Lincoln Central Association
Meeting Minutes 2009
MEETING MINUTES, Nov. 19, 2009
Lincoln Park High School - Room 103
Board Members Present: Rodger Owen, Jennifer Uson, David Varnerin,
Steve VanderVoort, Gary Sinclair, Joan Simmons, Richard Harris and
Deirdre Graziano
Next Meeting: Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at 7:00PM at Bacino's,
2204 N. Lincoln Ave.
Call to Order: Rodger Owen called the meeting to order at 7:10PM.
Approval of October Meeting Minutes: Motion to approve by Gary Sinclair.
Seconded by Steve VanderVoort. Approved by all.
Treasurer's Report: The total cash balance in the LCA bank account
at October 31st was $30,557. This included $3,155 held for Bauler
Park and $5,164 held for Lincoln Central Park and other projects.
Lincoln Central's balance is $22,239.
Committee Reports:
A. Zoning. Anne Moore of LCA's Zoning Committee made a special presentation
to report on the results of a meeting she attended with the developers
behind the Lincoln Park Hospital renovation and Board Members of
Mid=North Association. The initial proposal for this project was
unveiled in October and is described in the Fall Winter LCA Newsletter.
The majority of the attendees at this meeting and other neighborhood
meetings about this issue have been negative. One of the most controversial
aspect of the initial plan was the addition of 3 floors to the tower
portion of the hospital. This has now been withdrawn and the developers
will not add to the vertical height of the tower. There continues
to be much opposition to retail on any portion of the property due
to concerns over traffic and parking. Many residents fear that much
of the parking in the garage on the south side of Webster will be
lost. Approximately 60 to 70 of the spaces in the parking garage
are rented out to neighbors. With regard to retail, there is a fear
that if the property is rezoned to permit retail, that the community
will lose any say in what types of businesses operate there. One
director emphatically stated that this was not the case and that
restrictions and covenants can be included in any rezoning to this
property. This point will need to be clarified at future community
meetings. Additional discussion continued about various aspects of
this project. However, it was suggested that any further discussion
be tabled until LCA's zoning committee meets with the developers.
Various aspects of this project will continue to change and it was
the feeling of most Board members that continued pressure by the
community would make the project much more acceptable to the community
as a whole.
The Zoning Committee has scheduled a meeting for December 15th to
meet with the developers. Additionally, it was suggested the Board
take into account position of the Walpole Point Homeowners Association's
on this project, since that development is immediately south of this
project.
B. Membership: A suggestion was made to offer complimentary membership
to residents of Walpole Point in an attempt to increase overall membership
in light of the controversy surrounding this project.
C. Communications: The Fall Winter edition of the LCA Watchdog newsletter
was distributed in early November and is available on the web site.
There were a number of favorable comments about this issue.
D. Neighborhood Liaison: Steve VanderVoort and Gary Sinclair attended
the October 23rd meeting of the Children's Memorial Hospital Neighborhood
Forum. The project for 2009 and 2010 is a greening initiative for
the community. The forum will be formulating a green program for
the community and then making presentations to local residents, schools,
businesses and condominium association outlining ways they can make
green a part of their lives.
E. Safety: A neighborhood safety presentation, which was organized
by LCA's Safety Committee, was made by Don Rufo of the Chicago Police
Department on November 12th at St. Vincent DePaul Center. Attendance
was somewhat disappointing but the attendees found Dr. Rufo's presentation
very informative. Dr. Rufo mentioned one program offered by the Chicago
Police Department whereby an individual from the police department
will perform a home safety evaluation, which would identify ways
an individual could make their home more secure. Individuals interested
in arranging for this service should call his office at 312-745-5838
(Ext. 84652).
Nominations for the 2010 LCA Board. A nominating committee was formed
consisting of Rodger Owen and Deirdre and Tom Graziano. There are
3 vacant Director positions, which will need to be filled. Terms
are typically for 2 years. Brian Kasal, a past LCA director, has
indicated his interest in returning to the Board. A brief statement
for each director needs to be posted on the web site by mid December
for review by the general membership.
Other Business:
1. Deirdre Graziano showed architectural drawings of the renovated
Clybourn CTA station. The plans, which were approved and funded by
the CTA, will significantly improve the station's street level appearance.
The project is being done in conjunction with the construction of
a new Apple Store adjacent to the station location.
2. It was also mentioned that proposals and cost estimates for
some beautification work for Lincoln Central Park had been obtained.
The committee (Deirdre and Tom Graziano and Dave Varnerin) will review
the proposals and then decide on a plan for the park. Any work on
the park would occur next spring.
Next Meeting: January 27, 2010 at 7:00PM at Bacino's. 2204 N. Lincoln
Ave.
Meeting adjourned at 8:30PM
Submitted by: David Varnerin, Secretary
MEETING MINUTES, Oct. 22, 2009
Lincoln Park High School - Room 103
Board Members Present: Rodger Owen, Jennifer Uson, David Varnerin,
Steve VanderVoort, Gary Sinclair, Joan Simmons, Richard Harris and
Sally Drucker
Next Meeting: Thursday, November 19, 2009 at 7:00PM at Lincoln Park
High School, Room 103. (Please note earlier date due to Thanksgiving
Call to Order: Rodger Owen called the meeting to order at 7:10PM.
Approval of September Meeting Minutes: Motion to approve by Gary
Sinclair. Seconded by Richard Harris. Approved by all.
Treasurer's Report: LCA's total cash balance at September
30th was $31,727. This included $4,137 held for Bauler Park and $5,164
held for Lincoln Central Park and other projects. Lincoln Central's
balance is $22,426.
Committee Reports:
A. Zoning. There was no meeting of the Zoning Committee this month.
However, since the last Board meeting, a matter was referred to the
Board dealing with 1822 N. Mohawk. Since there was a rush on this,
the matter was referred to the full Board via email. The owners of
1822 were seeking to convert the first floor of their coach house
into a two-car garage (approved by the Zoning Committee) and to construct
an open bridge at the second story level between the coach house
and the main hose (not approved by the Zoning Committee). The Board
unanimously supported the recommendation of the Zoning Committee
to approve the first item but not approve the second request.
B. Membership: There was discussion about how to increase LCA membership.
Several Board members put forth ideas and related what had been done
in the past to try to increase membership. Rodger Owen asked that
all Board members come up with ideas by the next Board meeting for
possible future consideration.
C. Communications: Dave Varnerin indicated that Tom McGavin was
finalizing the next issue of the newsletter and that Board members
send articles, materials and photos to him by this weekend
D. Neighborhood Liaison: Gary Sinclair indicated that he would be
attending the next meeting of the Children's Memorial Hospital
Forum, scheduled for October 23rd. He also indicated that he and
several other Board members had attended the October 21st presentation
on redevelopment plans for Lincoln Park Hospital.
E. Safety: A neighborhood safety presentation will be made by Don
Rufo of the Chicago Police Department on November 12th at 7:00PM
at St. Vincent DePaul Center. Steve Vandervoort asked for everyone
to assist in publicizing this event. A flyer was distributed to the
group, for further distribution to the community. Notification was
also made to the other Lincoln Park Neighborhood Associations and
the 43rd Ward News system. A broadcast email will be sent out to
LCA members on November 6th.
Other Business:
1. A request has been received from Vi Daley's office asking
for support of the Senior Bingo Night on October 31st. This event
is being hosted by Alderman Daley and is now in its 15th year. Last
year over 300 seniors, many from nearby CHA buildings, attended.
A motion to approve a $250 contribution was made by Rodger Owen,
seconded by David Varnerin and approved by all.
2. Lincoln Park Hospital redevelopment. Five Board members attended
the October 21st presentation that unveiled the redevelopment plans
for the hospital. A group including Michael Supera (who with Richard
Zisook, are developing the site) made the presentation. The meeting
was hosted by Alderman Daley, LCA and Mid North Association. Several
Board discussed the project especially the aspects of the plan which
the community found most objectionable (the additional of 3 floors
to the tower building, the density of the project (220 to 325 apartments),
and traffic concerns. LCA will contact Mid North to see how best
to voice our concerns about the project to the Alderman. The Alderman
committed to additional meetings on this project. Several zoning
modifications will be needed for the project to proceed.
Next Meeting: November 19th at 7:00 PM at Lincoln
Park High School, Room 103
Meeting adjourned at 8:30 PM
Submitted by: David Varnerin, Secretary
MEETING MINUTES, Sept. 24, 2009
Lincoln Park High School - Room 103
Board Members Present: Rodger Owen, Deirdre Graziano, David Varnerin,
Steve
VanderVoort, Gary Sinclair, Joan Simmons, Richard Harris and Sally
Drucker
Next Meeting: Thursday, October 22, 2009 at 7:00PM at Lincoln Park
High School, Room
103.
Call to Order: Rodger Owen called the meeting to order at 7:05PM.
Approval of July Meeting Minutes: Motion to approve by Joan Simmons.
Seconded by
Steve VanderVoort. Approved by all.
Tax Reform Action Coalition (TRAC) Presentation. Barbara Head who
has been an
active force in TRAC for many years requested an opportunity to bring
LCA up to date
as to what was happening with regard to real estate assessments and
to seek LCA's
continued support. TRAC was instrumental in getting the 7% annual
assessment limit
instituted earlier this decade. However, that limitation has a sunset
clause and is set to
expire at the end of this year (affecting real estate bills for 2008).
It is thought that
assessments will increase significantly next year (affecting 2009
real estate taxes) and
TRAC is urging all citizens and groups to contact their elected representatives
and urge
that the assessment cap be made permanent. TRAC is advocating a 2%
annual
assessment limitation on all properties (residential, commercial
and industrial) as long
as ownership does not change. When a property was sold, it could
be reassessed to
market value. This effort is aimed at getting governmental bodies
to tax based on their
needs and not on assessment increases.
A summary of TRAC's position on this was distributed. It was indicated
that LCA
would distribute information about this subject to its membership
via various
communication methods. Representatives Sara Feigenholtz and John
Fritsche are the
elected officials to direct citizen concerns about this issue. Alderman
Vi Daley had
worked on getting the 7% limitation put into effect. This subject
will most likely increase
in the public interest next January. More information about TRAC
can be found on their
web site www.trac-il.org..
Property located at 1845 N. Mohawk. Attorney Graham Grady and architect
Ken
Brinkman represented the owner of 1845 N. Mohawk. The Zoning Committee
had
turned down the requests for a change to the street setback requirement
and the owner
asked for an opportunity to present to the Board.
The principal point of contention pertains to the plan for the rear
yard, which calls for a
5'7" raised rear year (Maximum of 6' allowed by existing zoning).
The area under the
year yard would consist of additional space and would be a part of
the home's
basement. The owner included one additional item not in the Zoning
Committee
presentation having to do with the drainage of water from the rear
yard. The proposal
before the Board included an urban water retention system, which
would capture water
from the rear yard to be discharged into the sewers at a later time.
The city is attempting
to get this type of system included in new construction in order
to limit basement
flooding during heavy downpours.
It is the Zoning Committee's position that rear yards should be
true green spaces and
not a raised area covering a portion of home. The existing zoning
code encourages green
space but does not rule out the type of design being submitted for
consideration. A
number of other neighborhood associations have taken positions like
LCA's Zoning
committee, arguing that a portion of the home structure cannot be
located under the rear
yard and be considered green space.
A power point presentation of this proposal had been distributed
to LCA Board prior to
this meeting. The Owner's representatives pointed out that the proposed
building
would be less dense than the RM5 zoning would permit. There is no
side yard exception
being sought, the home is 3800 square feet (5,700 is allowed by zoning)
the home is 38
feet tall (the height allowed by zoning is 44 feet) and the third
floor is set back from the
front of the building and would not be visible from the sidewalk
in front.
The front setback variance asks for a 2-foot variance from the code.
Neighboring
property owners did not have a problem with this.
Subsequent discussion by the Board centered on the rear yard and
the underground
structure beneath it.
A motion to approve the front yard variance if the rear yard conformed
to LCA's
backyard guidelines was made by Gary Sinclair. Seconded by Richard
Harris. Agreed to
by seven directors and not agreed to by one director.
Treasurer's Report: LCA's total cash balance at August 31st was
$31,540. This included
$4,129 held for Bauler Park and $5,164 held for Lincoln Central Park
and other projects.
Lincoln Central's balance is $22,247.
Committee Reports:
A. Zoning. 1845 N. Mohawk discussed earlier in the meeting.
B. Membership: Second membership renewal notices will be sent out
over the next
month.
C. Communications: Board members are asked to submit articles to
Tom McGavin for
the next newsletter, which is planned for October.
D. Neighborhood Liaison: There was discussion of the Children's
Memorial Hospital
Forum which is seeking representatives from all neighborhood associations
The next
meeting is schedules for the week of October 14th.
E. Safety: A neighborhood safety presentation will be made by Don
Rufo of the Chicago
Police Department on November 12th at 7:00PM at St. Vincent DePaul
Center. Steve
Vandervoort asked for everyone to assist in publicizing this event.
A flyer was
distributed to the group, which will be distributed. The Internet
can also be used,
utilizing the broadcast distribution systems of the various Lincoln
Park Neighborhood
Associations and the 43rd Ward News system. The Safety Committee
will follow up with
the Board in coordinating publicity for this event.
Next Meeting: October 22nd at 7:00PM at Lincoln Park High School,
Room 103
Meeting adjourned at 8:20PM
Submitted by: David Varnerin, Secretary
MEETING MINUTES, July 23, 2009
Harris Realty Group Offices - 509 W. Dickens
Board Members Present: Deirdre Graziano, David Varnerin, Jennifer
Uson, Tom McGavin, Steve VanderVoort, Gary Sinclair and Joan Simmons
Next Meeting: Thursday, September 24, 2009 at 7:00PM at Lincoln
Park High School, Room 103.
Call to Order: Deirdre Graziano called the meeting to order at 7:00PM.
Approval of June Meeting Minutes: Motion to approve by Deirdre Graziano.
Seconded by Jennifer Uson. Approved by all.
Treasurer's Report: LCA's total cash balance at June 30th was $30,601.
This included $6,359 held for Bauler Park and $4,264 held for Lincoln
Central Park and other projects. Lincoln Central's balance is $19,978.
Effective July 16, 2009, Treasurer Brad Boersma has resigned due
to his impending move related to a job opportunity in Florida. David
Varnerin will fill in for Boersma until a new Treasurer can be identified.
Joan Simmons indicated an interest in assuming this role after the
home renovation project is completed in September.
Parkway Initiative: As a result of a suggestion by Rodger Owen for
an award / recognition program for the most attractive parkway in
front of neighborhood homes, there was discussion of expanding this
idea to the entire 43rd Ward and emphasizing neighborhood beautification.
LCA and other neighborhood association would work with the Alderman
in informing property owners of their responsibility pertaining to
parkways bordering their property and what city approvals were necessary
for the use of certain types of bricks and paving.
In order to develop this program more fully, Rodger Owens will write
up the idea for this program more fully and circulate it to other
Board members for additional input. Once the concept is more fully
developed, then a newsletter article can be developed in order to
launch this initiative. A draft will be circulated to the Board prior
to the next meeting in September.
Lincoln Central Park Improvement Program: A program was launched
earlier in July to raise funds to make repairs and improvements to
Lincoln Central Park. A flyer was distributed to area residents informing
them of the initiative and asking for their involvement and financial
support. A copy of the flyer is at the end of these minutes.
Thus far, $1,000 has been raised and there have been several calls
from individuals interested in helping out. Some funds have already
been spent for some trimming of the park's evergreens and placing
of pea stones in the dirt area immediately surrounding the fountain.
More meetings with interested residents will be held to see what
improvements should be made to the park now. The Alderman informs
us that there are no funds available from the city for anything beyond
the minimal maintenance that is currently done on the park.
Committee Reports:
A. Zoning. There were no variance requests referred to Zoning since
the June meeting.
The Patel property at 1826 N. Mohawk was discussed as a result of
a posted notice in the window of the rear yard reduction being sought.
It was assumed that the Patels had submitted their request to the
Zoning Appeals Board. LCA will have to send a representative to the
meeting to communicate our opposition to their plans. Deirdre Graziano
would coordinate with the Zoning Committee to see who would be available
to attend the Patel zoning meeting.
B. Membership: The annual membership renewals were mailed out earlier
in July. All Board members were encouraged to send in their renewals.
Additional memberships continue to come in as a result of fund raising
efforts for Bauler and Lincoln Central Parks. Membership materials
were distributed to many of the attendees at the Movie event in Bauler
Park on June 21st. Approximately 200 people attended that event
C. Communications: Tom McGavin encouraged the submission of articles
for the summer edition. There was discussion about the role of the
newsletter and how many of the articles should reinforce that role.
A number of Board members indicated that they would submit articles
for the next newsletter, with a publication date of October.
D. Neighborhood Liaison: The only matter reported pertained to the
neighborhood meeting with a representative of the Chicago Police,
discussed under Safety.
E. Safety: Sally Drucker, Craig Korte and Steve VanderVoort continue
to attend the Caps meeting. Steve reported that currently things
remain relatively quiet. Steve also mentioned that there had been
a neighborhood meeting at Broadview Bank (Halsted and Armitage) on
security given by Robert Ruffo, who is with The Chicago Police. The
possibility of an interassociation meeting would be something, which
should be considered for October or November. Gary Sinclair is to
follow up.
Other Business: (1) Tom Tresser has resigned from the Board. Board
members were asked to submit names of individuals to fill this vacancy.
(2) In order to insure that LCA has access to Lincoln Park High
School beyond the end of the year, Deirdre Graziano is to submit
a letter formally requesting this to the school authorities.
Next Meeting: September 24th at 7:00PM at Lincoln Park High School,
Room 103
Meeting adjourned at 8:00PM
Submitted by: David Varnerin, Secretary
Addendum:
Drive to Revive
Lincoln Central Park
Lincoln Central Association is launching a drive to revive Lincoln
Central Park. Located at the northwest corner of Lincoln Avenue and
Dickens, Lincoln Central Park provides our neighborhood with a tranquil
setting where people can socialize or simply sit and relax. Rebuilt
in 1999 at a cost of $700,000, the park was dedicated on June 4,
2000. Since that time, some of the park's physical aspects have become
weathered. The park's brass nameplate was stolen two years ago.
This revival project will involve replanting the portion of the
park just east of the fountain seating area, pruning back the overgrown
evergreens along the western edge of the park and behind the bus
shelter. A new park sign will be installed. The dirt area immediately
surrounding the fountain would be redone with crushed stone or additional
pavers. And several broken pavers would also be repaired or replaced.
To accomplish the goal of a revived Lincoln Central Park, Lincoln
Central Association has set a fund raising goal of $2,500 to supplement
the limited funds the Association already has for this purpose. The
scope of our efforts will be dictated by the success of this campaign.
The more funds raised, the more improvements can be made. All
contributions are tax deductible.
Let us know what improvements you would like to see made to the
park. Individuals interested in helping out in the project should
contact Deirdre Graziano (312-787-8257, graz.21stcentury@rcn.com)
or David Varnerin (312-751-0057, davidvarnerin@aol.com).
Yes! I will support the drive to revive Lincoln Central Park with
a check for:
_____$500 _____ $250 _____$100 _____$50 _____ $25 ____Other______.
Please make all checks payable to: Lincoln Central Association. Please
indicate your contribution is for Lincoln Central Park and mail to:
Lincoln Central Association
PO Box 14306
Chicago, Il 60614-0306
____ I would like to join Lincoln Central Association and have enclosed
an additional $25 for a one-year membership.
NAME: _________________________________________E-Mail__________________
ADDRESS: _____________________________________________________________
Thank you in advance for your support.
Deirdre Graziano David Varnerin
2000 block of North Mohawk 1900 block of North Cleveland
312-787-8257 312-751-0057
For more information, visit: www.lincolncentral.org
MEETING MINUTES, June 25, 2009
Harris Realty Group Offices – 509 W. Dickens
Board Members Present: Rodger Owen, Deirdre Graziano,
David Varnerin, Jennifer Uson, Tom McGavin, Sally Drucker and Richard
Harris
Next Meeting: Thursday, July 23, 2009 at 7:00PM
at Harris Realty Group’s office, 509 W. Dickens St.
Call to Order: Rodger Owen called the meeting to
order at 7:05PM.
Approval of May Meeting Minutes: One change was
proposed to the prior meeting minutes. In Section C (Communications)
an additional reason that the blog was turned off was the lack of
any usage. The fact that the site was getting hacked could have been
dealt with had there been any significant usage.
A motion to approve the prior meeting minutes, with the above change,
was made by Sally Drucker. Seconded by Deirdre Graziano and approved
by the Board.
Committee Reports:
A. Zoning. One property was referred by
the Zoning Committee to the Board for further discussion and approval.
1972 N. Burling St. and 741 W. Armitage. (Southwest
corner of Armitage and Burling). This parcel consists of three lots
containing two buildings. One is a six flat brick structure facing
Armitage and the other is a decayed two flat facing Burling. Both
buildings are in a state of disrepair and have been an eyesore for
many years. Both will be demolished. A single family home with a
walled garden and attached garage abutting the alley is being proposed.
Erica Weeder of Liederbach & Graham Architects presented the
plans. The lots are zoned differently, with the northernmost lots
being zoned B1-3 and the southern lot being zoned RM 4.5.
The project seeks to develop the property as residential and accordingly
seeks relief from the requirement of 1378 Square feet of ground floor
commercial space. The design calls for a garage on the alley with
0 foot setback (usual requirement is 30 feet). The garage door will
be set back from the center of the alley 10 feet with additional
recess to accommodate trash bins. Side setbacks between the R zoned
parcel and the B zoned parcel are requested. A 7 foot wall (reduced
from 8 foot) along Armitage, reduced to 6 feet along Burling, with
a fenced portion in front of the residence (facing Burling) was also
requested (6 feet walls are allowed by zoning) There will be ample
green space, with a 19 foot side yard on the north and 25 foot side
yard on the south side of the property.
The overall height of the structure is 45 feet, which is close to
the maximum permitted under residential zoning. The commercial portion
of this property would have allowed a building of 65 feet. This had
been a concern in the past and there had been some discussion of
trying to downzone this parcel. This proposal in effect converts
the property to residential. Seven of the neighbors have come forward
in favor of the proposed development.
There was some discussion about this proposal, focusing mostly on
the height of the wall along Armitage. There was agreement that it
was reasonable for the owner to want some protection from the high
volume of vehicular and pedestrian traffic along this section of
Armitage. A motion to approve the change in zoning requested by the
owner was made by Richard Harris and seconded by Deirdre Graziano.
And approved by all directors present. Motion was adopted.
B. Membership: Several new memberships have
come in as a result of the 2009 Bauler Park fund raising program.
The planned solicitation for Lincoln Central Park will help to create
increased awareness of LCA and additional memberships are anticipated.
The annual membership renewals will be completed in July.
C. Communications: The electronic
newsletter was distributed in early June. Reaction has been positive.
Tom McGavin encouraged the submission of articles for the summer
edition.
D. Neighborhood Liaison: Deirdre Graziano
and David Varnerin reported on several areas:
1. David Varnerin attended a second community meeting
(June 23rd) on the planned 10 Master Plan for DePaul University.
This contained all of the information in the May meeting but with
additional details about several of the new structures. Approximately
35 to 40 attended (4700 leaflet had been distributed by Sheffield
Neighbors). The reaction was positive with some discussion about
the proposed closure of the 2300 block of N. Kenmore. Most of the
new construction will be at or west of the el tracks. The new Music
building located on the west side of the 2300 block of Halsted will
be adjacent to LCA. The building will have limited underground parking,
which will flow onto Halsted. They anticipate using the Children’s
Memorial parking structure on the 2300 block of Lincoln Ave. Demolition
of the existing building and construction of the new building is
anticipated in 2013 or 2014 depending on their success in raising
funds for the project.
Most of those in attendance liked what was presented. The university’s
plans were very sensitive to the surrounding community and the buildings
proposed blend in nicely with their surroundings. The university
will now have to pursue formal city approval to these plans.
2. Children’s Memorial Hospital. The fourth
community wide meeting was held on June 16th. CMH will be creating
a handbook summarizing all input from prior meetings. This handbook
will be completed shortly and will be posted on cmhplanning.blogspot.com.
E. Safety: Sally Drucker and Steve VanderVoort
continue to attend the Caps meeting. Sally reported that recent meetings
have revealed that crimes have been mostly garage and alley break-ins.
Overall, things remain relatively quiet.
Other Business: (1) Richard Harris indicated that
Four Farthings and Carnival Grocery would be interesting in creating
a small street fair along Dickens. They would need a non-profit participant
to obtain city approval. Richard Harris will meet with the proprietors
to obtain more details of what they would like to do.
(2) There was also discussion about a potential request by River
Shannon for four outdoor tables along Hudson Avenue. Discussion centered
on when and how neighbors would be notified. It was decided to wait
until the owners officially make an application and the matter is
referred to us by the Alderman’s office. To get an outdoor
table permit, the establishment must derive at least 60% of its revenues
from the sale of food. River Shannon is a bar with only complimentary
food available to its patrons.
Next Meeting: July 23rd at 7:00PM at Harris Realty
Group’s office, 509 W. Dickens St.
Meeting adjourned at 8:20PM
Submitted by: David Varnerin, Secretary
LINCOLN CENTRAL ASSOCIATION
MEETING MINUTES, May 28, 2009
Lincoln Park High School Room 103
Board Members Present: Deirdre Graziano, David
Varnerin, Jennifer Uson, Tom McGavin, Gary Sinclair, Steve VanderVoort
and Tom Matyas
Next Meeting: Thursday, June 25, 2009 at 7:00PM
at Harris Realty Group’s office, 509 W. Dickens St.
Call to Order: Deirdre Graziano called the meeting
to order at 7:02PM.
Approval of April Meeting Minutes: A motion to
approve the prior meeting minutes was made by Gary Sinclair. Seconded
by Jennifer Uson and approved by the Board.
Committee Reports:
A. Zoning. Two properties were referred
by the Zoning Committee to the Board for further discussion and approval.
723 W. Willow. A unit owner (Stephane Rambaud)
in this building, which is located on the site of the Pilgrim Church
at the corner of Willow and Burling, requested a variance to allow
for a rooftop structure in conjunction with a green roof project.
The structure would consist of trellises in the north central part
of the roof, which would incorporate various plantings in the green
roof. The roof garden would take up approximately 47% of the total
roof area, with the balance of the area being used for building mechanical
devices (air conditioning condensers, etc.). The area with the trellised
structure would only occupy a small portion of the roof and would
be set back from the edge of the building roof such that it would
not be visible from the immediate ground level area. The structure
would be visible from a distance of a half a block away in either
direction on Willow. The green roof would come close to a true green
roof as defined by the city of Chicago
The owner had been asked by the Zoning Committee to submit several
items in conjunction with this request, specifically to notify neighbors,
to submit photos with the proposed structure superimposed on it to
give an idea as to how the structure will appear and to submit an
architectural plan of the entire project. Neighbors were notifies
via a leaflet. Several neighbors (Tom Ward (east of the building)
and two neighbors just across Burling) indicated that they did not
have a problem with the project. The photos of the building with
the superimposed structure were examined by all present.
This building’s height had been an issue when it was first
proposed several years ago. In consideration of saving the orange
rated church rectory just south of the church’s former location
and incorporating that structure into the new building, the new building
was allowed to go higher than zoning allowed at the time. The new
building incorporates many of the architectural features of the orange
rated rectory.
The proposal was discussed by the Board members. Tom Matyas indicated
that an individual who had been a legal client of his in the past
and who lived south of this building was concerned about the height
of the building. The bulk of the discussion concerned the specifics
of the project. The roof area will only be available to the top floor
owner (Mr. Rambaud). The roof has benefits to the community, namely
the environmental benefits arising from its green nature. The possibility
of a covenant on the building (agreed to by the unit owner and the
building association) was put forth by Gary Sinclair. The covenant
would require that the roof area being used for this green roof remain
green in the future. The unit owner was agreeable to this concept.
The owner and landscape architect will draft the covenant.
A motion to approve the variance subject to the covenant outlined
by Gary Sinclair was proposed by Gary Sinclair. Seconded by David
Varnerin. Approved by six directors and opposed by one director.
Motion was adopted.
1969 N. Burling St. The unit owner of this two
story single family home built in the late 1800’s is requesting
that the property be down zoned from B1-3 to RM 4.5 which is the
prevailing zoning of the residential area to the south of the property.
The B1-3 zoning is the prevailing zoning of properties along the
south side of Armitage Ave. just to the north. With the existing
zoning, this building could be torn down and replaced with a much
larger and higher structure.
There was not much discussion about this proposal. A motion to approve
the change in zoning was made by Gary Sinclair and seconded by David
Varnerin. Six directors approved, one director was opposed. Motion
was adopted.
B. Membership: A membership promotion was
held in Bauler Park on May 23rd by Jennifer Uson and Dave Varnerin
where membership literature was distributed to park patrons. Information
about the Bauler Park 2009 Maintenance Program was also distributed.
Several new memberships have come in as a result of the park promotion.
Board members were asked to solicit their neighbors for memberships.
Future membership promotions will be held at the Farmer’s market
and other locations later on in the summer.
C. Communications: The electronic newsletter
is ready to go. A printed version of the announcement of LCA’s
new e-newsletter was given out. The announcement will go out on May
28 and the newsletter itself will be distributed on June 1st. Editor
Tom McGavin encouraged all directors to submit articles for the next
newsletter.
There was also discussion of a way to incorporate the capability
of allowing directors to make postings directly to LCA’s web
site. At present, a document would be submitted to the web administrator
who would then post the information to the site. Our site had a blog
capability but it was turned off due to lack of any usage and problems
experienced with computer hackers. Gary Sinclair will continue to
look into this subject.
D. Neighborhood Liaison: Deirdre Graziano
and Steve VanderVoort reported on several areas:
1. Steve Vander Voort attended a community meeting
which reviewed the proposed new buildings to be constructed on or
adjacent to DePaul University’s campus. This included a new
music building on the southwest corner of Halsted and Fullerton and
a new building on the northwest corner of Sheffield and Fullerton.
The reaction of the participants was generally positive and future
meetings will be scheduled.
2. Children’s Memorial Hospital. The fourth
community wide meeting originally proposed for March has now been
scheduled for June 16th at St. Vincent DePaul Center (2145 N. Halsted).
This meeting will summarize the findings of the research and the
previous community meetings on the subject of the redevelopment of
the present Children’s Memorial buildings. Once that meeting
has been held, a LCA subcommittee will have to be formed to formulate
a position. Gary Sinclair will head this effort. Deirdre Graziano
has formulated a preliminary position on the hospital redevelopment,
which are contained in the April Meeting Minutes. These recommendations
have been submitted for posting on cmhplanning.blogspot.com.
E. Safety: Sally Drucker and Steve VanderVoort
continue to attend the Caps meeting. Steve reported that CAPS has
taken a stand against breezeways between homes and garages because
they allow easy access for thieves who once they gain access cannot
be seen from the outside.
Also discussed was the possibility of a stop sign at Armitage and
Cleveland and at the corner of Hudson and Menominee (in front of
the Midwest Buddhist Temple). Many cars frequently pass those areas
at a high rate of speed endangering pedestrians. Both intersections
have painted crosswalks.
A suggestion to have a CAPS representative at Movies in the Park
(Oz and Bauler Park) was made. However, based on past experience,
the CAPS representative did not feel that this venue was very effective.
There is a new CAPS website called “Clearpath” which
contains much useful information about how to deal with crime. A
link on LCA’s web site will be added to Clearpath.
Other Business: Tom Matyas informed the Board about
some difficulties his family has experienced pertaining to rodent
infestation. Ranch Triangle recently had a community programs dealing
with the issue due to problems that community is having with rats
as a result of all the construction activity. Ranch Triangle will
be contacted to learn about the specifics of their program and their
possible applicability to LCA.
Treasurer’s Report: Subsequent to this Board
Meeting, Treasurer Bard Boersma submitted financials through 5-31-09.
Assets totaled $29,833 of which $9,673 was being held for Bauler
Park ($5,909) and other Lincoln Central parks ($3,764). Net income
year to date was $3,626, due entirely to funds raised for Bauler
Park. LCA showed a slight loss through May (-$488), which is attributed
largely to the Directors and Officers Liability Insurance premium,
which was paid in March.
Next Meeting: June 25th at 7:00PM at Harris Realty
Group’s office, 509 W. Dickens St.
Meeting adjourned at 8:10PM
Submitted by: David Varnerin, Secretary
April 23, 2009
Lincoln Park High School Room 103
Board Members Present: Rodger Owen, Deirdre Graziano,
Brad Boersma, David Varnerin, Sally Drucker, Jennifer Uson, Joan
Simmons, Tom McGavin, Gary Sinclair, Richard Harris, Steve VanderVoort
Next Meeting: Thursday, May 28, 2009 at 7:00PM
at Lincoln Park High School, Room 103.
Call to Order: Rodger Owen called the meeting to
order at 7:03PM.
Approval of March Meeting Minutes: A motion to
approve the prior meeting minutes and notes was made by Brad Boersma.
Seconded by Gary Sinclair and approved by the Board.
Treasurer's Report: Brad Boersma indicated that
the balance was presently $26,700, including $5,708 being held for
Bauler Park and other Lincoln Central parks. There was minimal activity
in March and April to date. A complete report as of April 30, 2009
will
be forwarded to the Board in May.
LCA Bylaws Review: The group headed by Gary Sinclair
will be working on this project over the next several months.
Sidewalk Café Requests: Prior to this Board
meeting, LCA was requested to review two applications, which needed
to go before the city on April 20th. Members of the Executive Committee
(Owen, Boersma and Varnerin) met with Karyn's at 1901 N. Halsted
and Shine Garden Chinese Restaurant (750 W Webster, formerly O'Fame).
The plans were reviewed and were found to be within the specified
requirements for outdoor sidewalk Cafes. A vote of the Board was
conducted via email. Ten Board members responded favorably to both
requests.
Committee Reports:
A. Zoning.
1755 N. Mohawk. The owners of this double lot property
(the residence occupies the northern lot) are requesting a side yard
and rear yard variance. This will allow small one story addition
to the side of the existing building and align the entire structure
with the garage on the alley. The majority of the land on the second
lot on the south side of the home will be a planted side yard. There
was discussion about creating a covenant to restrict further building
on the south lot. However, this was not recommended. The request
was approved by vote of 10 in favor and one opposed.
2056 N. Mohawk . The developer (Michael O'Connor)
had requested of the city a waiver of the parking space requirement.
This lot does not have alley access. However, the city declined the
request because they were working from an incorrect survey of the
property, which showed the lot as a full lot, which it is not. The
developer was asked for a valid survey, which will enable the request
to be approved by the city. The neighbors are firmly opposed to a
curb cut for this property. The Association supports a waiver of
the parking space requirement for this project.
1826 N. Mohawk St. The owners of this property
requested a special meeting with the Board. They had presented a
request for a side yard variance and a breezeway variance at the
previous Zoning Committee meeting and based on feedback from Zoning,
had made changes to the proposal, which they hoped would be more
acceptable. The adjacent house on the south side of the property
has a wall and trellises rising to a height of 18 feet. The height
of the north sidewall of the 1826 proposed house had been reduced
from 15 feet to 6 feet plus trellises and the south sidewall had
been decreased to match the neighboring house. (13'4") The owners
are requesting these variances based on a hardship - the lot is small
(24 feet and known to them at the time of purchase) and security
concerns (one of the owners witnessed criminal activity in a neighboring
property). The owners are anxious to proceed with the project and
indicated that they were prepared to move ahead with an alternative
plan should their request be declined. The alternate plan would leave
the existing coach house on the alley and construct a new house in
place of the existing building. After discussion by a number of Board
members, the motion on this matter was tabled. Rodger Owen will write
a letter to the owners indicating that if the breezeway height could
be lowered to six feet plus a height allowance for a glass ceiling
over the breezeway, then the variance request could be approved.
B. Membership:
As a result of information gather since the last meeting and suggestions
by committee members, the following initiatives will be made in 2009:
1. Solicitation at the Farmer's Market at Lincoln Park High School
and at children's play areas in Bauler and Oz Parks.
2. Targeted solicitation of new home purchases based on property
transfer information from a real estate database.
3. Face to face solicitation of businesses in LCA.
4. Contact program with existing members seeking referrals. Board
members in particular are asked to solicit new members.
C. Communications:
The electronic newsletter will be ready in mid May Editor Tom McGavin
presented a sample layout to the Board earlier in April.
With regard to the Web site, Tom Tresser had made a recommendation
at the March meeting to close down the existing site and migrate
to the constant contact interactive format (wordpress.com). There
was discussion that the wordpress format was really a blog. It was
the feeling of a number of directors that LCA still needed a full
web site, which could be linked to a blog allowing input by visitors.
With regard to utilizing Alderman Daley's email to broaden LCA's
reach to the community, short announcements by LCA could be incorporated
into the periodic community wide emails distributed by the Alderman's
office.
D. Neighborhood Liaison:
Deirdre Graziano and Gary Sinclair reported on several areas the
committee is active in:
1. DePaul Music Building. A new building will be
built on the southwest corner of Fullerton and Halsted. The pictorials
submitted appeared to be acceptable. However, a full proposal will
need to be presented to the Board for consideration. The site is
outside LCA's boundaries.
2. Children's Memorial Hospital. The fourth community
wide meeting originally proposed for March has not yet been scheduled.
This meeting was to have summarized the findings of the research
and the previous community meetings on the subject of the redevelopment
of the present Children's Memorial buildings. Once that meeting has
been held, a LCA subcommittee will have to be formed to formulate
a position. Gary Sinclair will head this effort. Deirdre Graziano
has formulated a preliminary position on the hospital redevelopment,
which is shown as an Addendum below. These recommendations have been
submitted for posting on cmhplanning.blogspot.com.
LCA was also asked for a letter of support for the heliport on top
of their new building adjacent to Prentiss Women's Hospital. It was
agreed to send a letter indicating the LCA was not aware of any problems
with regard to the heliport atop their existing main building.
3. Armitage Halsted Landmark Committee: There is
a study underway of the area around the Armitage el stop. . Currently,
students from the School of the Art Institute are working on a project
to increase awareness of the district. The students are working on
a logo for the district, plus an informational kiosk and panels about
the history and architecture. The final report will be completed
shortly.
E. Safety:
Sally Drucker and Steve VanderVoort continue to attend the Caps
meeting and will be pulling together relevant information for a future
newsletter article.
Other Business: None
Next Meeting: May 28th at 7:00PM at Lincoln Park
High School, Room 103.
Meeting adjourned at 8:30PM
Submitted by: David Varnerin, Secretary
Addendum: Draft of LCA recommendations of the redevelopment
of Children's Memorial site.
1. Keep the parking structure that stands on the
west side of Lincoln Avenue. Merchants, churches, residents and
theatre groups in the immediate area depend on this garage. CMH
had made a commitment to the community to provide this parking.
The need continues and should be honored within any new development.
2. Limit height (to five stories) and density to
reflect the surrounding residential and commercial neighborhood
buildings. No high rise structure.
3. Maintain commerce on Lincoln Avenue. Provide
commercial space on the ground floor particularly on the Lincoln
Avenue side of the parcel. Residential space above.
4. Provide green space and a children's playground.
Oz Park is nearby but the area needs outdoor green communal space.
5. If needed, (after analysis of any proposed plan),
break up the triangle space with a north - south road as a means
to ease congestion and to create a more pedestrian friendly area.
6. Save the two gateway terra cotta structures at
Lincoln - Halsted - Fullerton that house offices and the White
Elephant store. Preserve the Nellie Black, Martha Wilson and Koch
buildings for reuse. All these properties were highlighted by the
historical consultants (Granecki) hired by HOK for a review of
significant historical buildings.
7. Use materials, which are consistent with the
neighborhood. Architectural structures and elements would also
be compatible with the surrounding neighborhood.
8. Include senior and work force housing so that
teachers, policeman, fireman, etc. can live in the neighborhood
they serve. Our neighborhoods voted overwhelmingly for this in
the 2006 Balanced Development Referendum. Our Alderman has made
a commitment to senior and workforce housing.
MEETING
MINUTES, March 5, 2009
Harris Realty Group Offices, 509 W. Dickens St.
Next Meeting: Thursday, April 23, 2009 at 7:00PM at Lincoln Park
High School, Room 103.
Call to Order: Rodger Owen called the meeting to order at 7:05PM.
LCA Bank Account Signers: A resolution was introduced by David Varnerin
to change the signers on LCA’s bank accounts, adding Rodger
Owen and Deirdre Graziano and eliminating Rick Rausch. David Varnerin
and Brad Boersma will remain as signers on the account. Two signers
on all checks will continue to be required. Seconded by Rodger Owen
and approved by the Board.
Approval of January Meeting Minutes and the February luncheon
notes:
A motion to approve the prior meeting minutes and notes was made
by Rodger Owen. Seconded by Gary Sinclair and approved by the Board.
Treasurer’s Report: Brad Boersma had distributed February
financials via email to Board members. Total assets, net of payables
were $26,922 of which $5,709 was being held for Bauler Park and other
Lincoln Central parks. LCA income of $852 consisted largely of memberships
and Bauler Park contributions. Expenses of $282 consisted of expenses
associated with the January meeting at Stanley’s Restaurant
and voice mail expenses.
LCA Bylaws Review: The group headed by Gary Sinclair has just initiated
work on this review and expects to complete the review by the next
Board meeting.
Committee Reports:
A. Zoning. In the February zoning committee meeting, a presentation
by Developer Mike O’Connor was made pertaining to the land
at 2056 N. Mohawk. This lot does not have alley access. The developer
is proposing to build a single-family spec home all within the existing
zoning limitations. There will be no basement and no curb cut (prior
requests for a curb cut on this parcel have been opposed by the neighbors).
The neighbors to the north and south of this lot have been notified
and the developer met with the owner on the south who had no objections
to the plan. The developer will provide an easement on the north
side of this parcel so the neighbors to the north will have egress
to Mohawk.
B. Membership: The committee met on March 1st to begin
the process of developing a membership plan. Past membership efforts
were discussed. Ideas were shared as to how LCA should position itself
to the community in terms of its mission statement, past accomplishments
and goals for 2009 in order to attract more members. It was decided
that members of the
committee would contact other neighborhood associations in the Lincoln
Park area to learn what they were doing in the way of membership
efforts and what had proven to be effective ways to gain members.
The committee will meet prior to the next Board meeting to review
the results of these contacts and to decide what things LCA should
do in 2009 to attract new members.
There was also discussion
as to what ongoing actions LCA should take with respect to solidifying
relations with the existing membership base. Improved communication
(both electronic and physical (newsletter and telephone contact))
was mentioned as one area to consider.
C. Communications: Work is proceeding on the design of a new newsletter format, which
would be adaptable to both physical and electronic distribution.
Editor Tom McGavin is working with a consultant and will have a
sample layout shortly. Later on in the meeting, a press release
written by Tom was distributed. The release profiles our new President
and includes the other Board members and background on each. The
release will be sent to neighborhood newspapers in the Lincoln
Park community.With regard to the Web site, Tom Tresser made a
recommendation to close down the existing site and migrate to the
constant contact interactive format (wordpress.com). He indicated
that moving to this format will not involve much expense and will
allow other Board members and the outside community to participate
in dialogue with LCA. It was agreed to move forward after Board
members had a chance to visit the wordpress.com site to see how
this type of a site would work. However, the success of this or
any other site will depend on continuous input to keep the content
current. Board members are urged to visit the site and relay their
comments and thoughts to Tom Tresser.
In an effort to
expand LCA’s email reach, the Secretary will check with Vi
Daley’s office to see if email addresses in her database
in the LCA area can be identified and used by LCA to disseminate
information to the community.
D. Neighborhood
Liaison: Deirdre Graziano reported on several areas the committee
is active in:
1. Lincoln
Park Community Wide Forums. The next meeting will be on March 31st at
8:00AM (Breakfast) at the Notebaert Museum (2430 N. Cannon Drive).
The 2009 goal is to make Lincoln Park the greenest community in
Chicago. For more information, visit www.chicagoclimateaction.org.
Any and all Board members interested in attending should RSVP to
Patricia Rodriguez at 312-645-9400 Ext. 31.
2. Children’s
Memorial Hospital. The third (of four) meeting was held on Feb.
18th and reviewed some hypothetical development plans
for this site. A number of LCA members were in attendance. The
fourth meeting will be held later in March, with the announcement
of the specific date and time to come from the Alderman’s
office. An LCA subcommittee will be formed to formulate a position
on this subject. Gary Sinclair will head this effort.
3. Children’s
Memorial Community Relations Meetings: This committee has
had a lower priority than the redevelopment meetings. LCA expects
to receive a notice of future meetings.
4. Recycling Initiative: Tom Tresser is advocating that LCA explore the possibility of
curbside recycling in our area. Tom would welcome support for
this effort. The next steps in this initiative are:
--Meet with Alderman Daley
--Research
recycling programs in Evanston and Oak Park
--Talk with Chicago Research Center (which operates extensive
recycling programs)
--Convene a community forum to present ideas and options
--Start a pilot-recycling program in the LCA service area
5.
Lincoln Park High School: There has bee no contact recently with
the local School Council. This remains an area for potential future
involvement.
6. Armitage Halsted
Landmark Committee: This area, which will be posted on our web site, has
seen the proliferation of billboards recently, many of which are
believed to be illegal. A high concentration of these billboards
is along Armitage, west of Halsted. The city will move to assess
fines on illegal billboards. The signs represent visual blight
on the attractive landmark area. Continued vigilance by community
organizations and concerned citizens is required to get this problem
under control. LCA will continue to interface with the Alderman’s office on this subject.
7.
Safety: Sally Drucker attended the recent CAPS meeting and
reported that there have been a number of thefts from vehicles in
the DePaul area. Police advise that all outside parked cars have
nothing of value visible from the exterior, especially any electronic
devices. Overall crime stats are down from a year ago. Failure to
stop at stop signs is another area of concern. Homes on Bissell and
Sheffield (either side of the el) seem to be most vulnerable to crime.
Other Business: The Board
expressed its appreciation to Richard Harris for hosting this meeting.
Next
Meeting: In order to allow the various committees time to have
follow up meetings, the next Board meeting will be held on April
23rd at 7:00PM at Lincoln Park High School, Room 103.
Meeting
adjourned at 8:25PM
Submitted by: David
Varnerin, Secretary.
LINCOLN CENTRAL ASSOCIATION
MEETING MINUTES, JAN. 22, 2009 and INTERIM MEETING MINUTES, FEB.
6, 2009
Notes from the January 22, 2009 Annual Board Meeting:
Special Guests: Cook County Commissioner
Mike Quigley and Alderman Vi Daley were in attendance and made
brief remarks about the state of Cook County and the Ward. Quigley
indicated that the County would engage in additional borrowing
over and above what is needed in 2009 rather than increase taxes.
He also stressed the importance of voter turnout for all elections
especially local elections. Daley made comments about the Children’s Hospital community
meetings, Lincoln Park Hospital and miscellaneous ward maintenance
and improvement projects. She reiterated the importance of community
input in the eventual redevelopment of the Children’s Hospital
sites and Lincoln Park Hospital.
Vi Daley presented Rick Rausch with a City Council resolution thanking
him for his contributions to the community.
Treasurer’s Report: Total
assets, net of payables were $26,727.61, up from $24,923 at year-end
2007. Included in the 2008 year end total was $5,559 being held
for Bauler Park and other neighborhood projects. The increase
in total assets is due almost entirely to the increase in Bauler
Park funds. Lincoln Central’s account
balance, net of restricted funds, was up slightly for 2008. Membership
dues were off by $902, attributable to fewer people renewing their
membership at the Benefactor or Patron level. Also, more members
renewed as seniors ($10 / year). LCA expenses were lower than 2007
since only one newsletter was published last summer.
Membership: Year-end membership was 254, essentially unchanged
from the prior year.
Election of New Directors and Officers: The main order of business
was the election of new Officers and Directors. David Varnerin
read the slate of new Officers and Directors. (Candidate statements
had been posted on the web site since mid December 2008).
After a call for additional nominations, a resolution was made
by David Varnerin that the slate of Officers and Directors be accepted
and made official. Seconded by Rick Rausch and subsequently by
all present. (11 new and former directors and 12 LCA members).
The new Officers and Directors are listed below:
|
Name
|
Position
|
Term
|
| Rodger Owen |
President |
2009 |
| Deirdre Graziano |
Vice President |
2009-2010 |
| David Varnerin |
Secretary |
2009 |
| Jennifer Uson |
Corresponding Secretary |
2009-2010 |
| Steve VanderVoort |
Director |
2009-2010 |
| Tom Tresser |
Director |
2009-2010 |
| Sally Drucker |
Director |
2009-2010 |
| Thomas McGavin |
Director |
2009-2010 |
| Joan Simmons |
Director |
2009-2010 |
| Gary Sinclair |
Director |
2009-2010 |
Other Business: There was subsequent discussion about ideas for
2009, including the newsletter, web site, membership and community
maintenance concerns. Subsequent to this meeting, the Board decided
to hold an interim meeting on February 6, 2009. Notes from that
meeting are shown below.
Meeting adjourned at 8:15PM
Notes from the February 6, 2009 Interim Board Meeting:
1. Rodger Owen opened the meeting by summarizing the recent meeting
of neighborhood association Presidents with Alderman Daley. In
that meeting, the Alderman discussed a mural project she would
like the community to support. The mural would cost about $85,000
and be located at the underpass at Fullerton and Lake Shore Drive.
Additional discussion will take place on this project at a future
Board meeting.
2. The meeting’s primary purpose was to begin
the process of reactivating a number of LCA committees. Presently,
the Executive, Zoning and Finance Committee are functioning,
with the Zoning Committee holding regular meeting on the second
Tuesday of each month. The following committees were discussed
and Board members indicated their interest in participating are
shown below:
1. Communications: Tom McGavin, Tom Tresser, Gary Sinclair.
2. Membership; Sally Drucker, Tom McGavin, Joan Simmons, Tom Tresser,
Dave Varnerin
3. Community Liaison: Deirdre Graziano, Gary Sinclair
4. Safety: Sally Drucker, Steve Vander Voort
5. Beautification: Tom McGavin (this committee will remain inactive
at the present time).
Also discussed was the review and update of LCA’s
Bylaws. Joan Simmons and Gary Sinclair will work on that effort.
3. In an effort to reach out to Association members who might
be interested in joining a committee, a list of members who indicated
an interest on their last membership renewal form was submitted.
These members will be contacted by Sally Drucker and Dave Varnerin
to ascertain their willingness to join a committee. Also Board
members not at this meeting will also be contacted for the same
reason.
4. Subsequent to this meeting, the members of the Executive Committee
will meet to review the committee assignments and to facilitate
in their activation. It is hoped that each newly activated committee
will be able to have an organizational meeting prior to the next
Board meeting on March 5th.
Next Board Meeting: March 5, 2009 at 7:00PM at Harris Realty Group
offices, 509 W. Dickens
