CITY COUNCIL 1-22-08 council agendaTHE CITY OF LAKE FOREST
COUNCIL AGENDA
Tuesday, January 22, 2008 7:30 p.m.
City Council Chambers
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL 7:30 p.m.
Honorable S. Michael Rummel, Mayor
Tom E. Swarthout, Alderman First Ward Thomas H. Morsch, Jr., Alderman Third Ward
David D. Grumhaus, Jr., Alderman First Ward Greg C. Hanrahan, Alderman Third Ward
Stuart M. Widman, Alderman Second Ward John A. Looby III, Alderman Fourth Ward
Robert C. Elliott, Alderman Second Ward Deborah T. Haddad, Alderman Fourth Ward
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
REPORTS OF CITY OFFICERS 7:30 p.m.
1. Comments by Mayor
A. Resolution of Appreciation for Donna Linder for Receiving the 2008 Most Influential African American Woman in Lake County Award
A copy of the resolution is attached beginning on page 5.
2. Comments by City Manager 7:35 p.m.
A. Report from State Rep Karen May on Clean Cars Bill Legislation
3. Comments by Council Members 7:45 p.m.
4. Council Committee Reports 7:50 p.m.
A. Finance Committee Report
OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS
CONSENT AGENDA 7:55 p.m.
1. Approval of the Minutes of the January 7, 2008 Regular Council Meeting
A copy of the minutes is attached beginning on page 9.
2. Endowment of Market Square 2000
Attached beginning on page 17 is a letter relating to the endowment for Market Square 2000. As required by the City’s agreement, the City has mailed letters to the individuals listed
on the registry notifying them that the City is requesting $8,000 from the Market Square 2000 Endowment to be set aside to cover costs associated with Market Square, including plant
replacement, bollard and brick maintenance, irrigation repair, and other items. The City is requesting that $8,000 be set aside for maintenance on Market Square.
Recommended Action: Approval of the Consent Agenda as presented.
ORDINANCES
1. Consideration of final approval of an Ordinance Amending the Code 8:00 p.m.
Provisions Relating to Signs Including the Adoption of Signage and
Awning Design Guidelines, Revisions to the Temporary Advertising Sign
Provisions of the Sign Ordinance and Authorizing Directory Signage.
(Final Approval)
PRESENTED BY SENIOR PLANNER PETER COUTANT (847-604-5655)
At the January 7, 2008 City Council meeting, the Council approved first reading of an ordinance amending the provisions of the Code relating to signage. The amendments address items
relating to, process changes, temporary signage, directory signs, design guidelines, and general clarifications and legal issues. The City Council requested two minor non-substantive
changes to the code language, which are incorporated into the revised ordinance on pages 4 and 8. Copies of the proposed Design Guidelines were provided to the City Council at the last
Committee of the Whole meeting and are not included in this packet. Additional copies are available by contacting City staff.
A copy of the Ordinance is included in the Council’s packet beginning on page 19.
Recommended Action: Grant final approval of an Ordinance amending the provisions relating to signage in the City Code.
NEW BUSINESS 8:05 p.m.
1. Project Update on the Development of the Route 60 Community Park
PRESENTED BY DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION
MARY VAN ARSDALE (847-615-4332)
In February 2007, City Council approved Phase I of the new park on Rt. 60 just west of the railroad tracks to address the long term need for a community park in the western portion of
Lake Forest. Phase I improvements, as directed by City Council, were budgeted at a total of $1,948,000, which is the remaining portion of referendum funding that received voter approval
in 2002. In addition staff applied for a $400,000 OSLAD matching grant from the Department of Natural Resources. Approval for grant funding should be determined in late January 2008.
With the uncertainty of the potential funding from the OSLAD grant and due to the necessary phasing of the earthwork and seeding portions, JJR and staff determined that it was in the
City’s best interest to divide Phase I of the project into two separate bid packages, titled Phase IA and Phase IB, with the total amount to not exceed the remaining total bond fund.
Phase 1A of the new park was completed in mid-December and primarily focused on the excavation, site grading, detention pond construction and sod, seed and mesic crops for the fields
and perimeter park areas. The approved budget for Phase IA was $1,241,005.00 and the actual expense was $1,242,788.85. This leaves a remaining balance of $705,211.15 of bond funds and
a potential grant amount of $400,000 for a total of $1,105,211.15 for Phase IB of the project.
In the spring of 2008 City staff plans to move forward with Phase IB of the site development which will include construction of the various recreation site amenities. Phase IB items
includes construction of the baseball fields, walking trail, restroom structure and the parking lot with its landscaping. With the recent commitment of $300,000 from the Friends of Parks
and Recreation, an enhanced picnic pavilion with adjoining restroom facilities is being recommended as part of the scope of this phase. It is anticipated that Phase IB of the project
will be bid in the next 20 days pending Building Review Board approval and City Council approval with construction tentatively planned to begin in April 2008.
As required by the City Code, staff will present plans on January 17th to the Building Review Board for approval on the design of the park pavilion structure and the parking lot landscaping
plan. The goal of the park pavilion structure is to provide shelter, storage and restroom services for up to 100 users of the sport fields and park. With a potential budget of $600,000
for this item of the project, some economies of design were identified. As a result, staff is proposing the use of a 36 feet x 78 feet prefabricated cedar wood shelter that features
a combination open air pavilion, storage and restroom area to accommodate 4 users per gender. The proposed eave height of the structure is 8 feet and the proposed ridge height is 15
feet. To further meet the desired design goals significant natural enhancements are also proposed. Enhancements include the addition of natural stone masonry around the columns and base
of the structure, full masonry fireplace and chimney and a cedar shingle roof. The stone would be a natural field or limestone in buff tones with some rusty accent tones to create warmth.
The height of the fireplace will be 19 feet. These natural elements of stone and cedar will provide a high quality appearance to the structure that is typical of designs throughout
existing park facilities and the Lake Forest community. The intent of the structure is to allow the expansive open space of the park to dominate the views of the park when viewed by
the streetscape and in keeping with the landscape dominate character of Lake Forest.
The parking lot is currently designed as a single bay, 96-vehicle lot, including 4 barrier-free spaces, located to the far west boundary of the park adjacent to Old Bridge Road. The
planting strip along Old Bridge Road is 16 feet wide. Plant materials were selected from the City’s list of acceptable plant materials. The lot will be bid as a gravel lot with asphalt
and permeable paving as alternate surfaces. With future growth of use of the park, the design plan anticipates an additional 108-vehicle lot, including 3 additional barrier-free spaces,
immediately adjacent to the east. The area between the parking bays will serve as a bio-swale, an area filled with native plantings to clean and absorb run-off from the paved surfaces
as the drainage way to the existing detention basin. As a result the landscape design was developed to address existing needs as well as to take into consideration future expansion
impacts. The landscaping plan also reflects the importance of developing a quality streetscape and visual appeal along the western edge of the park while addressing safety needs with
roadway traffic. The reduced volume of plantings on the east side of the parking lot will ensure multiple points of egress into the fields and minimal future removal should lot expansion
occur.
Our overall goal remains to open the park in fall 2008 for community use. As a result, staff will develop the programming options and operational needs of the park and present these
to the Parks and Recreation Board in the spring. In addition, the Parks and Recreation Board will finalize its recommendation for a “name” for the park and will bring this forward for
City Council approval in February or March. Overall, the park is on budget and on track for a grand opening in September 2008.
ADDITIONAL ITEMS FOR COUNCIL DISCUSSION
ADJOURNMENT 8:30 p.m.
Office of the City Manager
January 17, 2008
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.
January 22, 2008 Agenda Page 3