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CITY COUNCIL 4-18-02 Council Agenda TimesTHE CITY OF LAKE FOREST COUNCIL AGENDA April 18, 2002 CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL 7:30 pm 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 Reynolds, Alderman Third Ward Michael J. Burns, Alderman Second Ward James J. Cowhey, Jr., Alderman Fourth Ward S. Michael Rummel, Alderman Second Ward Kimberly G. Moss, Alderman Fourth Ward PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE REPORTS OF CITY OFFICERS 1. Comments by Mayor 7:35 pm A. Appointment to the Elawa Steering Committee B. Consideration of an Ordinance Amending the City Charter and the City Code Regarding the Election of the City Treasurer, the City Marshal and Collector, and City Supervisor (Second Reading and Final Approval) At the October 18, 2001 City Council meeting the City Charter Committee reported its findings pertaining to the Statutory Officers and term of the Mayor. Committee Chairman/State Rep. Susan Garrett reported that the Committee recommended the statutory positions be eliminated and the responsibilities assigned annually to Administrative Staff by the Mayor with approval by the City Council. Attached beginning on page 1 is an ordinance amending the City Charter and the City Code to change the statutory positions from elected to appointed positions. The ordinance would be effective in May 2003, which would allow the three newly elected candidates to serve their one-year term. First reading approval was given at the April 1, 2002 City Council meeting. Recommended Action: Grant second reading and final approval of the ordinance amending the City Charter and City Code to change the statutory officers of City Treasurer, City Marshal and Collector, and City Supervisor from elected to appointed positions. Consideration of an Ordinance to Call for a Referendum Question on the November Election Ballot to Change the Mayor’s Term to Serve a Maximum of Two Two-Year Terms (First Reading) As part of the same City Charter Committee process noted above, a recommendation was made to lengthen the term of the Mayor. After discussion, the majority of the Council agreed that two two-year terms would be the most appropriate length of service. Attached beginning on page 4 is an ordinance calling for a referendum to amend the City Charter to change the term of the Mayor to two two-year terms. Recommended Action: Grant first reading of the ordinance calling for a referendum in the November 2002 election to amend the City Charter to change the term of the Mayor to two two-year terms. Consideration of an Audit Committee Recommendation on the City’s Bond Counsel. The Audit Committee met on April 8, 2002 to interview two firms to serve as Bond Counsel. The Committee unanimously recommended that the Council engage Katten Muchin Zavis Rosenman to serve in this capacity. Attached starting on page 7 is the firm’s proposal. Recommended Action: Motion to authorize the City Manager to retain Katten Muchin Zavis Rosenman to serve as Bond Counsel to The City Of Lake Forest. 2. Comments by City Manager 8:00 pm 3. Comments by Council Members 8:05 pm FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT BY CHAIRMAN JERRY HENRY 1. Report on Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Historical Society Proposal A report and background information is attached as a separate packet. SEWER OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE REPORT ALDERMAN MOSS AND ALDERMAN RUMMEL 1. Recommendation to Retain Baxter & Woodman for Storm Sewer Study At the April 3, 2002 Sewer Oversight Committee meeting, a proposal from Baxter & Woodman (Storm Sewer Consultant) to undertake a more detailed Study of the areas "hit hardest" by the flooding that occurred last fall was presented and discussed. The consensus of the Committee was to proceed with these services which concentrate on the Northmoor Subdivision, Whispering Oaks Subdivision and the area bounded by Everett Road, Old Mill Road, Estate Lane and the Tollway. The consultant will evaluate the information provided by the residents and examine the existing drainage conditions. The consultant will then make recommendations on how to reduce flooding impacts including increasing pipe sizes for deficient storm sewers, improving inlet capacities, and improving overland flow routes. The consultant will also prioritize all of the remaining storm water drainage system improvement projects identified in the original 1991 Storm Water Drainage Study and update cost estimates of the remaining projects. Recommended Action: Motion to authorize the City Manager to retain Baxter & Woodman to provide the study as noted for a not to exceed sum of $23,500. OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL 8:35 pm CONSENT AGENDA 8:45 pm 1. Approval of the Minutes from the April 1, 2002 Regular Meeting A copy of the minutes are attached beginning on page 13. 2. Consideration of a Resolution Ratifying the Execution of a Storm Water and Landscaping Easement Agreement with The Catholic Bishop of Chicago for Work in the Ravine between Lake Forest Cemetery and Saint Mary Cemetery The City has applied for funds under the Great Lakes Coastal Restoration Grant Program to rehabilitate the storm water management system in the ravine that runs through Lake Forest Cemetery and to restore approximately eight acres of ravine habitat. Terms of the grant program require that improvements be made on land owned by the public entity applying for funding. The Archdiocese of Chicago (an Illinois Corporation known as The Catholic Bishop of Chicago) owns a portion of the western side of the ravine in which the improvement is planned. The Archdiocese is willing to grant the City an easement for the sum of $10.00 to allow the project to be constructed and planted on ravine property that it owns. Possession of an easement satisfies the terms of the grant program. A ttached beginning on page 20 is the draft easement agreement the resolution will be provided at the Council meeting. ORDINANCES 1. PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE ISSUANCE OF A TEMPORARY SPECIAL USE PERMIT ON THE EDWARD’S PROPERTY FOR WATER PLANT STAGING 8:50 pm A. Consideration of An Ordinance Granting a Temporary Special Use Permit to Allow the Property at 1471 Lake Road to be Used for Construction Staging and Parking for the Water Treatment Plant Expansion Project (First Reading and Final Approval) 9:00 pm PRESENTED BY: DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CATHERINE CZERNIAK (615-4299) This is a request for a Temporary Special Use Permit to allow vacant property, which is located adjacent to the Water Treatment Plant, to be used for parking and storage for up to two years during construction at the Plant. The property proposed for use is owned by Lake Forest residents Jack and Chris Edwards. The Edwards have agreed to allow the City to use their property to help alleviate congestion in the area during construction activity. The property is zoned R-4 and, therefore, the proposed temporary use requires a public hearing and City Council approval. The Code provides that the City Council may authorize a Temporary Special Use Permit to allow the use of property, by a public agency, in a manner that is in the public interest. Included in the Council packet, on page 29, is a memo prepared by Michael Thomas, Superintendent of Public Works. This memo provides background on the issue and reviews the various options that were studied. The conclusion is that the use of the Edwards’ property should be limited to a parking area for construction worker’s vehicles, location of the general contractor’s trailer and short term storage of materials. Fencing will be erected to screen the portion of the site proposed for use and to protect the Conservation Easement located along the south edge of this property. Use of the property is expected to begin approximately mid-July of this year. Recommended Action: Waive first reading and grant final approved of an ordinance authorizing a Temporary Special Use Permit to allow use of the property at 1471 N. Lake Road during construction of the Water Treatment Plant in a manner consistent with the site plan attached to the Ordinance as Exhibit A. 2. Consideration of a Recommendation from the Plan Commission to Amend Section 46-54, Off-Street Parking and Loading, of The City of Lake Forest Zoning Code. (Second Reading and Final Approval) 9:20 pm PRESENTED BY: DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CATHERINE CZERNIAK (615-4299) On April 1, 2002, the City Council approved first reading of this Code amendment. At that time, the Council directed staff to review the wording of the amendment and clarify that only the portion of the building affected by changes in use or expansion is required to meet current parking regulations. Clarification language has been added and is shown in italics in the ordinance which is included in this packet on page 38. The Plan Commission determined that this Code amendment is needed to encourage the retention of residential units in the Central Business District and to ensure that increased parking is provided in the event that a change of use or increase in floor area occurs resulting in additional traffic and demand for parking in the Central Business District. The Plan Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of this Code amendment to the City Council. Recommended Action: Grant final approval of an Ordinance amending Section 46-54 of the Zoning Code to require current parking requirements to be met if residential units are converted to offices or if useable floor space is added. 3. Consideration of a Report and Recommendation from the Zoning Board of Appeals for a Special Use Permit for Lake Forest Hospital Authorizing Phase I of the Hospital’s 5-Year Master Plan Consisting of Construction of the Center for Women’s Health and the Associated Parking Lot (First Reading and Final Approval) 9:30 pm PRESENTED BY: DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CATHERINE CZERNIAK (615-4299) At the request of neighbors, the City Council postponed consideration of this matter from the April 1, 2002 agenda. At the April 1, 2002, Committee of the Whole meeting, William Ries, President and CEO of the Lake Forest Hospital, reviewed the recent and planned growth of the Hospital’s facilities both at the Lake Forest campus and in surrounding communities. In response, to the presentation, three components were identified for further Council discussion. A recommendation from the Zoning Board of Appeals for approval of Phase I of the Hospital Master Plan. This recommendation was based on the fact that Phase I, the Center for Women’s Health, is primarily intended to replace and enhance services and programs already offered at the Hospital. The Hospital is poised to move forward with this project, and City approvals are required before the necessary State approvals can be requested. A determination of whether a traffic signal should be installed at Deerpath and Westmoreland Road, consistent with the conclusions of several studies and the recommendation of the Transportation Committee. If the signal is to be installed, determinations on the timing for installation and on how the signal will be funded are also needed. A broader discussion of the future of the Hospital and the costs and benefits of further expansion of the facilities at the Lake Forest campus on the community. At this time, the first component, the recommendation of the Zoning Board of Appeals is before the City Council for action. On June 25, 2001, September 24, 2001, and February 25, 2002, the Zoning Board of Appeals held public hearings and considered a request from the Lake Forest Hospital for approval of the Hospital’s 5-Year Master Plan. In addition to hearing testimony from neighboring property owners on several occasions, the Board took a walking tour of the Hospital campus and reviewed traffic studies related to the Hospital. On October 26, 2001, Chairman Avery sent a memo to Mayor Kerr seeking direction on the traffic issues related to the Hospital. In response to that memo, the City Council directed that, as a follow-up to the traffic studies commissioned by the Mayor’s Transportation Committee, and by the Hospital, a warrant study be completed for the Deerpath and Westmoreland Road intersection. The warrant study has been completed and confirms the findings of the two earlier traffic studies. The installation of a traffic signal and reconfiguration of the intersection is currently warranted. The results of the warrant study were presented to the Zoning Board of Appeals at the February meeting. The Board wrestled with how best to coordinate the timing of the installation of the traffic signal and the approval of the Hospital’s Master Plan. After much discussion, and taking into account the Hospital’s need for timely City approval of the Center for Women’s Health to allow the required State approval process to get underway, the Board determined that considering the Master Plan in phases was an appropriate approach. The Board voted unanimously to recommend approval of Phase I of the Master Plan to the City Council. Phase I includes construction of a 72,000 square foot Center for Women’s Health on the south side of the existing hospital, and construction of a 125 car parking lot near the new building. The Board recommended approval of this project subject to several conditions including conditions related to the siting of the parking lot, landscaping, lighting and screening of the development from the adjacent homes. The conditions address various issues raised by neighbors during the process. Approval of Phase I of the Hospital Master Plan is recommended independent of the installation of the traffic signal, but with a condition that the signal must be installed before later phases of the Master Plan are approved. Those later phases include a parking structure and new medical office building. It is important to note that the Center for Women’s Health is intended to replace and enhance the services currently offered at the Hospital. No new beds are being added to the Hospital through construction of the Center for Women’s Health. The new parking lot is intended to help ease overcrowding in existing lots and provide convenient parking to users of the Center for Women’s Health. Although the Phase I construction will generate some additional traffic, the increase is considerably less than that expected from the new medical office building planned in the later phases of the Master Plan. In conjunction with the recommendation on Phase I of the Master Plan, the Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously wanted to convey to the City Council the importance of ensuring that a traffic signal be installed at Deerpath and Westmoreland Road in a timely manner. The conditions of approval recommended by the Zoning Board of Appeals are attached to the ordinance which begins on page 40 of this packet. The Hospital Master Plan and other background information was included as under separate cover material for the April 1, 2002 City Council meeting. Recommended Action: Waive first reading and grant final approval of an ordinance granting a Special Use Permit authorizing Phase I of the Lake Forest Hospital Master Plan, as unanimously recommended by the Zoning Board of Appeals and subject to conditions of approval Direct staff to prepare a report summarizing the two traffic studies, the warrant study and the recommendations of the Transportation Committee and the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee with respect to the installation of a traffic signal at Deerpath and Westmoreland Road. Direct that this report be presented to the City Council for discussion at the May 16, 2002 Council meeting. Direct staff to schedule a joint meeting between the City Council and the Hospital Board this summer to review the Hospital’s longer term plans for growth, the impacts of that growth on the community, and the cost to the Hospital and the community, if further development of the Hospital and related facilities does not occur. NEW BUSINESS Approval of Owner’s Representative Services for the Water Plant and 36” Water Transmission Main Projects 10:00 pm PRESENTED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC WORKS MICHAEL THOMAS (615-4265) The Water Plant and 36” water main projects are scheduled to be placed out for competitive bidding on May 1 with the bid opening on Thursday, June 13 and City Council approval on July 1. Construction of the Water Plant is anticipated to take approximately 18-24 months to complete. The 36” water transmission main should be completed by late December, 2002. The Water Plant Ad-Hoc Oversight Committee is recommending that the City contract with an Owner’s Representative for general oversight of the general and water and sewer contractors, along with both construction engineering firms. Both projects will present significant challenges as they proceed through construction. Construction sequencing, staging, and potential resident concerns will require daily oversight and management of both projects. Due to the projected time demands both projects will require, the overall importance of both projects, and other priorities assigned to City staff, the Ad-Hoc Oversight Committee is recommending City Council contract with an Owner’s Representative working on the City’s behalf. The Owner’s Representative would be responsible for the following items: ensuring that representatives of the engineering firm and the general contractor for each project are present at the project site, fielding questions from the respective engineering firm and general contractor on matters for which the City must make a determination, acting as the City's field representative to interact with City residents, ensuring that the respective general contractor and engineering firm are working together and, if not, arranging meetings between the respective general contractor, engineering firm, and the City to resolve any issues, and observing each project and bringing to the City's attention any apparent irregularities to be addressed by the respective engineering firm or general contractor. Requests for Qualifications were sent to numerous construction management firms. Five firms submitted their qualifications and were subsequently reviewed by the Ad-Hoc Oversight Committee which selected three firms to interview. Clark Dietz, Inc. (Kenosha), Montgomery-Watson-Harza (Chicago) and Project Management Advisors (Chicago). All three firms presented excellent qualifications, however the Committee focused on two significant areas: 1) the ability and quality of the person who would actually be on site, and 2) the firm’s proposed cost. The Committee felt that Project Management Advisors was the one firm that truly understood the expectations of the Owner’s Representative and also provided competitive pricing. Jim Johnson, a Lake Forest resident, would be appointed as the owner’s representative. Mr. Johnson will be leaving his position as Director of Public Works in Highland Park and will return to the consulting field effective May 1. Mr. Johnson is a licensed engineer and has had recent experience with upgrades to Highland Park’s Water Plant and played a significant role in a multi-year installation of a water transmission main through the east-side of Highland Park. Provided as a separate attachment is a copy of Project Management Advisor’s proposal and contract. Recommended Action: The Ad-Hoc Oversight Committee recommends that the City Council enter into an agreement with Project Management Advisors for the general oversight of both the Water Plant and 36” water main projects for an amount not to exceed $165,980. 2. Consideration of an Agreement Between The City of Lake Forest and Lake Forest Open Lands Association with Respect to Outdoor Environmental Education 10:20 pm PRESENTED BY CITY MANAGER ROBERT R. KIELY, JR. (616-4271) For the past year, representatives of The City and Lake Forest Open Lands have been discussing ways to enhance the collaboration of the two parties as it pertains to providing outdoor education and recreational programming within the community. Both the City and Open Lands have a long and rich history of educating the residents on the value of preserving the local ecosystems, wildlife and their habitat. Attached beginning on page 43 is a proposed agreement that encourages collaborative programs between the parties which fosters the mission of both Lake Forest Open Lands and the Recreation Department’s Wildlife Discovery Center. Recommended Action: Approve the proposed joint agreement. ADDITIONAL ITEMS FOR COUNCIL DISCUSSION EXECUTIVE SESSION ADJOURNMENT 10:40 pm Office of the City Manager April 11, 2002 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. April 18, 2002 Agenda Page 8