Commission on December 14, 2010. A vote by the Board was needed so that Alderman Daley would know what the position of LCA was with regard to this matter. The LCA vote (completed on December 13, 2010) was as follows: Approval: 9; Opposed: 2, Abstain: 1; Did Not Vote: 1. Subsequent to this vote, the Chicago Planning Commission voted unanimously (11 to 0) to approve the zoning change to allow the proposed development to proceed.

Please refer to the November 2010 Addendum to the Meeting Minutes for a specific discussion of the Zoning Committee's recommendation and reasoning with regard to this matter.

2. 1872 N. Howe Street Residence. Several zoning variances were requested by the owners of this property pertaining to the new home to be constructed on this land:

A. Allowed / Proposed Average Minimum Front Setback: 7'-¾" / 8'-0" – Approved
B. Allowed / Proposed Rear Yard Setback: 34'-11 ¾" / 23'-0" – Approved
C. Allowed / Proposed Minimum Side Setbacks: 4'-8 3/8" feet (Combined), 1'-10 ½" feet (Side)/ 2'-4 ¼" (Combined), 1'-0" North and 1'-4 ¼" South (Side) – Approved.
D. Request for Breezeway: Not Approved.

The Zoning Committee recommended that all the variances be approved with the exception of the request for a breezeway between the home and the garage. The Board voted to approve the recommendation of the Zoning Committee with regard to this matter. The vote (completed on December 17, 2010) was Approval; 11, Did Not Vote: 2.

Submitted by: David Varnerin, Secretary