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Council Extends Moratorium, Exempts Freeman Property

Cyrus Homes, developer of the recently approved Church Street Village town homes, is seeking City approval for a new housing project on the Bishop Freeman site.

The moratorium was imposed on April 11 to give the City time to plan for anticipated redevelopment of the industrial area on the west side that runs along the former rail corridor. The moratorium was extended once before, in August, and had been scheduled to expire Tuesday.

Plans developed for the area by City consultants will get a second hearing before the Plan Commission tonight and are expected to be up for City Council consideration in January.

At Monday's Council meeting Joan Safford, 1618 Wesley Ave., objected to exempting the Bishop Freeman property from the moratorium extension, saying it could disrupt plans for new streets and bicycle paths contained in the area-wide planning documents.

Mary McWilliams, 1606 Wesley Ave., said the planning process for the west side had "opened my eyes to the complexity of City planning" and voiced the hope that the planning process would "bring two neighborhoods together." She said allowing the exemption would weaken the plan and undermine its basic premise.

Alderman Lionel Jean-Baptiste, 2nd Ward, defended the exemption, saying the developers of the Bishop Freeman site "have been involved in every meeting" on the west side plan. "They understand the plan, they know the expectations and they intend to stay consistent with the plan's guidelines," he said.

Cyrus Homes Chairman Walter Kihm says his firm's proposal for the site will match the housing density proposed in the consultant's report, but that it will include a greater variety of housing types.

The plans, developed by FitzGerald Associates Architects, call for six- and nine-flat condominium apartment buildings to front on Foster Street, a mid-rise mixed use condominium building fronting on Emerson Street and townhouses in the center of the property.

The mid-rise building would be just east of the Jacob Blake senior citizen mid-rise building on Emerson.

The new proposal will still need to go through the City's planned development approval process, which requires several public hearings and typically takes several months to reach a final vote by the City Council.

Cyrus President Ron Fleckman said units in the Church Street Village project have continued to sell at a steady pace, despite reports of a slowing housing market. He said another one or two units have been sold since groundbreaking for the project last month.

Mr. Fleckman said that although the new development may be "in the pipeline" before the City's recently approved inclusionary housing ordinance takes effect, it will include an affordable housing component on site.

"It's the right thing to do and important for the neighborhood," he said.

He estimated that units in the development would range in price from $200,000 to $500,000.

He said he sees a need for new housing for young professionals - "children of people who've lived on the west side all their lives" - who would like to move back to Evanston, but find nothing appropriate to their needs in the neighborhood now.

The developers also say they plan to bury utility lines that now cross the site diagonally along the old rail-bed as part of the landscaping plan for the site.

It was just about a year ago that an earlier proposal for the Bishop Freeman site from a different developer ran into a chilly reception from City officials at a Site Plan and Appearance Review Committee meeting.

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Borrowers and Lenders Keep Swedish Smorgasbord Alive

On Dec. 13, Saint Lucia Day in Sweden, many girls still rise before dawn and, wearing a crown of lighted candles to illuminate the still-dark house, carry saffron buns and steaming coffee to their families.

Through the dusky days of December the Swedish bask in a holiday glow, waiting 20 days after Christmas to toss the dismantled tree into the snow.

But the centerpiece of the long Swedish celebration is the feast called smorgasbord. Like the saint who traveled from Italy, the custom of smorgasbord is alive today far from its land of origin.

Mildred Carlson Avery was born in Evanston in 1909. Her parents, immigrants from Sweden, never returned to the country of their birth. But their family kept the Christmas traditions of Sweden in their Evanston home.

For young Mildred and her two brothers and four sisters, Christmas Eve was the biggest holiday of the year. Their Christmas Eve celebration, centered on religion and family, called for small gifts - and "food, and plenty of it," says Ms. Avery.

It took plenty of time to cook that food.

So elaborate was the meal that preparations began at least two weeks in advance, Ms. Avery says. The middle child, she worked in the kitchen at the elbow of her mother as her older sisters had done before her. Many of their recipes had been handed down for generations.

She recalls helping make limpa bread and potato sausage as well as jellied loaves of veal and of pig's head, feet and knuckles. Her mother pickled herring and soaked, then boiled, dried cod for the Nordic delicacy called lut fisk ("the big thing" for Christmas Eve, Ms. Avery says).

In her childhood their seafood came from two excellent Swedish fish shops in Evanston, she recalls. One was on Main Street near what is now the post office, the other on Benson Avenue between Church and Davis streets.

"My folks had lots of friends who were Swedish," says Ms. Avery - not surprising, as by 1900 Chicago had the second-largest urban Swedish population in the world.

The Carlsons bought Swedish cheeses at the fish store, too. But Ms. Avery says baked goods, which were "almost as important as the Christmas food," had to be homemade.

She still bakes fragrant pepparkakar, paper-thin spice cookies; skorpor, toasted coffee breads; and delicate krumkakar, which she rolls into cylinders when they are hot off the iron.

The meal ended with rice pudding served with lingonberries. An almond placed in the pudding was said to foretell the finder's marriage within a year. But although the Carlson children slipped the prize to their parents' same single friend for years, Ms. Avery reports that "she never married."

Festivities concluded early, as the family woke at 4 a.m. - not without protest, says Ms. Avery - in order to walk several miles to their church at Dempster and Elmwood. There the Julotta service was conducted by candlelight.

"It was a beautiful scene as we came home, walking into the sunrise," says Ms. Avery.

As heirs to the family home in which she still lives, Ms. Avery and her husband also inherited responsibility for the Christmas Eve gathering. For years they hosted, adapting the menu to changing tastes with the likes of spaghetti alongside the lut fisk.

Nancy Franzen relishes her role in perpetuating Swedish customs, though she married into a Swedish family rather than being born to one. "Their Christmas traditions are so much fun," Ms. Franzen says.

She was an eager student of her mother-in-law's cooking. By the time her three children were born, Ms. Franzen was serving the Christmas Eve meal in her own Evanston home.

More than 20 years ago Ms. Franzen began inviting Kathy and Bill Kastilahn and their boys. Ms. Kastilahn's heritage was authentic - a Swedish grandmother who had lived in Andersonville, Chicago's Swedish neighborhood.

Together she and Ms. Franzen segued from assembling the huge smorgasbord at Wilmette Lutheran Church to collaborating on a complex meal of their own.

The shopping list for their Christmas fete is a snapshot of Sweden past. Each year it requires a trip to Erickson's Deli and the Swedish Bakery on Andersonville's Clark Street. One year they found themselves in line outside the deli - and it was not yet 6 a.m.

Ms. Franzen has collected things that make Swedish homes so inviting at the holidays: a candelabra for the window, a metal Lucia crown - and the wooden elves called tomte, who help with farm and housework. She gives one to each child each Christmas.

Beginning with the colorful tablecloth her mother-in-law embroidered, Ms. Franzen lays the Christmas Eve table with appetizers (herring, shrimp, crab, deviled eggs, Swedish cheese, hard sausage, hardtack, limpa bread); salads (pickled cucumbers and beets, red cabbage); main dishes (lut fisk, ham, meatballs, whole poached salmon, scalloped potatoes, brown beans); and a dessert of rice pudding and Christmas cookies. Glogg, a hot drink of wine and grain alcohol, has a starring role.

This year Ms. Franzen's daughter-in-law, Kathryn Mary Grady, is bringing from Los Angeles the book of smorgasbord recipes she compiled for the family. Will and Jody Kastilahn will be bringing seven-month-old Liam, the first of the fourth generation to attend the smorgasbord.

Never mind that the baby is just one-sixteenth Swedish, says his grandmother: "Smorgasbord is not so much about being Swedish as it is about drawing families together." Yet, says Ms. Franzen, "as the families blend, it still rises to the top."

Robberies and Burglaries Rising; Murder Down, Police Say

By Bill Smith

Only about a dozen citizens and another dozen City employees were in the audience to hear Dennis Nilsson, the City's acting police chief, report that crime in Evanston rose 7 percent during the first six months of this year, compared to the same period a year ago. But that rate was down substantially from the crime rate during the second half of 2005. For the full year, the City's crime rate in 2005 was at its lowest level in 35 years.

Chief Nilsson said that among the eight major crimes tracked by the FBI crime index, the big increases during the first half of the year were seen in robberies - up 56 percent - and burglaries - up 65 percent. Although he did not mention it, Evanston has been murder-free during the first 11 months of 2006. The City typically has had two or three murders per year.

The chief said that typically 97 percent of all crimes are committed by three percent of the population and that in Evanston, "Most of our criminals are homegrown."

Among adults arrested for crimes in Evanston during the first half of the year 56 percent live in Evanston, 27 percent live in Chicago and 17 percent live in other communities, he said. Among juveniles arrested, 73 percent live in Evanston, 20 percent live in Chicago and 7 percent live in other towns, he added.

He also said that most people convicted of committing crimes in Evanston who serve jail time eventually return here.

The police force has 162 sworn officers and 62 full-time civilian employees.

Chief Nilsson said he needs better crime analysis software to improve tracking of crime trends on a daily basis and deploy resources to respond. The department is currently three months behind in posting monthly crime summaries to the City's website, www.cityofevanston.org.

He also urged the Council to hire additional officers for a tactical team so that fewer officers would have to be pulled off their regular assignments for special crime-fighting efforts.

The aldermen scheduled another workshop to discuss crime issues for 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Jan. 27.

City Manager Julia Carroll said she hoped to invite representatives from the schools, churches and non-profit organizations to attend that meeting.

But noting that the tactical team proposal - for eight officers and two supervisors - could cost $1 million a year, she and several aldermen at Monday's session voiced doubts that the City could afford to fund that program given other budgetary pressures.

How to Get Through the Winter Without a Fine For Violating Snow Regulations

Here is a guide to what may seem the maze of parking regulations for residents of Evanston. These regulations remain in effect through March 31, 2007.

The City advises residents as follows:
• Anticipate snow route parking bans and snow emergencies.
• Do not park on the snow routes at night.
• During a snow emergency, park on the proper sides of residential streets during the day.
• Clear your sidewalks of snow and ice.
• Clear parking lots for which you are responsible, without pushing snow into adjacent streets, alleys or sidewalks.

Snow alerts
Community members can use any of the following resources to verify Evanston's snow situation: recorded messages, 847-864-SNOW(7669); tune to Cable Channel 16; the City's website, www.cityofevanston.org; and WPXZ-497 AM Radio 1650. The City's website also features registration for the E-News electronic newsletter that will send snow removal status directly to the community members via e-mail. Visit www.cityofevanston.org/newsletter to sign up.

Inquiries or complaints about snow removal should be directed to Streets and Sanitation, 847-866-2940, or publicworks @cityofevanston.org.

Snow route parking bans
During snow route parking bans, main thoroughfares in Evanston are designated as snow routes and are cleared first.

• Permanent red, white and blue signs are posted to indicate that parking is illegal on these streets between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. after the accumulation of at least 2 inches of snow.
• Snow route parking bans can be in effect for one night or more, depending on the snowfall. Even if plows have been through, snow removal operations may require return visits by City trucks.
• The fine for violating the snow route parking ban is $50, plus towing and storage charges.
• When community members move their cars to nearby side streets, they are reminded to follow the snow-clearing regulations for that side street.

Snow emergency
• After an accumulation of 4 inches or more, a snow emergency may be declared.
• Sirens will not be used to provide notice of snow emergencies in Evanston, though they are used in Skokie and can be heard in Evanston.
• Snow emergencies apply to streets with parking on both sides which are not posted as snow routes and would normally be plowed over a two-day period.
• During an emergency, parking is not allowed on the even-numbered sides of the street on even days, nor on the odd-numbered sides of the street on odd-numbered days. Permanent signs indicating alternate-side parking rules are found on every block that is affected.
• Cars parked illegally are subject to ticketing and towing. If towed, cars will be returned to the vicinity from which they were towed. For vehicles that are towed, the fine is $100; for vehicles just ticketed, the fine is $25.
• Most streets with parking on one side only now have permanent "odd date" or "even date" signs that allow them to be plowed during snow emergencies.
• Homeowners and businesses are responsible for clearing sidewalks adjacent to their properties within 24 hours after a 4-inch snowfall. If snow is packed and difficult to remove, community members may use salt or sand to make sidewalks passable.
• When shoveling sidewalks, community members should clear a path that is at least 36 inches wide to allow everyone, including people with disabilities and the elderly, to travel freely using the sidewalks instead of the streets.
• Removal of snow and ice from the sidewalks, curb cuts and parking lots can help to prevent needless accidents and injuries.
• Landlords are responsible for keeping sidewalks, parking lots and all common areas, including open stairwells, free from all hazardous conditions at all times. For more information on the City's regulations for clearing snow, contact the Division of Property Standards, 847-866-2927.

Snow courtesy
The City also advises residents that when driving during snow removal operations, that should give snow plows enough room to do their jobs safely:

• Do not follow too closely behind the plow; do not pass a snow plow on the right; and slow down, as visibility may be reduced by blowing snow caused by plowing. Also:
• Consider elderly or disabled neighbors who may not be able to shovel their own walks and offer to help them clear snow. Anyone interested in providing this service to seniors or disabled citizens, as well as people requesting assistance with snow removal should contact the Commission on Aging at 847-866-2919.
• Identify nearby fire hydrants and be sure that the hydrants are accessible at all times. Clear a path to the fire hydrant and dig out around the fire hydrant.

Alleys and snow mounds
Mounds of snow left at the curb by City plows are unavoidable. Work crews cannot stop to clear driveways as this occurs. Though the City does not plow alleys, large garbage and recycling trucks that continue collections will keep alleys passable during most snowstorms. To have an alley plowed, residents can ask their neighbors about sharing the cost of one of the many private plowing companies listed in the Yellow Pages.

For further information, contact the Division of Streets and Sanitation, 847-866-2940.

Evanston Earns Silver for Being Green

The City of Evanston achieved silver status within Clean Air Counts (CAC), a Northeastern Illinois regional initiative to reduce ozone-causing emissions, thereby improving air quality and enabling economic development, for three of its initiatives, some new this year.

CAC recognized the successful "No Mower Pollution Day" held last May by the Department of Health and Human Services, which allowed community members to trade in gas cans and gas-powered lawn-care equipment for rebates toward purchases of environmentally-friendly devices.

More than 100 gas-powered lawn-care devices are no longer in use, 140 gas cans were collected and 1,000 pounds of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) did not enter the air.

CAC also recognized the grant awarded to Evanston from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation to replace 162 incandescent lights in the City's traffic signals with energy-efficient LED lights.

Additionally, CAC acknowledged the 149 City trucks have been operating on a 20-percent blend of bio-diesel for the past three years, and the regulations the City is enforcing that will directly affect air quality, such as the incinerator ban and the anti-idling ordinance.

For 2007 Evanston has committed to cleaning its building using "green" chemicals that have a smaller impact on the environment.

After becoming a bronze-level member in 2005 and achieving silver status this year, City officials say their next step is to go for the gold.