HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/05/2002 EDC minutes MINUTES
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
2nd Floor Conference Room, Village Hall
Thursday, December 5, 2002
8:00 a.m.
The meeting of the Economic Development Cornn~ssion (EDC) of the Village of Mount Prospect was held on
Thursday, December 5; 2002, in the second floor conference room of Village Hall, 100 South Emerson Street.
Mount Prospect, Illinois.
CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Norm Kurtz called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m. Commissioners John Amdt, Pat Biedar, Brace
Gillilan and Ben Trapani were present. Commissioners David Lindgren and Tom Zander were absent. Also
present were Mayor Gerald Farley and Bill Cooney, Director of Community Development
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The minutes of the October 3, 2002 meeting were reviewed and approved unanimously.
OLD BUSINESS
Status Update
Mr. Cooney provided a brief overview of the status of Randhurst. He stated Rouse, Urban and J. P. Morgan
would be meeting on December l0th to determine the long-term outlook for the center. There were issues
related to other tenant exclusives and parking areas that were affecting the ability to move forward on the
Costco project. Mr. Cooney stated that he hoped to have adefinitive answer onthe Costcoprojectbytheend
of the year. There was general discussion regarding the options for the redevelopment of Randhurst Mall. The
EDC members agreed that this would be an issue they would continue to monitor and discuss into the future.
Mr. Cooney then stated that Caribou Coffee would be opening in the Lofts and Shops Development at the
comer of Emerson and Northwest Highway. He indicated that Oberweis Dairy would likely be opening in
March 2003 and that other small retailers were in for permit for the same development. He also said that the
former Senior Center was currently being demolished and that the Village Hall/Community Center, Parking
Deck and Library Project would soon be underway. Mr. Cooney also stated that he attended a meeting
yesterday at Elk Grove Village Hall for the Northwest Transit Study. This study is reviewing public
transportation alternatives to the northwest suburbs. The primary focus is on extending the Blue Line along the
Northwest Tollway from Rosemont to Elgin. He stated there would be several meetings forthcoming that
would be beneficial for the EDC members to attend to represent the business community in Mount Prospect.
NEW BUSINESS
Downtown Development - The Next Steps
Mr. Cooney handed out copies of the Phase II Environmental study that was conducted on the Village owned
small triangle properties. He indicated that the report demonstrated no significant environmental
contamination on the Village owned parcels. If there is any environmental contamination on the former gas
station properties it does not appear to have migrated onto Village owned properties. There was discussion
whether this demonstrated that there was no contamination on the small triangle and it was agreed that would
not be known until tests were done on the specific sites. Mr. Cooney did say he felt this was still positive news
and at least appeared to indicate there were no major environmental issues on this property. The Commission
then discussed what the next step should be. It was agreed that there was need to include the Village Board on
discussions regarding the next steps of downtown redevelopment. After further discussion, the Commission
requested that Chairman Kurtz send a letter to Village Board requesting that a new ad hoc committee be
formed to review the next steps for downtown redevelopment. It was suggested that two Economic
conomic Development Commission
December 5, 2002 Minutes
Page 2
Development Commissioners, two Planning & Zoning Commissioners and two Village Board members form
this commkree. Mayor Farley thought this would be the proper next step in the process. Chairman Kurtz
agreed to write the letter and hoped to forward it to the Village Board by mid-December.
CHAIRMAN'S REPORT
Chairman Kurtz had no additional comments.
ADJOURNMENT
The Commissioners agreed the next meeting would be held on February 6a. The meeting was adjourned
9:00 a.m.
Respectfully submitted.
WJC:bhs
William J. Cooney, Jr., AICP
Director of Community Development