City Council debatedHorizon Realty Group’s revised plans for The Legacy, a mixed-use building development at 1621-1631 Chicago Ave., Monday evening.

The property is located just outside of downtown Evanston. The development will serve as a transition building between the densely built urban area to the west and the less intense developments to the east, according to Horizon zoning attorney Mike Lesker. 

The development will have affordable housing units as part of the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance, which requires that developments with five or more housing units make at least 10% of them affordable for low-income residents in Evanston.

Horizon, a Chicago-based property management company, answered councilmembers’ questions before the council approved the ordinance for introduction unanimously, with one councilmember abstaining.

Originally brought to the council in 2017, the ordinance had to be revised due to previous objections by community members regarding the development’s proposed 12-story height, number of affordable apartments and impact on neighboring buildings and local businesses.

“I do think that our ordinance is imperfect, but we need to do our best to stick to it,” Ald. Devon Reid (8th) said. “The (hindered) process can’t continue if we want to reach the goals that I think will be laid out in our Envision Evanston 2045.” 

Increasing access to housing is crucial for the Envision Evanston 2045 plan, which aims to drive growth and enhance the livelihood and resilience of the community over the next 20 years.

Ald. Eleanor Revelle (7th), however, expressed concern about the realty group’s comprehensiveness and transparency when discussing the affordable housing units on site.

“It has these complicating factors. I think it’s not the simplest,” Revelle said. “Shouldn’t we be asking them for 10% of the 24-unit allowance to be affordable units? Shouldn’t we?” 

The Legacy includes 110 total units, with eight apartments designated as affordable, excluding any bonus units. The calculation for affordable units is based on 78 apartments, with the remaining bonus units excluded from the count, according to Lesker. 

“We do have a relatively weak inclusionary housing ordinance,” community development director Sarah Flax said. “In terms of allowing the public to really understand (the calculations), we absolutely need to strengthen it.”

Councilmembers agreed that while the development ordinance is a “positive outcome” for Evanston, the realty group needs to ensure that its explanations of the ordinance are more accessible. 

“We should make the process simpler for everybody involved,” Ald. Jonathan Nieuwsma (4th) said. “I think this speaks to the transparency we all desire from the perception of the public as well.”

City Council also debated an ordinance that prohibits landlords from discriminating against residents’ dog breed and size. The ordinance aims to hold dog owners “accountable” for their pets’ behavior by shifting blame away from a dog’s breed, the Animal Welfare Board’s memorandum reads.

In Evanston, the average weight limit for dogs in rental units is 36 pounds, though many adoptable dogs in the city-owned Evanston Animal Shelter exceed this limit, according to the Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative.

In support of the ordinance, Reid also said that discrimination against dog breeds can “unintentionally reinforce” racist stereotypes, negatively impacting people of color and lower-income individuals. 

“As we moved into the ’60s and ’70s, (pitbulls) became associated with inner city people of color,” Reid explained. “As housing laws changed, the vestiges of racism and classism that exist within our psyche today are impacting folks across our community.” 

Yet Nieuwsma said that he fears the ordinance may have “unforeseeable consequences” and force landlords to place restrictions on all pets, as they won’t be able to decide what animals live on their property.

Mayor Daniel Biss broke the tie in favor of the ordinance at the end of the evening, stating that it will appear for action and “hopeful amendment” at the next council meeting. 

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