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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/10/2006 COW minutes (workshop) MAYOR VILLAGE MANAGER Irvana K. Wilks Michael E. Janonis TRUSTEES VILLAGE CLERK Timothy J. Corcoran Paul Wm. Hoefert M. Lisa Angell A. John Korn Village of Mount Prospect Richard M. Lohrstorfer Michaele Skowron Phone: 847/818-5328 Community Development Department Irvana K. Wilks Fax: 847/818-5329 50 South Emerson Street Mount Prospect, Illinois 60056 TDD: 847/392-6064 Michael A. Zadel MINUTES Comprehensive Plan Workshop Committee of the Whole Joint Meeting with Planning and Zoning Commission Board Room, Village Hall Tuesday, October 10, 2006 6:30 p.m. A meeting to discuss the Village of Mount Prospect Comprehensive Plan Land Use Update was held on Tuesday, October 10, 2006 in the Board Room of Village Hall, 50 South Emerson Street, Mount Prospect, Illinois. I. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Irvana Wilks called the meeting to order at 6:35 PM and welcomed everyone to the second planning workshop, a joint meeting between the Village Board Committee of the Whole and the Planning and Zoning Commission. She welcomed attendees from those two groups as well as members of the community and the Press that were in the audience. II. ROLL CALL In lieu of roll call, Mayor Wilks asked the attendees to introduce themselves and their affiliation with the Village. Attendees were as follows: Village Board Mayor Irvana Wilks Michaele Skowron John Korn Paul Hoefert Michael Zadel Timothy Corcoran Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman Arlene Juracek Keith Youngquist Ron Roberts Marlys Haaland Joseph Donnelly Leo Floros Richard Rogers Village Managers Office Michael Janonis, Village Manager David Strahl, Assistant Village Manager Village of Mount Prospect Staff William Cooney, Community Development Director Comprehensive Plan Workshop Page 2 of 10 Committee of the Whole Meeting October 10, 2006 Ellen Divita, Deputy Director, Community Development Stacey Dunn, Administrative Assistant Jason Zawila, Long Range Planner Others Present Lyndl Schuster, River Trails School District 26 Steve Zalusky, Daily Herald Craig Adams, Journal and Topics Carol Tortorello III. GOAL: DISCUSSION OF MAP AND COMMUNITY PRIORITIES Mayor Wilks stated this is the second meeting to review the Comprehensive Land Use Plan update and turned the meeting over to William Cooney, Director of Community Development. Mr. Cooney stated that during this meeting, the group will go through opportunity areas in the Village. He said the opportunities are parcels of land that are facing development pressures because they are either vacant, obsolete, or economically under-utilized. He said the purpose of this workshop is to discuss these parcels in advance of a developer approaching the Village. He stated that the Opportunities Map originated from a tour with the Trustees earlier this year. The opportunities map will lead to action statements for the update of the comprehensive plan such as: “Conduct a River Road Corridor Study” or “As land becomes available in southwest Mount Prospect, develop a small park.” He said the hope is at the end of today the group could gather input for prioritizing long term and short term implementation planning for the opportunity areas. Mr. Cooney stated that he would go through each of the opportunity areas and would like input from the group. IV. PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF OPPORTUNITES MAP River Road Corridor Mr. Cooney said that commercial spaces along this corridor, specifically at each intersection, are dilapidated and have had numerous vacancies over the last few years. He stated that the Shell gas station at River and Euclid recently closed and the 0.73 acres at the southwest corner of River and Camp McDonald has remained vacant for some time. He said recent residential infill development includes the Celtic Glen subdivision, currently under construction; and, a townhome development is also under construction on River Road, just south of this area in unincorporated Cook County. Mr. Cooney stated that with the installation of levy 37, flooding would be less of an issue for this area. He said vehicle traffic is approximately 15,000 cars per day. Trustee Hoefert asked why there is not a lot of commercial development in this area. Mr. Cooney said that the small sizes of the parcels and the income draw of the area are the major factors. He stated that the area backs up to the Forest Preserve and the River. When looking at population within a radius circle, the numbers for this area are lower because half the area is located in the Forest Preserve. Trustee Zadel asked if water detention would be an issue for multi-family development. Mr. Cooney said once the levy is complete, the area would be taken out of the flood plain. There was general discussion regarding the cost and viability of underground storage. Mr. Cooney discussed the opportunity of creating overlay areas for mixed use development. These mixed-use developments create some residential to support retail development. Trustee Comprehensive Plan Workshop Page 3 of 10 Committee of the Whole Meeting October 10, 2006 Corcoran stated that along Northwest Highway in Chicago has been developed as mixed-use developments and that has turned out to be a really nice product. Mr. Cooney said we are becoming an inner-ring suburb and mixed-use is the current trend. Trustee Corcoran said this area could also be tied in to the Forest Preserve with walking trails. He also stated that 15,000 vehicles a day is not a high volume of traffic and that would lend itself well to residential development, such as senior housing. Arlene Juracek asked about transitional uses; there are several larger residential lots behind this area and she is wondering about the transition from commercial to residential. There was general discussion regarding the lot size, parking, building height and the residential tendency of this area. Richard Rogers stated that he would like to see low-density residential housing in this area. ComEd Right-of-Way (Northeast Mount Prospect) Mr. Cooney stated that currently there are 1.12 vacant acres of land at the northeast corner of Wolf and Euclid. In addition, he said Com-Ed is exploring long term land leasing this right-of- way for development. Joseph Donnelly stated that he is not comfortable putting the general public under the power lines for commercial reasons. He said he could see parks or opens space before commercial development. Ms. Juracek said it is difficult to imagine a building developed under the power lines. Mr. Rogers said some of the property is quite far from the lines and he could visualize a one or two store development. Mr. Cooney said a plan had been submitted for a drive thru Starbucks and other uses. Trustee Hoefert asked about the electromagnetic safety issues in developing this area. Mr. Cooney said it would be reasonable to ask the developer about these environmental health issues during the review process. Joe Donnelly stated one use he could see in this area would be a greenhouse or nursery. Trustee Korn said that he would not like to see a residential development due to the potential for stray voltage or electromagnetic fields. Trustee Corcoran said it would be nice to leave some green space and stem the walking trails down to the train line. Mr. Rogers stated that there are not sidewalks to the train station. Former Carematrix Site (Southeast Corner of Wolf and Kensington) Mr. Cooney said the former Carematrix site comprises 6.82 acres. He stated that the Village approved a 72-unit senior assisted housing development back in 1998, the foundation was poured, but this project was not completed. He said the development community has not expressed interest in commercial uses, but a strong interest for multi-family residential for the site. Immediately north and northeast of the site is zoned single family residential. Trustee Corcoran said the previously proposed 4-story, prairie style town home development was ideal for this spot. Mr. Cooney stated he was surprised the developer decided not to proceed; it was 120 units on 6 acres of land. Ms. Juracek asked why a high-density development was proposed for that corner of the Village. She said there is no place to take a walk. Mr. Cooney stated this site is actually very close to employment and the Kensington Business Center and less than a mile from the train. Ms. Juracek stated it would be a good location for a self-storage facility. Mr. Cooney said the site lends itself to a condo-style multi-family development. Trustee Corcoran said this site is within walking distance to the train, several employers and is not a cramped area of the Village. Mr. Rogers said a mixed-use facility may be a good fit as well. Comprehensive Plan Workshop Page 4 of 10 Committee of the Whole Meeting October 10, 2006 Leo Floros asked about the potential for industrial development. Mike Janonis stated that a proposal for a smaller scale Kensington Business Center was proposed and denied. Mr. Cooney stated industrial is not out of the question, but may not be the best use for this area. Kensington Business Center Mr. Cooney stated that the 300-acre Kensington Business Center (KBC) is located in northeast Mount Prospect. The business park has been experiencing a considerable amount of vacancies over the last decade and that currently, approximately twenty percent of the Center is vacant. Kensington remains home to numerous high-profile corporations such as Met Life, but will lose HSBC next year. In the past year a variety of uses obtained zoning approval to locate in the park such as: Clayground (River Trails Park District), a gymnastics school, a beauty school, and Dennis Uniforms. Trustee Corcoran said that KBC offers an older product and in order to attract new tenants, it would need significant renovations to meet current size and technological demands. He said with the proximity to O’Hare, the center needs to be promoted as an international free trade zone and as a starting point for international corporations entering the United States. Mr. Cooney stated that is a good niche that is worth promoting. Mayor Wilks said that during the Economic Development Commission visits to KBC, she was surprised at the various nationalities represented there. She stated the need for lodging similar to a Residence Inn came up during several of the visits. There was general discussion regarding the marketing potential of the Business Center as an international business park. The group discussed the vacancy rate in KBC, the need for hotels and restaurants in the area and the traffic flow at the Rand, Euclid, Kensington intersection. The group also discussed the zoning and perhaps increasing the amount of retail located in the Center. Keith Youngquist said the Kensington Business Center is not a recognizable name and suggested “re-branding” the Business Center in order to better promote the area. Mr. Cooney agreed. Mayor Wilks stated we have a good rapport with the KBC Association and could approach some of the businesses with the re-branding idea. Mr. Roberts said that the O’Hare expansion project is pushing some businesses out of the Elk Grove area and KBC might be a good relocation spot for some of these businesses. Randhurst Shopping Center (and Surrounding Area) Mr. Cooney stated that in the past ten years the outlots surrounding the mall have been successfully developed to include: Home Depot, Costco, Borders, Jewel, AMC Theaters, Egg Factory, and Buffalo Wild Wings. He also noted that in the past year anchor vacancies were quickly replaced: Bed, Bath, & Beyond; Steve & Barry’s; and Applebee’s relocated/expanded. He said significant vacancies exist within the mall. He said he expects to be discussing redevelopment with Randhurst in the next six months to a year. He stated that immediately east of the shopping center is the 36,785 square foot Euclid Mall, which is currently in foreclosure. Mr. Cooney stated that the “triangle” south of the Shopping Center area consists of several vacant land parcels and older commercial buildings. He said the eastern half of this triangle includes the former Butch McGuire’s Tavern and Restaurant property, which is now vacant land, Vogue Furniture, and the Ramada Inn. He said 4.10 acres of vacant property also front on Kensington Comprehensive Plan Workshop Page 5 of 10 Committee of the Whole Meeting October 10, 2006 Road, east of Bogies Restaurant. He said this area is currently under review for potential Tax Increment Finance Redevelopment Project. Ms. Juracek said a major concern is accessibility. She stated that whatever is developed in the area needs to be a big enough draw that people will put up with the traffic to get there. Mr. Donnelly stated that the traffic flow within the mall is also a concern. He said the ring-roads do not provide good movement within the Mall. Trustee Hoefert agreed and said however this area is redeveloped, it needs to be more convenient to get into the area. There was general discussion regarding developing life-style centers. 1800 West Central Road (Skil-Bosch) Mr. Cooney said Skil-Bosch at 1800 West Central is located at the northeast corner of Central Road and Arthur Avenue. The site contains a 518,370 square foot industrial building, a portion of which is currently occupied by Skil-Bosch, and another building that measures approximately 16,000 square feet, commonly referred to as the ‘Toner Building.’ Skill Bosch occupies approximately 61,000 square feet of the building and has renewed a ten year lease. He stated that a recent proposal approved by the Village Board allows for a two lot resubdivision and Lot 1, which includes the larger of the two industrial buildings, will be converted to condominium ownership in three units. He said Cook County Bus has expressed interest in purchasing the northern portion of the site, Lot 2, for a new facility. He stated that earlier this year there was also interest for an internet service provider company to move into the other half of the Skil- Bosch building and this company would have been a heavy user of water and electricity. Mr. Cooney said immediately east of 1800 West Central is the Hintz Lithography building which was originally going to be occupied by Souled Out Ministries. He stated that this building is 38,000 square feet and the parcel is approximately 1.4 acres. He said there has been interest for both residential and commercial development on the site. Trustee Hoefert said residential amongst other uses seems to be a trend. Mayor Wilks asked who owns the buildings. Mr. Cooney stated that Skil-Bosch building is owned by Golub Company. He said the Hintz Lithography building is still owned by Souled Out Ministries. Mr. Cooney said he has fielded several calls regarding the Hintz building, but the lack of parking is a significant issue. Mr. Floros asked if Skil-Bosch has any plans to expand. Mr. Cooney said expansion is not in the plans.There was general discussion regarding the scope and design of the Skil-Bosch building. Northwest Highway Corridor Mr. Cooney stated that this corridor currently has a vacant office building at 1040 West Northwest Highway that was formerly occupied by State Farm. He said the parcel is approximately 2 acres, the building has been sold and there has been a recent Planning and Zoning case to develop town homes on the site, similar to the Sevres townhome development immediately located to the northwest. He stated that nearly every building in the corridor outlined on the map has available space. Trustee Hoefert said this location is closer to downtown and would lend itself to a mixed-use development. He stated it would need to be an aesthetically pleasing and developed with a quality project as this is some of the last available space in the downtown area. Ms. Juracek stated that parking is an issue in this area and it is difficult to attract businesses with the limited parking space. Trustee Skowron said that it seems commercial development is not sustainable and needs to change. She said residential development would be a good fit. There was general discussion regarding the other residential developments up and down Northwest Comprehensive Plan Workshop Page 6 of 10 Committee of the Whole Meeting October 10, 2006 Highway. The group discussed the economic viability of two and three-flat apartment buildings. Central Road Commercial Corridor Mr. Cooney said this area contains a mix of commercial and light industrial businesses; the northern side of Central Road, west of Northwest Highway, has 6,360 square feet of available office space. He stated that existing businesses in this corridor include: Hines Lumber, U-Store It, and a few office buildings. He said the Central Road Corridor Plan calls for the uses in this corridor to remain as heavy commercial/industrial and office. Trustee Skowron suggested this area be developed as residential to expand to Melas Park and connect to Miller’s Crossing; essentially expanding the neighborhood. Mayor Wilks stated that the residents of Miller’s Crossing see themselves as a unique neighborhood because it is a small residential area. There was general discussion regarding the existing neighborhoods and traffic flow in and out of the neighborhood. Central Plaza (Southwest Corner of Central and Main) Mr. Cooney stated that Central Plaza is a single story retail center. He said Central Plaza’s ongoing vacancies, deterioration, and functional obsolescence have contributed to its underutilization. He stated that the Mount Prospect National Bank located immediately north of the site, was constructed in 1998. He said east of Central Plaza is three apartment buildings. Mr. Cooney stated there has been discussion regarding a mixed-use development. Trustee Hoefert said the existing apartments in this area meet a need downtown; he said they are well kept and fully leased. He stated that whatever goes in this space should be low-profile and maintain the character of the neighborhood. Mount Prospect Plaza Mr. Cooney stated that in the past year new tenants located in this shopping center (Staples and Garden Fresh Market) and the property was sold. The new owner has completed significant improvements to the lighting and landscaping. He said approximately 20,000 square feet of space remains available. He stated that the Walgreen’s Data Center located immediately northeast of the shopping center. The property owner is interested in subdividing the lot, making the shopping center and the Walgreen’s Data center two separate lots. He said Walgreen’s has funded extensive capital improvements to the facility and recently exercised a ten year option to continue its long term occupancy at the site. He stated that the Mitchell Buick and Century Tile properties, located southwest of the plaza, are currently designated for multi-family residential, although they are developed commercially. Trustee Hoefert said the high parking ratio of the current development seems like a waste of space and asked about the potential of developing outlots, making the existing building bigger or reorienting a new building on the site to maximize space. There was general discussion regarding the under-utilization of this space. The group discussed the potential for reorienting the buildings to allow for additional retail or mixed-use development. Mr. Janonis stated that the signage for this development is less than ideal and is not visible from the street. Trustee Corcoran said the site could be redeveloped to include single-family, multi-family and retail and still provide ample parking. He said the Walgreens distribution center is something that could easily be reconfigured and moved to KBC. Mr. Cooney said that there has been discussion about creating a connecting road between the Wal-Mart and the bowling alley properties. Comprehensive Plan Workshop Page 7 of 10 Committee of the Whole Meeting October 10, 2006 Northwest Highway Corridor (Southeast) Mr. Cooney said this commercial property southeast from the center of downtown includes a string of single story commercial structures. He stated that in neighboring towns to the north there has been redevelopment with rowhome type residential and mixed use type of developments. He said there is approximately 12,000 square feet of commercial/retail space available. He stated that there has been discussion that these Mount Prospect properties hold potential for mixed use redevelopment similar to the Lofts and Shops. Any development will have to deal with several issues including: adequate parking, building height, depths of the lots, and the proximity of the residential districts directly behind Northwest Highway. Mr. Donnelly asked what the maximum building height is for this district. Mr. Cooney said the maximum building height is 3 stories or 30-feet. Ellen Divita stated that at prior staff discussions it has been noted that the alleys behind these buildings may need to be maintained for both parking and utility access. Mr. Janonis said this area might be a good place to look at the two or three flat buildings Trustee Skowron mentioned earlier. He said the first floor could be retail with one or two flats above the store front. There was general discussion regarding the types of residential housing that could be developed above a retail component including parking requirements, elevator requirements and the possibility of roof-top gardens. Prospect Avenue – Lincoln Business Cluster Mr. Cooney stated that the southeast Prospect Avenue-Lincoln Business Cluster includes buildings for industrial and commercial use. He said there is approximately 22,000 square feet of space available in this area. Several apartments are also located on Prospect Avenue, southeast of downtown. He said all of these offices are an easy walk from the train station for their employees. Immediately south of the corridor is Lions Park and single family homes. He stated that the southeast corner of the cluster is designated industrial/office. Trustee Zadel said that a residential use seems most ideal for this area. Mr. Rogers said this area works well now; it is quiet, close to the train and well maintained. There was general discussion regarding the balance of residential and commercial in this area. The group concluded if the dynamic works, it should be left alone and revisited in 10 years. The group discussed the progression of the EAV in the Village. Ms. Divita stated that the Village is 61% residential, an increase over the past 15 years. She said the Community Development Department is investigating the EAV numbers to see if the increase is due to a growth in square footage versus an increase in valuation. Trustee Hoefert stated that future development needs to be flexible as the market changes. Prospect Avenue Corridor (Downtown) and 200 S. Main Street Mr. Cooney stated that four vacancies exist in this strip of commercial buildings. He said Prospect Place currently has approximately 5,000 square feet of retail space available. He stated that similar to the Northwest Highway Corridors, there may be buildings located in this corridor that are obsolete and underutilized. He said adequate parking exists in the corridor and it would appear ripe for retail because rents are less than new construction rates on the opposite side of the tracks. Additionally, he said the property at 200 South Main Street has been vacant for nearly a decade and is in an excellent location for redevelopment possibly in conjunction with adjacent properties. Mr. Roberts said this area needs to be linked with the rest of downtown; either by pedestrian Comprehensive Plan Workshop Page 8 of 10 Committee of the Whole Meeting October 10, 2006 bridges or cutting off access to Elmhurst Road. Trustee Hoefert said this area offers smaller spaces and reasonable rent. He stated there is a market for this type of space and it should be maintained. There was general discussion on marketing this area of downtown to small, unique business and making this area a destination shopping area. Mr. Cooney said there are some environmental clean up issues with the 200 S. Main Street property, but depending on the use, the clean up would not be significant. Busse-Golf Corridor Mr. Cooney said there is a corridor of single family homes on lots approximately 275-feet deep, north of the Shell gas station located at the northeast corner of Golf and Busse Roads. He said due to the large depth of lots, there may be potential for commercial development with would compliment Mount Prospect Commons. Ms. Juracek said she sees the residential area staying residential. Trustee Skowron agreed, stating that the neighborhood-feel is particularly suitable for single-family homes. Golf Plaza II Mr. Cooney said this approximately 194,000 square foot shopping center lacks signalized intersection access, interior landscaping, well defined drive aisles, and street signage, especially on the Route 83. He said Staff has been approached by several residential developers interested in the vacant 3 acres of land behind the existing center. He stated that Alexian Brothers recently occupied the southern end of the shopping center and a banquet facility is interested in occupying available space directly behind Alexian. There was general discussion regarding the occupancy of the center. The center is nearly full and does a good business. The group discussed the heavy traffic in this area and that any type of development will have an impact on the traffic. Mr. Donnelly said he does not think additional residential would be a good fit in this spot. Ms. Juracek stated that residential could potentially work behind the center, especially senior housing. Algonquin Road Commercial Corridor Mr. Cooney stated that many successful businesses operate in this commercial area. He said the traffic count exceeds 60,000 vehicles per day. He said this commercial corridor helps serve the shopping needs of residents south of Golf Road, noting that 30 percent of Mount Prospect’s population lives south of Golf Road, and employees of the many businesses nearby. He said there is approximately 28,606 square feet of available space in this corridor which includes 20,500 square feet of planned office and retail space at the “Culver’s PUD” and 7.76 acres of vacant land. He stated that with the geometry of the Algonquin/Dempster intersection, and the traffic volume on Busse, pedestrian and bike circulation is noticeably poor in this area and there are security concerns for residents and shoppers in the corridor. The group discussed how this area lacks an identity. Mayor Wilks said the high traffic volume makes it hard to get in and out of this area. Trustee Hoefert this area could be promoted and would like to see some destination shopping areas added. Route 83 (Elmhurst Road) Corridor (South MP) Mr. Cooney stated that Route 83, from Dempster to Oakton Road, has experienced a large amount of vacancies, obsolescence, and underutilization. He said there is currently approximately 136,000 square feet of commercial-industrial space available with close access to the I-90 interchange. He stated that Lake Center Corporate Park is located in the corridor, which currently has 36,000 square feet of available space. He said there are 29.49 acres of vacant land Comprehensive Plan Workshop Page 9 of 10 Committee of the Whole Meeting October 10, 2006 available adjacent to Lake Center. He stated that the O’Hare expansion could increase the demand for this available space and vacant land. Mr. Cooney said near Dempster Street and Route 83, there is a row of five single family homes, currently zoned R-X, on lots approximately 600 feet deep, in between two multifamily residential developments. He stated that there has been interest for another type of multi-family residential development. Immediately south of the lots is the large tract of vacant land zoned I-1, limited industrial, which is immediately west of Lake Center. He said with the recent closing of Giordano’s Restaurant, there is interest for a bank locating at the site and no plans to consolidate the lot with hotel property directly west of the site. He said Niagara Cultural Center received a conditional use in 2004 for a community center at 501 DB drive. Mayor Wilks stated that she does not want another strip center in this area. Bill Cooney said there has been interest to redevelop the bank into a banquet facility. Mr. Floros asked about this area for a senior housing development. There was general discussion regarding the market for senior housing and the federal guidelines for subsidized beds in this area. The group confirmed their desire to see some new senior housing located in the Village, not necessarily at this location. Proposed STAR Line Station Site Mr. Cooney stated that the Suburban Transit Access Route (STAR) Line is currently in the early stages of planning and will dramatically affect the way the southern half of Mount Prospect connects to the rest of the Chicago area region when the implementation of the plan comes to completion. He said the initial proposal of the STAR Line is for new commuter rail transit infrastructure between O’Hare Airport, Hoffman Estates, and Joliet. He said in the most recent version of the plan for the STAR Line, a station is planned to be located at this site on Busse Road. He stated that the line itself will be located along the Northwest Tollway, starting at O’Hare leading to Hoffman Estates, where it will then head south along the Elgin, Joliet, & Eastern freight rail line to Joliet. Busse Road Corridor Mr. Cooney stated that this corridor largely consists of high density multifamily residential. He said pedestrian circulation is very poor due to the connections of this area to the rest of the Village. He stated that Cook County Bus, located in the center of the corridor, is looking to relocate from this site. He said the parcel is currently zoned R-4 multi family PUD and has a narrow lot width of approximately 170 feet and depth of 1,100 feet. He said the Commonwealth Edison greenway abuts the western edge of the corridor. Ms. Juracek said this area is so industrial that residential may be out of place. Trustee Corcoran stated if it was designed properly, a nice mix of open space and residential could be an asset to the area. Mayor Wilks asked who would maintain the open green space. Mr. Cooney said it is currently privately owned, but would come on the market. Mr. Cooney stated that there are some unincorporated areas that will be discussed at a future workshop. V. PRIORITIZATION OF OPPORTUNITES Mr. Cooney asked the group to prioritize the areas discussed tonight. The results from the group will be tallied and presented at a future meeting. omprehensive Plan Workshop Page 10 of 10 Committee of the Whole Meeting October 10, 2006 VI. QUESTIONS AND ADJOURN Mr. Cooney asked if there were additional questions. Hearing none, the meeting was adjourned at 9:17 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Stacey Dunn, Administrative Assistant Community Development Department C:\Documents and Settings\kdewis\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\OLK6B\minutes 10-10-06 COW.doc