CITY COUNCIL 2014/07/07 Minutes
The City of Lake Forest
CITY COUNCIL
Proceedings of the July 7, 2014
6:30 p.m. City Council Chambers
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL: Honorable Mayor Schoenheider called the meeting to order at
6:30 pm, and Deputy City Clerk Margaret Boyer called the roll of Council members.
Present: Mayor Schoenheider, Alderman Waldeck, Alderman Beidler, Alderman Moore, Alderman
Pandaleon, Alderman Tack, Alderman Reisenberg, Alderman Adelman and Alderman Moreno.
Absent: None
Also present were: Bob Kiely, City Manager, Carina Walters, Assistant City Manager; Victor
Filippini, City Attorney; Susan Banks, Communications Manager; Catherine Czerniak, Director of
Community Development; James Held, Chief of Police; Chuck Myers, Superintendent of Parks &
Forestry; Elizabeth Holleb, Director of Finance; Bob Ells, Superintendent Engineering; Mary Van
Arsdale, Director of Parks & Recreation.
There were approximately 40 present in the audience.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: The Pledge of Allegiance was recited by all in attendance.
REPORTS OF CITY OFFICERS
COMMENTS BY MAYOR
Mayor Schoenheider thanked all who participated in the Festival and Fireworks celebration; with
record crowds in attendance He thanked the Friends of the Parks and Recreation for hosting
another great event.
A. 2014-2015 New Board and Commission Appointments/Reappointments
LAWRENCE R. TEMPLE PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD COMMITTEE
NAME OF MEMBER APPOINT
Jim Cowhey Appoint for 2 Year Term
COUNCIL ACTION: Approve the Mayors Appointment
Alderman Moore made a motion to approve the Appointment, seconded by Alderman Reisenberg.
Motion carried unanimously by voice vote.
COMMENTS BY CITY MANAGER
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Regular City Council Meeting
The City Manager had no comments.
COMMENTS BY COUNCIL MEMBERS
A. Finance Committee
1. Consideration of the Annual Appropriation Ordinance for FY2015 and Approval
of Rollovers (First Reading)
Finance Director Elizabeth Holleb reported that while the annual municipal budget approved at
the May 5, 2014 City Council meeting represents the City’s financial plan for expenditures, the
ordinance is the legal mechanism required to adopt the appropriations and the rollovers. She
stated that the second reading and the required public hearing is planned for the July 21 City
Council meeting. The summary that was presented is shown below:
The City of Lake
Forest Fund
Rollover
Budget Total Appropriation
General $ 93,246 $ 31,902,603 $ 31,995,849 $ 35,195,434
Lake Forest Hospital Project 0 60,000 60,000 66,000
Park and Public Land 45,845 190,000 235,845 259,430
Motor Fuel Tax 55,366 1,820,000 1,875,366 2,062,903
Emergency Telephone 0 282,581 282,581 310,839
Senior Resources Commission 0 599,196 599,196 659,116
Parks and Recreation Funds 23,491 9,091,226 9,114,717 10,026,189
Special Recreation 33,681 433,963 467,644 514,408
Cemetery Commission 38,680 969,705 1,008,385 1,109,224
Public Library 0 3,931,322 3,931,322 4,324,454
Foreign Fire Insurance 0 200,000 200,000 220,000
Drug Asset Forfeiture 0 30,000 30,000 33,000
Alcohol Asset Forfeiture 0 65,000 65,000 71,500
Housing Trust 50,000 250,000 300,000 330,000
Capital Improvements 387,087 8,502,776 8,889,863 9,778,849
Rt. 60 Bridge 0 1,032,000 1,032,000 1,135,200
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Regular City Council Meeting
Rt. 60 Intersection 0 418,000 418,000 459,800
Water and Sewer 42,372 8,528,121 8,570,493 9,427,542
Water and Sewer Capital 96,902 2,655,000 2,751,902 3,027,092
Deerpath Golf Course 0 1,603,062 1,603,062 1,763,368
Fleet 0 1,919,936 1,919,936 2,111,930
Liability Insurance 0 1,210,853 1,210,853 1,331,938
Self Insurance 0 5,140,706 5,140,706 5,654,777
Firefighters’ Pension 0 1,873,760 1,873,760 2,061,136
Police Pension 0 2,232,027 2,232,027 2,455,230
Sub-total $ 866,670 $ 84,941,837 $ 85,808,507 $ 94,389,358
School District 67 (not
available until second
reading)
Educational n/a $ 0 $ 0 $ 0
Operations, Building and
Maintenance
n/a 0 0 0
Transportation n/a 0 0 0
IMRF/Social Security n/a 0 0 0
Capital Projects n/a 0 0 0
Sub-total $ 0 0 0
Grand Total $ 84,941,837 $ 85,808,507 $ 94,389,358
COUNCIL ACTION: Approval of the first reading of the ordinance and the rollovers.
Alderman Moreno made a motion approving the First reading of the Ordinance and the rollovers,
seconded by Alderman Reisenberg. The following voted “Yea”: Aldermen Waldeck, Beidler,
Moore, Pandaleon, Tack, Reisenberg, Adelman and Moreno. The following voted “Nay”: None. 8
Yeas, 0 Nays, motion carried.
OPPORTUNITY FOR CITIZENS TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS
Proceedings of the July 7, 2014
Regular City Council Meeting
None
ITEMS FOR OMNIBUS VOTE CONSIDERATION
1. Approval of the June 16, 2014 City Council meeting Minutes
2. Check register for period May 24-June 27, 2014
3. Approval of Resolution Authorizing Temporary Overflow Beach Parking During
Forest Park Construction
4. Recommendation from the Parks and Recreation Board for approval of Everett
Park Tot Lot Playground Project as Included in the FY15 Capital Plan
5. Approval Directing Staff to Prepare a Contract with Vermont Systems, Inc. to
Purchase Parks and Recreation Software
6. Ratify a Letter of Understanding between the City of Lake Forest and the Village
of Glenview in which the Village of Glenview agrees to provide qualified
dispatching personnel to staff the Lake Forest Dispatch Center throughout the
Dispatch Consolidation transitional period.
Alderman Pandaleon expressed his concern regarding item number three for temporary overflow
beach parking during Forest Park construction and that the south lot be used and managed very
carefully. Since most people use that lot for a fee for launching boats, he stated he did not want
that lot over-utilized.
Alderman Moore asked a question in regards to item number five directing staff to prepare a
contract with Vermont Systems. Mary Van Arsdale, Director of Parks & Recreation, clarified that
the point in question is a bargaining or negotiation component to keep both vendors as potential
choices, and that the City Council is just simply approving direction to proceed to enter into a
contract.
Mayor Schoenheider asked the Council if they would like any item removed or be taken
separately, and seeing none, asked for a motion to approve the six (6) Omnibus items as
presented.
COUNCIL ACTION: Approve the Six (6) Omnibus items as presented.
Alderman Reisenberg made a motion approving the Omnibus items as presented, seconded by
Alderman Beidler. The following voted “Yea”: Aldermen Waldeck, Beidler, Moore, Tack,
Reisenberg, Adelman and Moreno. The following voted “Nay”: None. 7 Yeas, 0 Nays, motion
carried.
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Regular City Council Meeting
Information such as Purpose and Action Requested, Background/Discussion, Budget/Fiscal Impact,
Recommended Action and a Staff Contact as it relates to the Omnibus items can be found on the agenda.
ORDINANCES
None.
NEW BUSINESS
1. Consideration of a Recommendation from the Plan Commission Pertaining to
Proposed Amendments to Approvals Previously Granted to the Amberley
Woods Development to Allow a Retail Center, the Conway Market, on 8.5 Acres
Located at the Southeast Corner of Route 60 and Saunders Road. (Approval of a
Motion Providing Direction.)
Mayor Schoenheider thanked all those in attendance as well as the countless others who have
contacted members of the City Council either for or against a proposed Amberley Woods
Development to allow a retail center. He also said he was aware that members of the community
have strong opinions on this project and the City Council appreciates receiving everyone's
viewpoint. He also emphasized to the community that the City Council has been equally engaged
by reading all of the emails, watching multiple Plan Commission meetings and visiting the site. He
stated from day one there was recognition that this is an important community discussion on a
complicated and multifaceted project regarding the regarding a strategic parcel along Route 60.
He stated it is important to stress that it is the City Council's responsibility to ensure a viable long-
term use of this important property, establish strong and diverse economic base to the entire
community and maintain environmental aesthetic community standards.
He then informed members of the audience and at home viewing that the City Council is not
scheduled to take any action on the pending petition nor is the Council convened this evening to
conduct a public hearing. Rather, because the site is currently subject to an Annexation
Agreement that will need to be amended for this type of development to occur, it would be most
efficient to have the Council undertake a preliminary review of the petition to make sure that it is
something for which the Council would be willing to entertain on a Annexation Agreement
amendment. If it is, then the Council can offer direction to City staff, the developer and the Boards
and Commissions regarding the Council’s collective initial impression of the proposed
development discussion. The discussion this evening involved in this petition is to gauge the
Council’s current thinking based on the information presented to date.
City attorney Victor Filippini reiterated what Mayor Schoenheider stated; this is a multifaceted
and complicated process and as result there is not currently any action before the Council, but it is
at a time to check where the general consensus lies before moving forward. The property is part
of Annexation Agreement that the City entered into that identifies zoning and the way property is
to be divided and many other parameters for development. The proposal that has been presented
in the petition would require a number of changes from the terms of the annexation, and as a
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result, in addition to ordinary processes, the first step would be to amend the Annexation
Agreement.
Mr. Filippini reported that the City Council’s official role would be several steps away and would
include hearing reports from the Building Review Board, Historic Preservation and the Zoning
Board of Appeals.
Mayor Schoenheider then informed members of the audience that after Catherine Czerniak
addresses the Council, he will allow the developer to present to the City Council and then will hear
public testimony. At the end of those discussions, he will come back to the City Council for
discussion and direction on the topic.
Catherine Czerniak, Director of Community Development, gave the City Council an overview of the
recommendations from the Plan Commission relating to a proposed retail center, the Conway
Market, on Route 60. The retail center is proposed in place of the office and ancillary
retail/restaurant uses previously approved for this 8.5 acre site as part of the Amberley Woods
mixed use development.
Ms. Czerniak added that the Plan Commission heard an informational presentation on the
proposed retail center in November 2013. In February, 2014, the Commission opened a public
hearing on the matter and continued the hearing over the course of three meetings. During the
public hearing process, the Plan Commission heard lengthy presentations and testimony from the
petitioner, the petitioner’s consultants, members of the public and City staff. On June 11, 2014,
the Commission concluded its review and forwarded a recommendation of conditional support for
the project to the City Council.
The Plan Commission acknowledged that the project as proposed requires exceptions to prior
approvals granted for this site, amendments to the plat of subdivision and variances from some
Code requirements. The Commission also acknowledged that the development deviates in some
ways from the Comprehensive Plan direction for the Route 60 Corridor. However, the
Commission stated support for the concept of retail and restaurant uses at the proposed location
and is interested in finding a way to make such a project work. During deliberations, the
Commission strived to balance the various interests, points of view, what is needed to make a
retail center successful, and the intent of existing policies and requirements. Toward that end, the
Commission developed a series of recommendations for Council consideration. The
recommendations are focused around several key aspects of the site; use, intensity of
development of the site, drainage, and traffic. Ms. Czerniak added that the Commission
recognized in its discussions that two aspects of the proposed project were not under its purview,
the demolition of the existing residence and the economic impacts of the proposed development.
She said that the Commission did not address those issues.
Mayor Schoenheider introduced Mr. Shiner, developer for the site. Mr. Shiner thanked the staff
and the City Council for the opportunity to present at the meeting. He gave an overview of the
proposed plan, gave a list of concessions that Whole Foods has made in conjunction with wanting
to ensure a store within The City of Lake Forest that included reducing density. He showed a
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presentation focused on planned reforesting, drainage issues and stated the projects choice on
the cul-de- sac and gate issues.
City Council members asked questions about percentage of land use, tree cutting and replanting,
the 60 foot setback and underground parking, employee parking, fixed contract price for the land,
and what is the threshold for the number of additional outbuildings, and what is the expected
length of the lease.
City Council heard from the following residents with their opinion on the topic.
Roger Mohr, 927 Barclay Circle
Gail Hodges, 1257 West Deerpath
Jerry Henry, no address given
Anne Danner, no address given
Scotty Wood, 1761 Stanford Court
Linda Diamond, 1800 Amberely
Romy Lopat, 410 East Woodland Road
Terry Janeck, Circle Lane
Maureen Grinell, no address given
Kevin Dwyer Hunter Lane
Robert Seiler, Stonebridge resident
Andrew Goodman, 808 E. Old Elm Road
Cissy Coppola, 1800 Amberely
Mary Lou Reed ,1715 Broadland Lane
John Sentell, 545 Circle Lane
Mayor Schoenheider thanked the residents for their testimony and asked the City Council
members for their input on the topic and items discussed. Through dialogue it was clear that the
City Council would be willing to work with the Plan Commission’s recommendations.
Mr. Shiner thanked his team and members of the City staff and the City Council and reported that
Whole Foods would not continue a bid to open a store in within The City of Lake Forest.
ADDITIONAL ITEMS FOR COUNCIL DISCUSSION
None
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business. Alderman Pandaleon made a motion to adjourn, seconded by
Alderman Waldeck Motion carried unanimously by voice vote at 9:15 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Margaret Boyer
Deputy City Clerk
Proceedings of the July 7, 2014
Regular City Council Meeting
A video of the City Council meeting is available for viewing at the Lake Forest Library and on file in
the Clerk’s office at City Hall. You can also view it on the website by visiting
www.cityoflakeforest.com. Click on I Want To, then click on View, then choose Archived Meetings
Videos.