Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/08/1991 COW minutes Minutes COMMITI'EE OF THE WHOLE October 8, 1991 I Roll Call The meeting was called to order at 7:37 p.m. by Mayor Gerald L. Farley. Trustees present were Mark Busse, George Clowes, T~m Corcoran, Leo Floros, Paul Hoefert, and Irvana Wflks. Also present were Village Manager John F. Dixon, Public Works Director Herbert L. Weeks, Deputy Public Works Director Glen Andler, Planning & Zoning D~rector David Clements, Planner Mike S~ms, F~nance Director David C. Jepson, three members of the news me&a and three Village residents. II Minutes , The Committee of the Whole Minutes of September 24, 1991 were accepted and filed. IIi Trustee Mark Busse took this opportunity to present a plaque to Mayor Farley from the Mount Prospect Football Association. Trustee Busse represented the Village at a banquet commemorating the Mount Prospect Football Association's 35th Anniversa~. IV K~nsington Business Center Annexation Agreement Village Manager Dixon reported to the Committee that the 10 year annexation agreement with Opus, Inc. for the development of the Kensington Center for Business expired m April 1991. Dunng the term of the agreement Opus had been responsible for mmntenance of three entrance markers and the common property in the development. Over the past two years, Village Staff has been meeting with Opus and certain property owners to spell out the responsibilities of each party. Mr. Dixon stated that Dale Jesse, President of the Kensington Business Owners Association was in attendance at the meeting Village Manager Dixon said there were four issues that had not been resolved. The first was the three entrance signs to the center. The Village had granted Opus permission to build the si~s on public fight-of-way vath the condition that Opus and its successors perpetually maintain the signs and the landscaping around the signs Mr. D~xon stated that the property owners had requested that the signs be changed to eliminate the name "Opus" from the stgns and add Village of Mount Prospect. He smd they also requested that the Vdlage help maintain the signs and the landscaping. The second issue was maintenance of certain common areas of parkways and the cul-de-sacs in Kensington. Mr. D~xon stated that parkway areas are generally maintained by adlacent property owners but that there were three common areas and five cul-de-sacs which are not adjacent to one specific property. The property owners had requested that the Village assume maintenance of the common areas and the cul-de-sacs. Mr. Dixon smd the estimated cost to add these areas to the Village's moving contract was $9,000. The third issue was the /-") maintenance of b~ke trails and the footbridges. Mr. Dixon explained that River Trails Park District had declined to accept the responsibday of the bike trails and consequently, the Village clearly has this responslbihty. However, there was a question regardtng replacement of benches and waste receptacles. The last issue regarded the maintenance of detentmn ponds in Kensington. Under the annexation agreement, the Village has the responsibility for inflow and outflow structures and the dept of the ponds and the property owners are responsible for fresh water wells and the related electricity. Mr D~xon stated that we all share a concern that the ponds be maintained properly. Mr. Dale Jesse, president of Kensington Business Owners Association, stated that the Owners Association was formed last spring to monitor the maintenance in the park. Mr. Jesse smd that many business owners came to the Kensington Center because of the attractiveness of the park and its premier locatton. Mr. Jesse added that the business owners were a part of the community and wanted to be good corporate citizens. He said they would like to see the Opus name removed from the entrance signs and replaced by the "Village of Mount Prospect."' The property owners would also like the Village to assume the maintenance of the s~gns and costs of electricity. He said he agreed wath Mr. Dtxon that we need more information regarding the ponds Trustee Busse said he agreed that Kensington was a premier business park and that it adds '~ a great deal to the Village. It provides jobs as well as sales taxes and property taxes. .9 Additionally, the businesses from the park contribute to the civic and social groups m the community He smd he would hke to see the Village continue to work wath the owners association. In regard to the entrance stgns he asked Mr. Dixon to explain the Village's policy regarding entrance signs Mr. Dixon responded that the Village will repair a damaged entrance s~gn ~f we can collect from the person who damaged the stgn. Otherwise, the Village does not repair the sign Trustee Busse also asked if parking lots m Kensington wall need to be maintmned at a higher standard than the reqmrements that were in erastence when the parking lots were originally constructed. Mr. Dixon said only new lots or additions will need to be maintained at current code standards. Trustee Hoefert said the entry markers for business areas are a benefit to the owners and that he did not support taking on the maintenance of these signs. Trustee Coreoran said he also thought the Kensington entrance markers were meant to be advertising and he was not in favor of maintaining the signs. Trustee Coreoran smd he realized the center produced s~gniflcant revenue but he did not think businesses should get special consideration because of the revenue they generate. Trustee Floru~ said when approval was given to Opus to put up the entrance signs, it was understood that it was for their benefit more than for the Village. He agreed the Kensington businesses were good corporate citizens but that they should maintain the signs Mayor Farley said that the consensus of the Board was not to take the responsibility for the signs. 2 In regard to the maintenance of the cul-de-sacs and common areas, Mr. Dixon said the Village does maintain areas on Lonnquist Blvd., Elmhm'st Avenue, Evergreen Avenue, Prospect Avenue, and certain pans of the Central Road fight-of-way. Public Works Director Weeks said there are a m~mber of cul-de-sacs in residential areas that are all maintained by residents. Mr. Dixon said there are 5 cul-de-sacs in Kensington with a center island and 3 areas with are not associated with any one specific property. He estimated it would cost the Village $9,000 per year to maintain these areas. Trustee Corcoran asked ff a covenant to the property required the property owners to form a property owners association. Bob Richmond, wce-president of the owners association, said there was no requirement to form an assodation when they purchased the property. He said they found out later that Opus would only be maintaining the property for a limited time. Trustee Corcoran said he sympathized with the property owners and would like to see the properly owners maintain the areas in question and the Village then reimburse them for the cost. He asked Herb Weeks to get an estimate from the contractor who does work for the Village. Trustee Closes said he did not see how we could accept improvements but not the responsibility for them. However, he said he was concerned about providing parkway maintenance and did not support accepting this responsibility. Trustee Wilks said she was concerned about the emPty buildings in Kensington. She said she would like to see a firm cost figure and a compromise worked out with the property owner. Trustee Flows said he did not support maintaining the entrance markers, but he did support maintaining the cul-de-sacs and the common areas. He said the demands from the Kensington properties are mlnlm~! and that we should not be ~mmlndful of the fRnds received from those properties. Trustee Hoefert said he was concerned thai future m~intenance costs could be significant. He said he supported accepting maintenance of the common areas along Wheeling Road but he thought the adjacent property owners could maintain the afl-de-sacs along with their own properties. Mayor Farley said there was a consensus for the Village to proceed with the maintenance of the afl-de-sacs and common areas. During the disa~ion of the bike trails, the Committee generally agreed that the Village should f~d611 its responsibility to maintain the bike trails. Trustee Corcoran said he would like to see a North and South llnk to the trails so more people could use them. There was also some concern about maintaining the furniture and benches but the consensus was that these items were necessary. The Committee and the representatives of the Kensington Business Owners Assodauon supported the Village M~ager's recommendation that the Village hire an expert on pond maintenance to set up a consistent maintenance program_ Mayor Farley said the Vdlage Manager should proceed and bring the recommendations back to the Village Board. Trustee Busse asked about the status of the traffic signal at Feehanxalle Drive and Wolf Road. Mr. Duton responded that Opus has agreed that they are responsible for the signal and the design work should be completed by the end of October. He added that the Village is still discussing a possible payment to Opus for oversizing of water mains. Mr. Duton said that Opus wants this tssue resolved before the traffic signal is installed V Comprehenstve Housing Affordabihty Strate~ Planning and Zoning Director David Clements explained that a Comprehensive Housing Affordabihty Strategy (CHAS) is a new requirement of ail recipients of Community Development Block Grant funds The CHAS is a five-year plan to make affordable housing avmlable m Mount Prospect. Mr. Clements commended Planner Mike Sims for the work he put into developing the CHAS and asked him to summarize the plan for the Committee Mr. Sims stated that the CHAS has four major elements: 1) CHAS development and citizen participation; 2) Development of a Community Profile; 3) Development of the five-year strategy, and 4) the actions during the first year of the plan The CHAS identifies five housing priorities m the Village: 1.To provide new construction housing for elderly low income residents by a mayamum of 50 units of new HUD assisted elderly housing. * 2. To address the special needs of elderly low income and very low income residents m various housing settings by encouraging the creation of more shared senior ~') housing, continuing to rehabilitate senior citizen homes through the Village's 0% Interest Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program, and by encouraging senior citizens to participate in the Section 8 existing housing assistance payments vouchers and certificates programs operated by the Housing Authority of Cook County. 3. To prowde housing opportunities for tirst-time Iow income homeowners. Achieving this priority will require the Village of Mount Prospect to enter into a consortium wth Des Plalnes, Arlington Heights, and Schaumburg, in order to be ehgible for new HOME Program funds. 4. To promote a fmancaal rental assistance program throughout the Village by encouraging owners of rental property m Mount Prospect to participate in the Section 8 existing housing assistance payments programs and other HUD/CDBG supported financial assistance programs for the rehabilitation of apartments. 5. To provide financial assistance in the purchase or rehabilitation of housing for the mentally ill by assisting the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill m purchasing five residential homes over the next five years tn Mount Prospect. The actions to be taken dunng the first year includes seeking a not-for-profit developer to submit a 50 unit senior citizen housing application to HUD, promoting the senior shared housing program and Section 8 exastmg housing assistance payment vouchers or certificates ~'~ programs, discussing the formation of a CHAS consortium with Arlington Hetghts, 4 Schaumburg and Des Plaines, and assisting the National Alliance for the Mentally III and purchasing or rehabilitatin~ one home in Mount Prospect. In response to a question by Trustee Corcoran, Mr, Sims stated the maximum of 50 new units for elderly low income housing was based upon the land available and marketing demand. Trustee Floros said he thought this figure was low. Trustee Clowee said he did not think the $90,000 figure was accurate for low priced condominiums and he would like the figures reviewed. Trustee Hoefert also expressed a concern that the housing prices unfairly represented conditions in the Village. Trustee Wilks said she was pleased with the report and that Mount Prospect has been a leader in providing affordable housing. Tom Lamber of National Alliance for the Mentally Ill and lack Markowski of Northwest Housing Partnership said they were pleased with the CHAS and appreciated the leadership the Village has taken. Mr. Sims said they will review the items mentioned by the Committee and make appropriate changes. He said the Village then needs to adopt the CHAS by resolution. Village Manager Dixon announced the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Fire and Police Building at 7:00 a.m., Friday, October 11, 1991. Also, he said he will be meeting with other Village Managers to review the proposed SWANCC agreement on October 10, 1991. T~vstee Hoefert asked if anything was being done to resolve the street lighting problem in the Boxwood area. Mr. Dixon responded that the Village is attempting to solve the problem by using higher wattage lamps. Trustee Corcoran requested that a record be kept of the additional costs from special requests that the Village Board approves. The Village' Board recessed at 10:03 p.m. to go into Executive Session. The Committee returned to Commi~ee of the Whole at 12:20 a.m. There being no further business, the Committee of the Whole adjourned at 12:20 a.m. - Respectfully Submitted, David C. Jepson, Finance Director