After being denied the chance to comment at Wednesday night’s Plan Commission meeting, about 20 west Evanston residents took the matter into their own hands.
“You have citizen comment for other issues,” one resident shouted from her seat. “Why not this one?”
“We live there, not you,” added another.
Attempting to calm the angered residents, commission chairman James Woods repeatedly declared “this is not the time or the place.”
The residents wanted to talk about a zoning ordinance change that would raise the maximum height of commercial buildings in their neighborhood from three stories to five, a measure that was eventually passed in a 7-1 vote.
The commission said the discussion on the change was not opened to the public because there was significant comment in previous meetings and there will be another opportunity once the proposal reaches the Planning and Development Committee.
Still, there was confusion about whether the unheard complaints were directed at the plan or the zoning change.
“I’m not sure I understand what the community wants,” said commissioner Seth Freeman, who cast the lone dissenting vote. “I voted against it to make the community feel like they had a voice.”
Other commissioners were less worried.
“This is a good plan, a very good plan,” commission associate Lawrence Widmayer said. “I know there are some people who disagree with it, but that’s vintage Evanston.”
Fifth Ward residents were alerted of the proposed zoning change earlier this week when an unknown source distributed a pamphlet calling for neighbors to attend the meeting.
“We had citizens here that were not informed about the zoning changes in the Fifth Ward,” Evanston resident Tina Paden said. “They said we could speak at this meeting.”
Many residents questioned the influences affecting the officials’ decision, alluding to the fact that many of the commissioners, who are appointed by the mayor, have careers in development.
“The measure benefits (the commissioners) and the developers, not the people who actually live in the community,” Priscilla Giles said.
Later in the meeting, the commission postponed its vote on the downtown plan to add textual changes.
Much of the discussion regarding the plan focused on whether the commission had the power to consider aesthetics as a factor when reviewing a development project.
“The (state) legislature has said cities have the right to make decisions based on appearance,” Widmayer said.
The commission voted unanimously to amend the downtown plan to include clauses that would require developers to submit their architectural plans.
The final vote was postponed so the exact text of the amendment could be written.
“To make a vote on something that we can’t see the exact text on is a little disconcerting,” commissioner Coleen Burrus said.
The commission intends to take a final vote on the plan at a special meeting, 7 p.m. Oct. 27 in the Evanston Civic Center, 2100 Ridge Ave.
