After five subcommittee meetings, the Church Street and Darrow Avenue housing proposal will go before the Evanston City Council tonight for a final decision.
The City Council began discussing the proposed four-story, 27-unit residential building on March 27 and heard concerns from residents about the size of the building and the lack of adequate parking. The Plan Commission originally rejected the plan, which initially called for a 42-unit building.
“The process of any development going forward for the council usually involves disagreeing with a neighborhood group,” Ald. Lionel Jean-Baptiste (2nd) said. “There were outstanding issues, so we set up a subcommittee to discuss the concerns.”
A subcommittee of aldermen and residents was formed during the April 11 meeting to discuss the plan in depth and report back to the council tonight. The original agreement called for four meetings but was later extended to include a fifth to create a final report.
“There was appreciation of each party’s concerns,” Jean-Baptiste said. “This was much more engaging than any other process I’ve seen the committee try.”
Jean-Baptiste said the subcommittee, which held its final meeting on Friday, will present a report to the Planning and Development Committee. Both the city and the developers discussed concessions during the meetings, he said. The city representatives said they would work on adding flexibility to parking regulations, while the developers said they would consider hiring another manager to supervise the building.
Jean-Baptiste said many of the aldermen have been attending the meetings or reading the transcripts regularly.
“Hopefully everyone paid close attention to process and will be able to make an informed decision,” Jean-Baptiste said.
Aldermen also will discuss funding for extra police services during the summer months. In addition to the annual summer increase in patrolling, the plan would provide for more officers in the Brummel Park area and downtown.
The Evanston Police Department will formulate a summer plan to combat the increase in potential for crime during the warm months. More officers patrol the streets from the end of May through September as the number of residents outside also rises.
“Every year there is greater police need in summer than in the winter,” Jean-Baptiste said. “The police usually re-deploy their forces and re-strategize. There is always the need for additional assistance – not always just uniformed officers but problem solvers, as well.”
Neighbors near Brummel Park expressed concerns last month after an incident involving about 200 teenagers carrying sticks and beer bottles. Members of the Brummel Park Neighbors patrolled the park following the incident to help encourage a safe environment.
The council also will vote on whether to appoint Marva Berger, a member of the McGaw YMCA board of directors, as Peter Godwin’s replacement on the Evanston Board of Ethics. Godwin, a candidate in last year’s mayoral race, resigned from the board this month to take a job in California.
Reach Laura Olson at [email protected].
