A panel discussed the future of the Evanston lakefront Wednesday night, weighing how to further open it to the public and protect it from certain types of development.
The participants of the panel, titled “The Future of Your Evanston Lakefront,” came from varying areas of expertise, in order to foster “healthy discussion” through “diverse perspectives,” said Cameron Davis, moderator of the panel.
“We’re here because we love Evanston, and we want to be informed,” Davis told more than 50 attendees at Skylight, 1818 Dempster St. “Nobody is neutral when it comes to the protection of the lakefront.”
The panel included Ald. Coleen Burrus (9th), University of Illinois at Chicago Prof. Martin Jaffe, Lucky Platter owner Eric Singer and Evanston resident Peter Marks.
The talk came after a summer that saw City Council considering whether to sell the Harley Clarke Mansion to Evanston billionaire Jennifer Pritzker. Aldermen ultimately rejected the bid, which would have turned the lakefront property into a boutique hotel. However, the mansion only came up once during the panel discussion.
Still, Davis questioned the panelists about different lakefront issues, including its accessibility to various communities, revenue production and room for improvement and change.
Along with leading the discussion, Davis proposed an ordinance to protect the lakefront that would “enhance the purposes of the Evanston Lakefront Vision and Master Plan of 2008,” according to a draft.
The city adopted the Lakefront Master Plan in 2008 after more than a year of City Council discussion and public input. The city calls it “a blueprint for future renovation’s projects along Evanston’s lakefront.”
Despite Davis’ proposed legislation, the panel focused on more specific issues with the lakefront instead of a comprehensive protection.
Burrus called the lakefront inaccessible. She also pointed out the lack of beach amenities like healthy food, umbrellas and chair rentals, as well as direct public transportation to the beach.
She also raised the prospect of adding more development around the beach.
“How do you want the city and downtown to interact with the lakefront?” she asked, citing various cities that plan restaurants and tourist attractions around their beaches.
Jaffe presented his case studies in urban planning that has proven successful. Although waterfronts often lead to great developments in big cities, Evanston has the problem that it “can’t do much with private property,” he said, pointing to the residences that line its lakefront streets.
In a Q-and-A after the panel discussion, residents questioned the reasoning and motivation behind a new ordinance, as well as the quality of the Master Plan and zoning ordinances in effect now.
Burrus expressed her disapproval of Davis’ plan, saying that current ordinances are “sufficient.”
The ongoing debate about the Harley Clarke Mansion did not play a major role in the discussion. Lucky Platter owner Singer tried to bring up the issue, but it was overshadowed by the direction in which Davis’s questions led the panel.
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