Plan Commission

Anyone interested in watching along with me can go here: https://livestream.com/accounts/28669066/events/9117952

On the agenda today: several propositions for the sale or disposition of city-owned land to private entities; a growth/sustainability plan w/ recommendations from the COVID-19 Recovery Task Force; 5 rezoning proposals; and one from a Riverwalk kayak-renting co.

10:01 AM, past the posted meeting start time. Live stream is still black.

10:03, and the meeting is underway.

@CHIdocumenters

Teresa Córdova, Chair of the Commission, is now going over ground rules and covid-specific adjustments to the meeting’s rules @CHIdocumenters

By my count, all but five commissioners are present. Mayor Lightfoot among those absent. @CHIdocumenters

Public testimony segment begins; first up: North Lawndale, Rodney Brown of the North Lawndale Community Coordinating Council

Next, Kevin Sutton voices support (along with Mr. Brown) of North Lawndale Employment proposal.
Reads letter from Exec Dir of the Steans Family Foundation in support of the proposal as well.

North Lawndale Employment Network (NLEN) proposed plan would take place at 1111 S Homan Avenue
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Deborah Wesley takes the mic; President of Sinai Community Institute.
She voices support for NLEN proposal, saying it’s a “reflection of what the community said it wanted it to be”
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Next public commenter: Richard Townsell exec dir of North Lawndale Christian Development Corporation.
Townsell says his org “enthusiastically supports” the NLEN proposal
(which includes rooftop gardens and beekeeping facilities, if I’m reading correctly)

Now, 4 speakers for item D-6, which is the proposal of a large hotel and two single family homes.

First speaker is enthusiastically AGAINST the proposal, which he says jeopardizes the area’s residential status, saying it will be a detriment to all who live there @CHIdocumenters

Wellstel LLC is the proposer of the plan; located at near north side at 1520-1532 N Wells St and 1513-1525 N Wieland St.

Next commenter also voices her opposition to the plan, which is a 12-story hotel on a residential street (address above), along with 3 single-family homes

Next commenter says application was submitted July 15 and notice was not posted until July 28 – against the 5-day limit for such notices.
He says this meeting should be pushed so that residents will have the proper amount of notice. Says residents vehemently oppose the plan

Same commenter says the plan’s revisions, which all commenters so far oppose, is due to developer’s inexperience and lack of planning causing the project to become financially untenable @CHIdocumenters

Last speaker for this agenda item: Colleen Murphy.
Ms. Murphy says the plan’s amendment violates municipal code and Chicago law. She says this amendment “fails every test” @CHIdocumenters

Murphy points to past case: Lincoln Central v Zoning Board of Appeals.
She says this sets precedent, (paraphrased) “if you can’t allow a parking garage for a hospital, how can you allow one for a hotel”
@CHIdocumenters

Chair moves to approve items 1-5 on the agenda (three sales of city property to private entities, and two dispositions of such)

Motion passes with 16 yes votes and one non-vote. @CHIdocumenters

Now: Chair moves to agenda item D5, which is a proposed amdmt to the NLEN plan (which was supported by all public commenters at the meeting).
Changes would allow 5 apiaries on the rooftop and would allow NLEN to collect honey from them.
Presentation starting @CHIdocumenters

NLEN plan would renovate a now-disused bank building, resulting in a community center, a rooftop urban garden, a cafe, and aforementioned rooftop honey/bee apiaries
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NLEN development plan would reduce local unemployment by 10%, according to Brenda Palms Barber, CEO of the NLEN (again, North Lawndale Employment Network)
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Ms. Barber says the project would result in 105 construction job, 71 permanent jobs, through the construction and running of the “Sweet Beginnings & Worker Bee Cafe”
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Ms. Barber says the facility will allow 10,000 Chicagoans in the North Lawndale community to access free wireless internet
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Presenters of the NLEN plan are unaware of any opposition.

Chair Cordova mentions she’s had “lots of this honey” (presumably from other NLEN cafe locations)
@CHIdocumenters

Plan Commission members successively voice their enthusiastic support for this proposal, some lauding specifically the fact that it will introduce female minority-owned businesses and the conversion of parking lot into public space @CHIdocumenters

Again, this North Lawndale Employment Network proposal would take place at 1111 S Homan Ave.
I haven’t mentioned in tweets yet, but the facility would provide job training as well
@CHIdocumenters

Chair Cordova: “Bees are a really impt aspect of our existence on this planet”
Chair applauds the plan’s efforts in incorporating bee facilities into Chicago’s West Side
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Ward 24’s Ald. Michael Scott Jr. sings the praises of this NLEN proposal, says the Network’s other apiaries produce “the world’s best honey”
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Moving onto a vote on item D5, the NLEN proposal (rooftop gardens, apiaries, job training facilities, jobs, renovation of now-unused bank bldg).

Proposal passes with unanimous support
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Moving onto item D1 (citywide plan feat. recommendations from the Covid-19 Recovery Task Force “over the next several years to direct growth and sustainability” with a focus on diversity, resiliency, equity)
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Information on the citywide plan claims it would be based on a document which the public can access and contribute to. Would also ask the public to determine what topics are important to address in this plan
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Overview of phases of said citywide plan, which Chicago residents will be able to influence in some capacity on this November’s ballots
@CHIdocumenters https://t.co/nl3cHyugKV

Comm’rs on the Plan Commission now offer comments on the citywide plan presentation.
Cmm’r Linda Searl raises issues of the impacts of industrial/manufacturing areas; they’ve been moving from white areas to Latino and Black-majority areas (environmental racism) @CHIdocumenters

Chair Cordova says rectification of citywide environmental racism is “an absolute must” for the future citywide plan
@CHIdocumenters

“If we’re really gonna do a citywide plan, we’ve gotta remember that these [often forgotten] neighborhoods are part of the city too” - Plan Commission Chair Cordova
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Of note: the last Chicago citywide plan to be implemented was in 1966. The one under discussion would be the first 54 years.
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@AldermanBurnett says the looting shows some community members “don’t understand the economics of the Loop” (may have said “downtown and not ‘the loop’)
Says there’s a disconnect around how it’s all connected
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Next up: a proposed update to the Halsted Triangle Plan
@CHIdocumenters
https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/7039311/Commission-2020-08-20-Presentation.pdf

Halsted Triangle Plan update document, including public comments:
https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/7031062/Commission-2020-08-20-Resolution-Approval.pdf

Quick overview of the area
@CHIdocumenters https://t.co/Np8TeGiO7M

10% population growth in affected Near North Community Area from 2010-2017, compared to 1% growth citywide.

12 objectives of the original Halsted Triangle Plan; updated objectives are listed in red
@CHIdocumenters https://t.co/P3SAMlMYHk

@AldermanBurnett: Halsted Triangle Owners Assoc supports the plan, but does NOT support the updated plan’s “buffer zone” along the river (which would only support industrial uses and NOT rez, daycare, hospital, schools, outdoor dining, entertainment uses) @CHIdocumenters https://t.co/B8ZS0SLK1k

@AldTomTunney voices concern about the Halsted Triangle updated plan’s possible impact on loss of manufacturing capacity, especially regarding manufacturing sector’s employment capabilities; Chair @TeresaLCordova concurs
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Motion to move to a vote on the plan approved by Cmm’r Cox; seconded; passes with 17 yes votes by my count, with one non-vote by Cmm’r Osterman @48Ward
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Moving onto item D3 on the agenda: 18th Ward (applicant is the ward’s alderman, Derrick Curtis)
seeks to remove sub-area to allow for a car wash in the zone. It is now an under-used parking area. @CHIdocumenters https://t.co/6ZsXF9Egly

Summary: this agenda item proposes an amendment to Business Planned Development #1172, allowing Buddy Bear Car Wash to be built over under-used parking lot at 87th and Kedzie @CHIdocumenters

Ald Derrick Curtis says lack of car wash facilities have resulted in millions of dollars flowing away from his ward and into surrounding wards; aerial view – car wash wld be at corner of intersection over empty parking lot
@CHIdocumenters https://t.co/kAPdbo5Yyk

@AldTomTunney is concerned about traffic safety; very busy intersection, and car wash expects to pull 500-1000 cars per day, weather depending
@CHIdocumenters

Car Wash proposal would also add sidewalks to that intersection; Cmm’r Maurice Cox voices support for that aspect of the proposal, as well as its included addition of trees, other greenery
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Motion on Car Wash proposal @ 87th and Kedzie moved to a roll call vote.
17 yes votes; unanimous with exception of Ald Harry Osterman @48Ward who appears to be absent
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Moving onto next item: @PeoplesGasCHI proposal to rezone the property at 38 West 64th St. Would turn the space from Light Manufacturing and Light Industry zone to a Heavy Industry zone.
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Atty for @PeoplesGasCHI absent; development team moves on, skipping intro section of proposal briefing; 20th ward’s Ald approved plan; efforts to allow community meetings in March/April were postponed due to covid
@CHIdocumenters https://t.co/FmMgaRU0PU

Correction: community meetings were originally scheduled for March and August, NOT April as my previous tweet wrongly stated @PeoplesGasCHI
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Proposed @PeoplesGasCHI development in 20th Ward would include 55% green rooftop coverage
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Chair @TeresaLCordova initiates a roll-call vote on @PeoplesGasCHI proposal.
All voting members still present voted yes; motion passes.
Chair applauds sustainability features of the now-passed proposal

Moving onto agenda item D6, located at 1528 N Wells, Near North Side in 27th Ward, which was overwhelmingly opposed by all public commenters. https://t.co/RyPhXuVAlI

@CHIdocumenters Possibly better geographic context: https://t.co/li5nU91qzM

@CHIdocumenters Closer street views: https://t.co/hIE83DXfxL

Developer wishes to add additional piece of land and reduce proposed single-family homes built from 4 to 3.

Presentation moves to the development team.

On the left is the new proposal; on the right, the previously approved version. Underground parking garage changed to above ground. Homes down from 4 to 3, with altered footprints. Parking garage would have green roof
@CHIdocumenters https://t.co/eDjD8uFCSQ

Chicago Dept of Planning and Development’s zoning administrator judges that this amended plan to build the hotel is appropriate and compliant

Chair @TeresaLCordova brings up concern in public comments about inadequate public notice being posted; timing and physical location of notices called into question.
Development team says signage is provided by city, and devs posted them as soon as they got them @CHIdocumenters

Developer says the three homes to be built would likely sell for over $1 million; Cmm’r Maurice Cox applauds updated plan, saying it’s a skillful adjustment that respects urban residential context. Cox says based on prior pub comments, he’s pleasantly surprised
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Cmm’r Cox: “I don’t think anyone will see this hotel, walking on Wieland”

@AldermanBurnett says hotel proposal is one of the best planning/development compromises w/ the community that he’s ever seen
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Motion on hotel at1520-1532 Wells/adjacent Wieland St residential property moves to a vote.
Yes votes have it; unable to get the total count of votes and absent voting members, but we’ve gotta be close to the limits of a quorum at this point. Many mbrs now gone @CHIdocumenters

Moving onto proposal for the 27th Ward; proposal would rezone the area from M1-2 Manufacturing/Business Park to B3-5 Community Shopping @CHIdocumenters https://t.co/mPcQJOscmS

Top-right: current view. Bottom left: what it would look like upon completion @CHIdocumenters https://t.co/kJZxdtsQ4I

Developer would like to reserve the option to add hotel units into the proposed apartment building @CHIdocumenters

@AldermanBurnett voices concern about future hotel addition to the bldg’s possible negative impact on affordable housing in the area @CHIdocumenters

Motion on this proposal passes @CHIdocumenters

Ok. Short break while I stuffed my face; now back at it, and we’re on the tail end of presentation/discussion of item D6: adding “hotel use” as an approved use for existing building project currently underway.
Moving to a vote now @CHIdocumenters

Cmm’rs biagi brumfeld cordova cox moore murphy novara reyes searl kelly, and tunney all vote yes; the rest are either absent or recused. @CHIdocumenters

Now moving onto the last (thank god) item on today’s agenda: construction of a Riverwalk kayak/cafe facility, fitness area, and public restrooms @CHIdocumenters https://t.co/W7VbabJh0k

Urban Kayaks is the company submitting this proposal; their CEO says existing landscaping will be maintained, and the project would not remove or harm any trees currently planted in the area. @CHIdocumenters

Dept of Planning & Development determine the kayak facility honors applicable policies shown below @CHIdocumenters https://t.co/fU5QfZ1hKq

Cmm’r Maurice Cox applauds Urban Kayaks for hiring the female-headed JLK Architects to build the facilities.

Proposal moved to a vote; Cmm’rs biagi, brumfeld, burnett, cordova, cox, kelly, lyons, moore, murphy, reyes, tonney, searl all vote yes. No votes against. @CHIdocumenters

Motion to adjourn; some very enthusiastic “yes” votes here, drawing laughter.

Aaaaand that’s a wrap. Nothing like a nice, light 5-hour meeting to start your day. See y’all next time @CHIdocumenters