Evanston’s Planning and Development Committee delayed a decision Tuesday that could lead to the creation of a special zoning district for northwest Evanston, but residents warned that a longer postponement could lead to a wave of large residential projects.
Evanston City Council in December extended a six-month freeze on new construction projects in the Sixth Ward. The 60-day addition to the moratorium will last until February, but Ald. Edmund Moran (6th), who does not serve on the committee but attended Tuesday’s meeting, said he fears City Council might not act quick enough in creating the Sixth Ward designation.
“What’s important is that we need this help now,” he said.
The ban on construction was originally enacted because residents complained that developers were tearing down old homes and replacing them with larger homes, nicknamed “McMansions.” Supporters hope the special zoning district would preserve the traditional character of the neighborhood in relation to size and appearance of homes.
The district, which was recommended by the Plan Commission in November, would enforce stricter regulations for properties in the Sixth Ward and allay some residents’ fears of a neighborhood takeover by developers.
Some of these standards would prevent builders from constructing houses up to the edge of their property and make them fall in line with the heights of nearby homes. Other possibilities include a review board that would give residents the opportunity to make suggestions about the look of new homes.
Plan Commission chairman Lawrence Widmayer said the review board would notify neighbors of new construction projects — something of which they are often unaware.
“A dialogue would be sufficient to address some of the issues neighbors have,” he said. “The hope is that they’ll get some good advice.”
But Ald. Steven Bernstein (4th) said the board would lack real enforcement.
“To the extent that the developer is not acting in good faith, what is the motivation for him to come back to a second meeting,” he said.
Bernstein and other committee members said they needed more time to consider the district because of its far-reaching implications.
“I think there’s something to be said for the solemnity of a neighborhood, and I want to keep that,” he said. “But this is a lot of ordinance.”
But Moran said he has seen developers move quickly and does not want to see further delays.
“We’re not very far away from a drop-dead point at this process,” he said.
Ald. Melissa Wynne (3rd) said if developers were discouraged from building these “trophy homes” in the Sixth Ward, they might move to other areas. “If we put it into place, then what are we doing to the adjoining neighborhoods?” she said. “Are we leaving them more open to this?”
Associate Plan Commission member Steve Samson suggested the council implement the Sixth Ward plan throughout the city.
“I would not want to see what we see as a valuable tool to die because it is limited to this one part of the city,” he said.
The Planning and Development Committee will meet again Monday, and could recommend the ordinance to the full council.
