League of Women Voters Observer Report

Village of Oak Park Board of Trustees

Sept 8, 2015

Maria Jepson, Observer

7:30 Open Session

In attendance: Village President Anan Abu-Taleb, Trustees Glenn Brewer, Andrea Ott, Robert Tucker

Peter Barber, Adam Salzman.

Non Agenda Public Comment:

A representative of the North Avenue Advisory Committee requested that the board consider some pro-active zoning ideas to reduce the number of negative businesses such as pawn shops, Cash for Gold and cash for gift cards stores along the North Avenue corridor.

A resident also gave support to the request to reduce these types of businesses along the northern boundary of Oak Park.

Proclamation:

This year is the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Oak Park Board of Trustees reaffirms its commitment to the principles of the ADA.

Village Manager Report:

Ridgeland Avenue is now open after the construction work that has closed it for most of the summer.

Citizen Commission Appointments:

A motion passed to appoint or reappoint members to the following committees:

Citizen Police Oversight Committee, Plan Commission, Transportation Commission

First Reading:

The first reading of a proposal to update ambulance fees: this would allow Oak Park to stay within the mid-range of fees that require Emergency Personnel and transport. The Fire Department is recommending raising the fee by $100.00 and creating a two-tier structure for Advanced Life Support. This will conform more closely to requirements of third party insurance companies.

Consent Agenda: Item K was moved to the regular agenda

The consent agenda was passed with the above noted exception.

Regular Agenda:

Item K – A motion to concur with the Transportation Commission’s recommendation to approve 35 additional parking places in the Z4 Permit parking zone.

Several residents presented cases for and against the passage of this motion. Homeowners are concerned about the impact on the characteristics of residential areas. Tenants say that they also need parking and that they often have to move their cars during the day to comply with the current rules.

Jill Velan, Director of Parking and Mobility Services, commented that line of sight rules, consideration of placement of spaces and speed and width of the street are among the variables that are considered when creating more parking spaces. She reported that the recommendation was for fewer spaces than could have been added to accommodate driveways.

Motion passed.

Commercial Business District Presentation:

A representative of the Sherwin Williams store that will open next year on Madison Street gave an overview of his experience and vision.

Ordinance authorizing the execution of a sales tax rebate sharing agreement between the Village of Oak Park and MEV Oak Park LLC.

Motion passed to enter into the sales tax sharing agreement in the amount of $75,000. This revenue sharing agreement will provide incentive for the Sherwin Williams store mentioned above.

Resolution authorizing execution of a professional services agreement with Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd., design engineering services for the Madison Street streetscape project in an amount not to exceed $313, 360.

This ordinance provides funds for design engineering services to complete the streetscaping project on Madison from Oak Park Ave to East Ave and the road diet of Madison from Harlem to Austin. This engineering firm has been working on this project since 2010 and can best complete the design.

Motion passed.

Motion to Accept the Village Board Goals and Protocols.

Trustee Salzman expressed his desire to request a system to scrutinize the contracts that the Village enters in to more closely. His suggestion was to create a Contracts committee. Trustees Barber and Brewer felt that the idea needed to be discussed more fully.

The motion was tabled.

An ordinance amending Chapter 2, Article 3 of the Oak Park Village Code by adding a new section.

This allows the use of the title Mayor to be used interchangeably with President. There is no change to the form of governance currently in place in Oak Park.

Items pursuant to Village Code Chapter 2 Alcoholic Liquor Dealers or Related (President Pro-Tem Ott)

President Abu-Taleb and trustee Brewer recused themselves.

An ordinance to allow beer and wine sales in the restaurant area of Pete’s Market was passed.

An ordinance amending the Village code to allow the change in hours of the sale of packaged liquor from nine a.m. to seven a.m. Monday through Sunday was passed. This is consistent with neighboring communities.

Adjourn

9:11pm

For additional information on Village Board of Trustees meetings, please go to

www.oak-park.us/village-board-agendas-minutes