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Mayor Commends Growth, Calls for Good Relations with NU

Addressing business and the economy, Mayor Morton took note of the vital downtown and several outlying business districts. "We have a strong transportation network, and the City's commercial center is vibrant, and there is new building and restoration in downtown Evanston and elsewhere." She said Evanston's unemployment rate is lower than the national average and that the New York Times recently termed Evanston "'a hotbed of new urbanism and planning ideas.'"

She commended Assistant City Manager Judith Aiello for her foresight and leadership with the Downtown II tax-increment financing (TIF) district. In 2009, a year after the TIF expires, the commercial property along Church Street and Maple Avenue will be on the tax rolls at their improved valuation.

She acknowledged some City measures she saw as positive, such as the youth initiative that will try to train and educate disengaged youth, and some measures she termed "mistakes," such as the City's purchase of a portion of Ridge Avenue because residents of the historic district wished to continue having the post-top stoplights. She commended Public Works Director David Jennings for securing federal funds to cover a portion of the cost of resurfacing Ridge Ave.

The Mayor then reiterated her position on two issues that right now are very much in the public's consciousness: affordable housing and the location of the Civic Center. For the past several years, she has advocated preserving the present Civic Center at 2100 Ridge Ave., and without explaining further, she said, "You all know where I stand."

Last month Mayor Morton vetoed an ordinance that would have required developers of projects above a certain size to allocate 3 percent of those units to affordable housing and either build additional units elsewhere or make a contribution to an affordable housing fund. She said, "To place the responsibility for affordable housing on future developers smacks of a subtle form of discrimination." She said the City already exceeds the state's mandate for affordable housing but said, "Our mission is to open up housing to all of Evanston." She added she believes there are professionals in Evanston who could design an affordable housing program "that will be a model for other cities."

Mayor Morton urged the City and the citizens to continue to strive for good town-gown relations. "Northwestern is the goose that laid the golden egg," she said. She asked residents, elected officials and civic leaders to "show courage" to improve the relations with Northwestern, adding, "We must nurture this partnership that began over a century ago. The picture is clear; we help each other. We are forever linked and there can be no divorce."

Each year, the Chamber of Commerce hosts the Mayor's State of the City address and the Mayor's Awards for the Arts.

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Two New Affordable Condominium Projects Added in South Evanston

Mulford Commons
Reba Place Development has converted this building at 602 Mulford Ave. into two-bedroom condominiums for low-to-moderate-income families.

RPDC has rehabbed a 12-unit building at 602 Mulford Ave., keeping the same number of units but putting in new kitchens and bathrooms, said David Janzen, executive director.

"One of the reasons we started with the kitchens and bathrooms is that those rooms seem to mean a lot to people," said Mary Goering, who managed the Mulford Commons project.

"All the appliances and cabinets are new, which helps a lot in making it look fresh," said Mr. Janzen. The bedrooms, two in each unit, were "patched and repainted."

RPDC added a new roof, said Ms. Goering. "Even though the roof could have lasted a few more years, we didn't want to stick the new condo-owners association with a big bill early on," she added. Because the entire building is heated by one boiler, RPDC provided each unit with two air conditioners that can also heat the unit, to share the heating costs more equitably, Ms. Goering said.

"The units are somewhat small - between 740 and 800 square feet - but they have a good layout: two bedrooms, one bath and an eat-in kitchen that has an indoor window to the living room.

"They don't seem as small as they sound, and it's a great location," said Donna Spicuzza, housing planner for the City, who helped on both the Mulford and the Dobson projects.

RPDC will provide training for these new condominium owners, Ms. Goering said, and will require the new owners to take a three-session home-ownership class offered by Housing Opportunities Development Corporation.

Our Place on Dobson Street

The six condominiums that comprise Our Place at 736-38 Dobson St. offer more space: The three-bedroom, two-bath units have 1,681 square feet, with an eat-in kitchen and a separate living room.

These condos were converted from two-bedroom to three-bedroom units by Evanston Community Development Corporation (ECDA), a coalition of seven African-American church congregations.

Keith Banks of ECDA, "We wanted to make these apartments more family-friendly. They should accommodate four to six people."

He added that their architect, Kevin Campbell of Campbell2Campbell, "is an architect with great vision of how to do this.

"We converted the dining room to the third bedroom, knocked out a wall and added another bath." Mr. Campbell donated a portion of his services to the project, Mr. Banks said.

These units also target those who live and work in Evanston. "Both these condominium developments keep mortgage payments down to about 30 percent of the buyers' income," said Ms. Spicuzza. Our Place is the first affordable project by ECDA; Mulford Commons is the fifth by RPDC.

Financing affordability
Both projects had to be condominiums rather than rental apartments, said Ms. Goering; otherwise the developers would not have been able to obtain financing. Even for owner-occupied units, "it is difficult to communicate how hard it is to do the financing," said Mr. Janzen.

In the Mulford project, for example, there were four layers of financing, he said: HOME funds (funneled from by the Department of Housing and Urban Development through municipal grants), loans from the Federal Home Loan Bank Board and the Illinois Housing Development Authority and a construction loan from First Bank & Trust - "a lot of loans to pay back," said Mr. Janzen.

In each development, HOME funds - $600,000 for the Mulford project and $360,000 for the Dobson - helped defray the cost of the acquisition.

Without the subsidies, though, the projects could not be built, the developers say. For the Mulford development, the HOME funds were less than half of the $1.25 million cost of the property.

In addition, Mr. Banks said, the Dobson project received a grant from Evanston Community Foundation, contributions from First Presbyterian and Lake Street churches and volunteer help from these and other congregations.

"It takes a lot of layers of subsidies to pay for these projects," said Mr. Banks. "And we had to pay market price for the property."

Mr. Janzen points to the rising cost of property as a major obstacle to building affordable housing in Evanston.

While the increases benefit those who already own property, it leaves behind those who do not.

"[The appreciation] is something no one has earned; but the way our system is set up the increased value goes only to those who own property," saidMr. Janzen.

"We have to wrestle hard to get something for those who don't own property. There's no way to build homes or condos for those on the bottom half of the economic scale without extraordinary help. It's a system that squeezes out those on the bottom."

Yet some purchasers of these units may be eligible to participate in Evanston's first-time home-buyers' program.

Under the program, qualified purchasers may obtain up to 97-percent financing through two mortgages, one for 80 percent and the second for the difference between the amount of the first mortgage and the amount of the down payment.

Payments on the second, smaller mortgage will be deferred for five years. More information about the first-time homebuyers' program is available on the City's website, www.cityofevanston.org, or through the Housing Rehabilitation Division of the Community Development Department, 847-866-2927.

The units must remain affordable for at least 15 years; if they are sold within the 15-year period, the sale price may be increased only 3 percent per year, said Mr. Janzen.

At open houses this weekend, prospective buyers may walk through a unit, complete an application for ownership and submit $30 for a credit check.

Though the units in each building are roughly uniform in size, they are priced on a sliding scale, depending upon the income of the buyers.

The Mulford Commons units are priced at $80,000; $100,000 and $160,000. The Our Place units on Dobson Street are priced at $100,000 and $165,000. ECDA hopes to hold an open house within the next few weeks.

Mulford Commons will be open 1-4 p.m. on Feb. 24 and 25, with a presentation at 2:30 p.m. Call RPDC at 847-328-6066.

The Evanston Community Development Association converted the apartments in this building at 708 Dobson St. to spacious three-bedroom apartments, all of which will be sold as affordable units.

Council Trims Percent Property Tax Increase to 3.9 Percent; Final Vote Expected Monday

By Bill Smith

Alderman went into Monday's budget session looking at a 6.5 percent property tax increase, and after several close votes came out with a boost trimmed to 3.9 percent.

The aldermen voted 5-4 to spend $500,000 received from Northwestern University to reduce property taxes after a lengthy debate about budget philosophy.

The $500,000 is almost half of a pool of money - $350,000 each year for three years - that the University said it would to pay after its purchase of 1800 Sherman Ave. took that building off the tax rolls.

For many years the aldermen have tried to follow a budget philosophy that uses one-time revenue only for capital improvements - in the belief that using such funds for day-to-day expenses will lead to more painful budget shortfalls down the road.

However, with the City now scheduled to start receiving property tax revenue from commercial lessees in the building this year, after a transitional period of receiving no tax revenue from it - and perhaps persuaded that a payment spread over three years is not one-time revenue - the aldermen decided to spend almost half the money to cut taxes now.

The aldermen also voted 5-4 to shift $250,000 from water fund reserves into the general fund, despite warnings that it will mean the City will have to start issuing bonds sooner to fund water main improvement projects.
Aldermen Edmund Moran, 6th Ward; Elizabeth Tisdahl, 7th Ward; Cheryl Wollin, 1st Ward; and Melissa Wynne, 3rd Ward, voted against both measures.

The aldermen also approved a suggestion from Ald. Moran to drop a staff plan to start charging residents $1.50 to buy stickers to be used on yard waste bags and reinstate an increase in the trash pickup fee that appears on the water-sewer bill. The increase will be $1.28 per month: from $3.72 to $5 per month.

Ald. Moran said he felt the stickers would be a major annoyance for local residents.

Alderman Ann Rainey, 8th Ward, agreed with eliminating the stickers, but said the trash fee increase was unwise because the fee, unlike the property tax, is not deductible on federal and state income tax returns.

The trash swap, which reduces the property tax levy by a total of $100,000, was approved 5-4 with Aldermen Wollin, Rainey, Steve Bernstein, 4th Ward, and Anjana Hansen, 9th Ward, voting against.

The aldermen will consider the budget at the Feb. 26 City Council meeting. By law, the City must adopt a balanced budget by March 1. At that meeting they may be able to reduce the tax increase even further, having learned on Monday that sales tax revenue has been higher than expected this year. City staff asked for time to do further research before agreeing that it would be prudent to increase the sales tax revenue projection in next year's budget.

Ald. Rainey suggested also increasing the projected revenue from the real estate transfer tax - which has consistently exceeded projections in recent years.

City Manager Julia Carroll said those numbers have been inflated by sales of major buildings, something that cannot be expected to happen every year. Ald. Rainey responded that the big sales have continued for several years and said she argued they now can be expected to continue.

Meet and Greet for the New Chief

Richard Eddington, who will take over as chief of police on March 26, met with Evanston residents for two hours on Sunday at the Civic Center, 2100 Ridge Ave. After a brief speech, he chatted with various individuals and groups. He said he liked the questions from residents and added that he was "not taken aback" by anything he heard. In photo above, Mr. Eddington, right, stands in City Council chambers with (left to right) acting police chief Dennis Nilsson, City Manager Julia Carroll and First Ward Alderman Cheryl Wollin. Mr. Nilsson, who will retire in March after 37 years as an Evanston police officer, said he has "known Richard for years. ... Evanston will be in good hands."

Alderman Wollin to Help Lead National Suburbs Group

First Ward Alderman Cheryl Wollin has been appointed a member of the First Tier Suburbs Council steering committee of the National League of Cities (NLC) for 2007.

In announcing Ald. Wollin's appointment, NLC Executive Director Don Borut said, "Now more than ever, America's suburbs are facing challenges similar to their more urban neighbors. Funding for affordable housing, public safety and transportation, as well as comprehensive immigration reform are among the top issues NLC will address this year.

The steering committee of the First Tier Suburbs Council is the decision-making body that determines the Council's annual work plan. The First Tier Suburbs Council works to address the unique set of challenges faced by municipalities located outside of central cities and inside the ring of developing suburbs and rural areas.

Central Street Workshops Continue

The City of Evanston encourages community members to get involved in the planning process for the Central Street Corridor by participating in upcoming community workshops. All workshops will be held in the Parasol Room of the Evanston Civic Center, 2100 Ridge Ave.

On March 1 from 6 to 9 p.m. the consultant team will review the findings of its analysis along with strategies and concepts for improvement and development of the Corridor, including streetscape design concepts.

On March 29 from 6 to 9 p.m. the workshop will review the planning process to date and refine the Preliminary Corridor Plan and Streetscape Design Concept with stakeholders.

On April 12 from 7 to 10 p.m. there will be a special joint Planning and Development Committee and Plan Commission at which the Corridor Plan/Report and Streetscape design booklet will by presented for review.

Call 847-866-2928 or 847-866-2936. Visit www.cityofevanston.org to track the progress of the project.

Dueling Referenda on Civic Center Location for April Ballot

By Bill Smith

Residents will now have two Civic Center referendum questions to consider when they go to the polls on April 17. One question, placed by Friends of the Civic Center, asks whether the City should remain at its present location, 2100 Ridge Ave.

As second referendum question, approved by aldermen at the Feb. 12 City Council meeting, also asks whether the City should remain at the Ridge Avenue address but adds the qualifier: Should the City remain there at a cost of $31 million?

Aldermen say they hope their referendum, with its cost-added phrase, will kill support for the other referendum.

Alderman Steve Bernstein, 4th Ward, the head of the City Council's Civic Center Committee, had to amend the referendum proposal on the council floor Feb. 12 after it turned out he was not aware of the $31 million cost estimate that was given last year.

The previous City Council voted unanimously to seek a new home for City government, saying the City has no funds to rehab the existing building.

Aldermen say they believe they can come up with a financing plan for the new building if they create a tax-increment financing (TIF) district on the Ridge Avenue site and build the new Civic Center elsewhere using those TIF funds. They have said they can do this without increasing taxes.

Despite many months of closed-session meetings, however, they have failed to close a deal on a site for a new building.

The Friends of the Civic Center organization, which organized the petition drive, says it questions the $31million price tag for rehabbing the Ridge Avenue building, a former Catholic girls' school. Members have also expressed doubts about the financial feasibility of the Council's proposal to create a new building without raising taxes.

John Kennedy, an organizer of the group, told the RoundTable, "I would like to Council to itemize how they arrived at $31 million for renovation - that's $310 per square foot. I spoke recently to a local developer who is close to completing a renovation on a similar size and vintage building for only $130 per square foot, and since it is being converted into condos, he has the added costs of kitchens, multiple bathrooms, and a lot more walls for each unit. Even if we take the full $130 per square foot, that amounts to only $13 million."

He added, "We welcome the dialog and discussion on this topic with the council members. But they have to come at this discussion in a rational and reasonable manner, not quoting outrageous cost figures that have no basis in reality."

A Few Bumps in West Side Plan

By Bill Smith

The pretty pictures of Evanston's West Side Plan started to bump up against the ugly realities of cost and control at a Zoning Committee meeting this month.

"The economics are missing here," developer Walter Kihm said at the meeting Feb. 12. The plan, he said, calls for substantial spending on new streets and utility lines, but makes no provision for how those public improvements will be paid for.

"If this is going to be the bible for the area," he added, "then I think the bible is telling us it's going to put the brakes on a good deal of development in this community."

Planning consultant Leslie Oberholtzer of Farr Associates said the planning work included a market analysis to determine what housing density would be needed to make redevelopment of the area work.

But developer John Wertymer said the cost analysis did not include the public park space and streets. Mr. Wertymer, who is part of a team of developers who control the Tapecoat property on Lyons Street, said at least a third of that property would be devoted to streets in the City's draft plan.

Community Development Director James Wolinski said paying for infrastructure improvements "is a public policy question that the City Council has to address. We really haven't had that discussion fully yet. Typically in suburbia the developer pays for all of it, but this is a different case."

Ms. Oberholtzer said, "I don't think the City can have any kind of discussion about costs until the master plan is adopted by the Council. The master plan is the vision. Until the Council says that's the vision, how can we discuss public-private partnerships to achieve it."

The plan covers land that is owned by roughly 10 different owners, some of whom have no intention of redeveloping their parcels. That could leave planned new through streets as dead ends for decades.

Also unclear at this point is whether the City Council is willing to adopt the detailed new zoning contemplated by the plan and then let developments occur as of right under that zoning, or whether it wants to retain the control over individual projects that it now has using the planned development process.

Developers at the meeting voiced concerns about the added delay and uncertainty the planned development process would create.

But the planned development process also lets developers negotiate for special zoning concessions to make a project more economically attractive - and it lets the City seek individualized public benefits from the developers.

The City Council's Planning and Development Committee is scheduled to discuss the West Side Master Plan at a special meeting at 7 p.m. on Feb. 22.

The Zoning Committee of the Plan Commission will meet again to discuss the zoning rules to implement the plan at 7 p.m. on March 8.

Council Approves 4-Story Project for Old Movie Theaters

By Bill Smith

Aldermen voted 6-2 on Feb. 12 to approve a developer's proposal for a four-story mixed-use building to replace the Evanston Theater complex in the 1700 block of Central Street.

The vote came despite intense opposition from a group of neighors organized as the Friends of Central Street who said the planned building is too tall, does not include enough retail space, and should have underground parking.

A last-minute report prepared by a City consultant and presented at the meeting said that adding underground parking would reduce the projected profit margin on the project to about 7 percent - a level that the consultant said would make it very unlikely the project could be financed.

The development as approved will have up to 51 dwelling units, more than 11,000 square feet of retail space and 100 off-street parking spaces.

Although only opponents of the project turned out for the meeting, Alderman Elizabeth Tisdahl, in whose 7th Ward the project is located, said she had spoken with many who favor the development.

"There are people on both sides of this issue - plenty of them, because it is a hot issue," Ald. Tisdahl said.

She noted that residents in Central Street visioning meetings held earlier this month had called for a three-story height limit for buildings on the street. "But this development has to be considered under the current zoning rules," she said, "and under those rules four stories is allowed."

Alderman Edmund Moran, whose 6th Ward covers the western portion of Central Street, voted against the plan.

Ald. Moran, who participated in the meeting by telephone from Naples, Fla., where he was on business, said the developer of this project has obtained control over several other properties nearby and voiced fears that such control could be used to "trump" the visioning process.

But Alderman Melissa Wynne, 3rd Ward, and Alderman Steve Bernstein, 4th Ward, said they failed to see the relevance of that argument, given that there is now a moratorium on further development projects on Central Street to give time for rezoning expected to be developed from the visioning process to be adopted.

The aldermen also voted to approve tearing down the landmark cottage on the site west of the theater building.
The developer had initially proposed building a five story development and saving the cottage, but dropped that plan after neighbors indicated less height was more important to them than saving the old house.

AT&T Proposes New Video Service for Evanston

By Bill Smith

An AT&T official has told aldermen the phone giant would like to bring a new video service to Evanston to compete with Comcast cable.

Marc Blakeman, an AT&T regional vice president, said the new Internet-protocol-based video service, called U-verse, is delivered over fiber optic lines to distribution boxes called nodes and from there over conventional copper phone lines to the home.

Mr. Blakeman, speaking at an Administration and Public Works Committee meeting Feb. 12, said the cost to consumers for the service is 25 to 42 percent lower than equivalent offerings from Comcast.
He said AT&T is willing to pay fees to the City equivalent to those now paid by Comcast and to deliver public, educational and government access programs over its system.

He added that the system could also make the access channels available to any Internet user, not just to those with the AT&T service.

Between 50 and 100 distribution boxes would need to be located on City rights-of-way to provide the service. The boxes are up to five feet high and two to five feet in width and length.

Mr. Blakeman said AT&T is not willing to sign a conventional cable franchise agreement with the City but will agree to follow City regulations on placing equipment on City rights-of-way.

He said the company would not guarantee to provide service throughout the City but intended to make the service available in all parts of town.

Alderman Ann Rainey, 8th Ward, said, "I believe that it's unfair for the people in Evanston to not have choices" in video service providers.

The AT&T video service typically is bundled with internet DSL service from AT&T and Yahoo.

Current monthly pricing for AT&T's standard 100-channel video offering with 6 Mbps Internet service is $74, compared to $95 for a 78-channel video service and 6 Mbps cable modem Internet service from Comcast.

However the City-mandated basic cable rate on Comcast, which provides mainly over-the-air channels, is $8.29, a price level that the AT&T service does not offer.

AT&T representatives are scheduled to meet again with City staff membersto discuss the service.

Mr. Blakeman said the company already has agreements with North Chicago, Wayne and Bellwood and is in negotiations with at least four other Chicago-area communities.

Jeannie Sanke, president of the Evanston Community Media Center, the non-profit group that operates the City's cable access center, said she is very skeptical of the AT&T proposal.

Ms. Sanke, who did not attend the City Council committee meeting at which the AT&T proposal was discussed, said in a phone interview that she believes that AT&T has not been candid about its dealings with other municipalities.

"I don't think we'll ever get the price of cable television down," she said, "any more than electricity prices have declined with deregulation.

"I don't think competition keeps rates down in the telecommunications sphere," she added.

She stressed that Comcast's basic rate means Evanstonians can get the access channels now for less than $9 a month and voiced doubts that AT&T's offer to provide them for free over the Internet would be any better.

She also claimed that AT&T would "cherry pick" the areas it chose to serve and said any agreement should require that service be provided to the entire community.

The media center gets more than 90 percent of its roughly $500,000 budget from fees the City requires Comcast to charge its customers. Customers of satellite television services, including the Dish Network and Direct TV, do not pay the City fees.

ECO Gal: Tips to Save Energy

By Mayre Press

As the winter heating season brings higher energy bills, residents look for ways to lower costs. An obvious yet overlooked cost-saver is to follow this parental advice: "Turn off the light when you leave the room." A single 60-watt bulb left on for 12 hours a day for one year will cost nearly $20 per year. Multiplying that by the lights in every room shows that leaving lights on is a wasteful habit.

Replacing incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (CLF) yields even greater savings. These energy-efficient bulbs come in a wide range of wattages and types, including three-way lights. For a softer lighting option, try full spectrum bulbs designed for color that is truer to natural light. These high definition (HD) bulbs can last from 5,000 up to 20,000 hours.

Another good idea is to turn off TVs, VCRs, DVD players, stereos and radios when no one is watching or listening. Some suggest unplugging these electronic devices, as they continue to use energy even when turned off.

Save energy in the kitchen by washing only full loads in the dishwasher, which uses less hot water than washing dishes by hand. Set the water temperature at 120° F, and use the air-dry cycle to dry dishes. A refrigerator uses more energy than any other kitchen appliance. Cool hot foods before putting them in the refrigerator or freezer, as heat makes the motor work longer and harder. Give refrigerator coils a thorough cleaning every six months, and make sure the door seal is tight.

Resist the urge to peek inside the oven to check on food - use the oven light instead. Ovens can lose 25 percent of their heat when the door is opened. Use the microwave or toaster oven to re-heat or cook small amounts of food. Another energy saver is to match the pan size with the size of the burner; heat is wasted if the flames are bigger than the pan's base.

Put on a sweater instead of raising the heat. Lowering the thermostat to 68° F saves money. Use ceiling fans to push warm air down and make rooms feel cozy at lower temperatures. A humidifier can make a home more comfortable, especially one with steam heat, which can dry out wood furnishings.

Set the water heater between 115°-120° F, and take showers instead of baths. The average bath uses 15-25 gallons of water, while a five-minute shower uses less than 10 gallons. Save even more by replacing the showerhead with a low-flow model that uses fewer gallons. Turn the faucet off when brushing teeth or shaving.

It is a myth that it is necessary to use hot water to get clothes clean. Many laundry detergents have been reformulated to clean clothes in cold water, which can save up to 12 gallons of hot water per load. Depending on the number of loads of laundry, savings could be $20-40 per year. Another laundry tip is to dry a full load of clothes but not to overload the dryer. Clothes dry faster if they have space to tumble. Using the timer keeps clothes from getting too dry, which can break down fibers.

Many of the energy-saving products noted here are available at www.gaiam.com; a growing number of retailers also sell energy-efficient items.

"Keeping the Warmth in and the Cold Out," a brochure produced by Nicor Gas, was a resource for this article.

Contact the Eco Expert at info@evanstonroundtable.com or ecogal247@yahoo.com.

15 Ways to Save Energy

1. Turn off lights when leaving a room.
2. Replace incandescent bulbs with compact flourescent lamps.
3. Turn off VCRs, DVD players, steros and radios when no one is watching or listening.
4. Unplug electronics when not in use.
5. Wash only full loads in the dishwasher.
6. Cool hot foods before putting htem in the refrigerator.
7. Clean refrgerator coils every six months.
8. Use the oven light, rather than opening the door to check on food.
9. Match pot and pan size with the size of a burner.
10. Put on a sweater instead of raising the heat.
11. Take showers instead of baths.
12. Replace old showerheads with low-flow shower heads.
13. Turn the faucet off when brushing teeth or shaving.
14. Wash laundry in cold water using specially formulated detergent.
15. Dry a full load of clothes, but do not overload the dryer.