Loading...
CITY COUNCIL 3-15-01 agendaTHE CITY OF LAKE FOREST COUNCIL AGENDA March 15, 2001 CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL Honorable Howard J Kerr, Mayor Samuel J. Henry, Alderman First Ward Roger J. Mohr, Alderman Third Ward Robert T. E. Lansing, Alderman First Ward Timm R. Reynolds, Alderman Third Ward Peter M. Mott, Alderman Second Ward Mary Ann Pekarek, Alderman Fourth Ward Michael J. Burns, Alderman Second Ward James J. Cowhey, Jr., Alderman Fourth Ward REPORTS OF CITY OFFICERS 1. Comments by Mayor 2. Comments by City Manager 3. Comments by Council Members OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL CONSENT AGENDA 1. Approval of Minutes from the March 5, 2001 Meeting Recommended Action: Approval of the Consent Agenda items as presented. ORDINANCES Consideration of an Ordinance Amending Section 26-7-3 of Chapter 26, “Offenses” of the City Code of Lake Forest, 1971, As Amended, and Section 26-7-4 of Chapter 26, “Offenses” of the City Code of Lake Forest, 1971, As Amended (Waive First Reading and Grant Final Approval) PRESENTED BY MARCUS PECCIA, MANAGEMENT ANALYST (615-4287) Last fall, some Lake Forest residents contacted Alderman Lansing and Alderman Henry and requested that the City’s current regulations regarding noise control, specifically gasoline-powered leaf blowers, be re-examined. Subsequently, Alderman Lansing and Alderman Henry requested staff to review the sections in the City Code, which pertain to the operation of lawn maintenance equipment. A meeting was held with the two Aldermen, as well as with local landscapers to determine what would be the most appropriate and effective action to take in reducing the amount of noise annoyance caused by the operation of gasoline-powered lawn equipment. At the meeting it was recommended that the hours of operation for gasoline-powered lawn equipment, including gasoline-powered leaf blowers, share the same hours and days of operation, that staff determine the feasibility of establishing a licensing program for landscapers, and that the new hours, once approved, are widely publicized. At this time, staff is recommending that two sections in the City Code be revised by combining the hours of operation for gasoline-powered leaf blowers with those of lawn maintenance equipment. The different hours of operation have caused confusion with residents and police officers alike, and a consistent regulation is strongly encouraged. The chart below shows the current hours and days of operation and the proposed hours and days of operation. With respect to the issue of licensing landscapers, City staff will work with the City Attorney to consider establishing a recommended program that will be submitted to the City Council for approval in late 2001. Licensing requirements that staff will consider will include, but not be limited to decibel levels emitted from lawn maintenance equipment, pesticide usage, and parking of landscaper vehicles. Equipment Current Hours/Days Proposed Hours/Days For Lawn Maint. Equip. & Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers Lawn Maint. Equip. (mowers & tractors) Not Before: 7:30 a.m. on weekdays and 8:00 a.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, and after 8:00 p.m. on Mondays through Thursdays, or after 6:00 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Not Before: 7:30 a.m. on weekdays, 8:00 a.m. on Saturdays, and 10:00 a.m. on Sundays and holidays, and after 7:30 p.m. on all days. Gasoline-powered Leaf Blowers Not Before:8:00 a.m. on weekdays, 9:00 a.m. on Saturdays, and 10:00 a.m. on Sundays and holidays, and after 6:00 p.m. on all days. Recommended Action: Waive First Reading and Grant Final Approval to an Ordinance, Amending Chapter 26, “Offenses”, Of The City Code Of Lake Forest, 1971, As Amended, Regarding Noise Control, beginning on page 9. 2. Consideration of Moratorium on Enforcing No Parking of Landscaping Vehicles East of Sheridan Road PRESENTED BY POLICE CHIEF MICHAEL HOSKING (615-4242) Traditionally, residents living East of Sheridan are informed to call the police department to arrange permission to park if their landscaping trucks don't fit in their driveway. This in itself creates a tremendous workload on the police department by going out and looking at residential driveways where either the landscaping truck won't fit or the homeowner simply doesn't want a truck parked regularly in their driveway. Residents and landscapers then complain when permission is denied or their neighbors complain when permission is granted. It is a lose-lose situation for the police department. Most of the parking problems could be solved if landscapers used 1/2 ton pickups instead of 1 1/2- 21/2 ton dump trucks with attached trailers, however experience tells us that the landscaping vehicles are only getting larger. Staff suggests a temporary moratorium on enforcing the East of Sheridan ordinance against landscapers or other services conducting legitimate business in Lake Forest. Obviously if traffic hazards are created the trucks would have to be moved. The original intent of the East of Sheridan Parking Restriction Ordinance was not to address the parking of commercial vehicles but to restrict the beach parking issue. Should landscaping trucks be determined to not be desired on city streets consideration should be made to making the ordinance city wide which would greatly assist with enforcement and in all likelihood reduce complaints. There are many locations west of Sheridan Road that are equally of concern due to the roadway width of other factors. It is recommended that this matter be further explored over the next six months in conjunction with the other issues surrounding the advantages and disadvantages of licensing landscapers. Recommended Action: Direct staff to prepare the necessary ordinance to address the temporary halting of the parking restriction east of Sheridan Road for landscape vehicles and other business vehicles. NEW BUSINESS 1. Resolution Establishing the Special Events Policy in The City of Lake Forest PRESENTED BY MARCUS PECCIA, MANAGEMENT ANALYST (615-4287) The Resolution Establishing the Special Events Policy in The City of Lake Forest was tabled at the February 15, 2001 City Council meeting. The proposed Resolution was tabled in order to provide City staff the opportunity to clarify Sections 5.0 titled Payment, and 6.0 titled Hardship, in Administrative Directive 1-17. The purpose of the Resolution, to formalize the policy and procedures for the organizers of special events in The City of Lake Forest, has remained the same. As it was pointed out at the February 15 meeting, a review of previous special events and their cost to the City illustrated that City equipment and resources are more frequently taken away from their daily operations to assist with the set-up, tear-down, and organization of the events, and that the City is not recovering its expenses from those activities. By formalizing the special event policy and procedures, the City will be able to recapture its expenses for equipment and resources that are used for special events. Four initiatives developed by staff that will aid in developing a comprehensive special event policy are: Formalize the special event policy and permit application form; Create two special event classifications, Class A and Class B, that distinguish the events by their impact on the community, and their cost to the City; Require that all Class A Events (community-wide events with heavy impact on the community and City) and Market Square Events need City Council approval, and require that all Class A Events located in a City park first be considered by the Park and Recreation Board, which then shall forward a recommendation on to the City Council for its review and approval; and Recover the City’s manpower and resource expenses from the sponsors of large, community-wide events with heavy impact on the community without penalizing those groups that only require minimal assistance from the City. Recommended Action: Adopt the attached Resolution Regarding Special Events in Lake Forest, beginning on page 10. ADDITIONAL ITEMS FOR COUNCIL DISCUSSION EXECUTIVE SESSION ADJOURNMENT Office of the City Manager March 9, 2001 The City of Lake Forest is subject to the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Individuals with disabilities who plan to attend this meeting and who require certain accommodations in order to allow them to observe and/or participate in this meeting, or who have questions regarding the accessibility of the meeting or the facilities, are required to contact City Manager Robert R. Kiely, Jr., at (847) 234-2600 promptly to allow the City to make reasonable accommodations for those persons. March 15, 2001 Agenda Page 4