Smokers will no longer be able to light up in Evanston bars and restaurants after July 1.
Aldermen amended the city’s smoking ban at the Evanston City Council meeting Monday. The ordinance passed with an 8-1 vote to audience applause. Ald. Steven Bernstein (4th) voted against the ban, saying he was still concerned about negative economic effect.
Cook County and the City of Chicago have passed similar laws but have included longer “phasing out” periods before changes to current policy go into effect.
In Chicago bars and restaurants with bar areas can allow smoking until July 1, 2008, although many have already become smoke-free voluntarily.
Residents advocating the smoking ban wore stickers that read, “I support a smoke-free Evanston.”
But not all residents were in favor of the ban. One man said during citizen comment that banning smoking is an encroachment on civil liberties.
“I see a ‘Big Brother’ approach being sought here,” Evanston resident David Baum said.
Baum said city interference in restaurant regulations is an “intrusion” on private enterprises.
Other residents said the amendments would benefit restaurant and bar employees. Ald. Edmund Moran (6th) voted against the ban two years ago but changed his mind with this proposal.
“I think our hospitality industry will improve with this,” Moran said. “In some respects I wish I had voted for it (before).”
The council also approved a proposal for a condominium development at 2607 Prairie Ave. The developers, Evanston Prairie LLC, plan to build 13 residential units and will have commercial space on the ground floor.
Faced with a shortage of affordable housing, aldermen discussed an ordinance that would require new developments to include units affordable to low- to middle-income households.
The proposed inclusionary housing ordinance would apply to new planned developments of 25 or more units.
Aldermen said securing affordable housing has become increasingly necessary because the development boom in Evanston has gentrified the city. But they disagreed on the details.
City staff recommended that 10 percent of all units be set aside for families earning 100 percent or less of Evanston’s median family income. Some aldermen said they thought the number of units to be set aside should be higher.
“I feel we should go, at a minimum, for a 15 percent set-aside,” said Ald. Edmund Moran (6th). “We’re losing affordable units at a rate that will outstrip 10 percent.”
City officials also recommended that developers should be able to opt out of including affordable housing at a fee of $63,000 per affordable unit required, an amount several aldermen said they felt was too low. The money would be used for affordable housing at another site.
Some residents said this option would be an easy way for developers to avoid creating affordable units in their own buildings.
Evanston resident Carol Balkcom said the opt-out option could lead to more “segregated” housing, with expensive new developments on one extreme and affordable units created at a different site at the other.
Aldermen will continue to discuss the inclusionary housing ordinance at the next committee meeting May 8.
The council did not take action on a proposal to set term limits for community members of the Northwestern University-City Committee. Bernstein said aldermen should examine the committee before making any changes.
Reach Laura Olson at [email protected] and Jenny Song at [email protected].
