The Evanston City Council will meet tonight in its first meeting of the year to vote on ordinances including a new plan for Evanston’s lakefront, an extension of the Downtown moratorium and re-zoning on Central Street.

Lakefront Master Plan

The Council will vote on whether to adopt a new master plan to shape future park development along the lakefront.

The plan aims to enhance natural areas and improve public use, including a reconstruction of the bicycle and pedestrian paths between Lee Street and Clark Street Beaches.

Extension of the Downtown Moratorium

The Council will consider a proposal introduced Dec. 10 to extend the downtown construction moratorium by 93 days.

The moratorium, which was created June 11 to prevent new building contracts while the city created its new Downtown Plan, expired on Dec. 11, even though the Downtown Plan has not yet been approved. The Council could amend the proposal at tonight’s meeting to create another moratorium.

Central Street Zoning Amendments

The Plan Commission will recommend amendments to the Central Street Master Plan, which was adopted by Council on July 9.

The ordinance would affect the zoning of several buildings, including the Central Street CTA station, as part of an effort to create a new overlay district that would standardize building height restrictions, development allowances and streetscaping.

– Elise Foley