HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-08-10 Minutes
MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE PRESIDENT
AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE VILLAGE OF MORTON GROVE
COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS, HELD AT THE
RICHARD T. FLICKINGER MUNICIPAL CENTER
AUGUST 10, 2015
CALL TO ORDER
I &
II.
Village President Dan DiMaria called the meeting to order at 6:59 p.m. in the Council Chambers
of Village Hall. He introduced “Mayor For A Day” Matthew Eshaya and asked Matt to lead the
Board and assemblage in the Pledge of Allegiance.
III.
Village Clerk Connie Travis called the roll. Present were: Trustees Bill Grear, Rita Minx,
John Pietron, Ed Ramos, John Thill, and Janine Witko.
IV.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Regarding the Minutes of the Special Meeting of July 9, 2015, Trustee Thill moved to approve
the Minutes as presented, seconded by Trustee Minx. Motion passed unanimously via voice
vote.
Regarding the Minutes of the July 13, 2015 Regular Board Meeting, Trustee Pietron moved,
seconded by Trustee Witko, to accept the Minutes as presented. Motion passed unanimously
via voice vote.
V.
1.
a.
b.
2.
SPECIAL REPORTS
Recognition of Mr. and Mrs. LaMothe For Their Years of Service as Crossing Guards.
Mayor DiMaria asked Police Chief Michael Simo to join him at the podium for this special
recognition. Tonight the Village is honoring Lois and Ron LaMothe, who have a total of
59 years of service to the Village as crossing guards. Lois LaMothe spent 39 years as a
crossing guard at Ozark and Churchill for Nelson School students, and Ron LaMothe spent
20 years as a crossing guard at Dempster and Fernald, safely crossing students attending
ParkView School and St. Martha’s.
Chief Simo commented that the LaMothe’s are “exceptional people who will be missed”
as he presented them with a plaque honoring them for their years of service. Mayor DiMaria
presented the couple with a “Key to the Village” and thanked them for their long history of
service to the Village’s students.
Plan Commission Case PC15-05 Requests a Special Use Permit for a Drive-Through
Restaurant at the Property Commonly Known as 9480 Waukegan Road.
Minutes of August 10, 2015 Board Meeting
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V.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
SPECIAL REPORTS (continued)
Community and Economic Development Director Nancy Radzevich presented this case to the
Board. She provided some background on this case. She said the applicant is also present this
evening to answer any questions the Board may have after hearing the report. The applicant is
requesting that the second reading of the Ordinance related to this matter be waived, because
there is no Board meeting until September 14th. The applicant would like to close on this
property by the end of August.
The applicant is Mr. Abdul Panjwani. He is the owner of Panjwani Food Networks, which
operates 11 Dunkin Donuts located in Skokie, Glenview, Niles, Wilmette, and Park Ridge.
Mr. Panjwani wants to demolish the existing single-story commercial structure at
9480 Waukegan Road and replace it with a 1,833 square foot one-story commercial/restaurant
building with a drive-through. Morton Grove’s Unified Development Code requires a Special Use
Permit for drive-through facilities in the C1 zoning district.
The new commercial/restaurant building will be designed to accommodate eight (8) queued
vehicles for the drive-through and will have a 12 space parking lot at the front of the store for
employees and walk-in customers. It would operate 24 hours with a maximum of four (4)
employees on-site at any one time.
In accordance with the Code’s requirements for a Special Use application, Mr. Panjwani hired
Gewalt Hamilton Associates (GHA) to complete a traffic and parking study for the proposed
restaurant. The site will be accessed via Waukegan Road through a new driveway. Based on a
review of 14 existing Dunkin Donuts drive-through locations around the northern Chicago area,
GHA predicts that the proposed restaurant will generate 100 inbound and corresponding
outbound trips to and from this site during the peak hour of 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. GHA also
projects that 65% of the new Dunkin Donuts’ customer base will come from established traffic
already utilizing Waukegan Road and that this restaurant will add approximately 70 new
combined inbound and outbound trips to and from this site. GHA’s conclusion was that the
potential impacts on traffic volumes and operations on Waukegan Road would be very limited.
As far as wait times for queued vehicles, again, based on a review of 14 existing Dunkin
Donuts drive-through locations around the northern Chicago area, two of which include
queuing for 8 vehicles, similar to what is being proposed at this location, GHA found that wait
times during morning peak time were approximately 3.5–4 minutes. None had a queue time
longer than 4 minutes.
Twelve (12) parking spaces would meet the Code’s requirements for a restaurant use of this
size. The applicant’s plan includes a total of 12 parking spaces; 11 are standard and one is
ADA-compliant. During their review of other area Dunkin Donuts, GHA found only one location
that had a higher demand than the 12 parking spaces that would be provided at this location.
That was in Palatine, and it is a much larger restaurant than the one proposed in Morton Grove.
GHA’s conclusion was that the proposed 12 parking spaces will be sufficient to meet the peak
hour parking demand for both employees and customers for this location.
Ms. Radzevich said that, at the Plan Commission’s public hearing on this case, several
commissioners expressed various concerns such as lighting, food delivery, trash pickup,
and menu board decibel levels. All questions were answered to the satisfaction of the
Commissioners, who unanimously recommended approval of this Special Use request.
Minutes of August 10, 2015 Board Meeting
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V.
3.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
SPECIAL REPORTS (continued)
Plan Commission Case PC15-06 Requests a Special Use Permit for a Mixed Use Development
for an Animal Hospital with Accessory Kennel Services and Second Floor Residential Unit at
9128 Waukegan Road.
Community and Economic Development Director Nancy Radzevich presented this case to the
Board. She provided some background on this case. The applicant is Brian Harris, owner of the
Morton Grove Animal Hospital. He is applying for a Special Use permit for a mixed use devel-
opment to construct a new animal hospital, with accessory kennel services and a second floor
residential unit at 9128 Waukegan Road. The existing site includes accessory kennel space,
15 parking spaces (6 in the front and 9 in the rear) and has a second floor residential unit used
by staff.
The current structure is nearly 60 years old and predates current zoning requirements. By
tearing it down and rebuilding, the new structure will have improved site circulation and
additional customer parking. The hours of operation will remain as current.
Ms. Radzevich said the applicant was requesting two zoning variances: a one-foot fence height
waiver and a 2’5” waiver of the minimum side yard setback requirement. The side yard waiver is
to accommodate a gabled roof at the front entry. The architect has said that, if that portion is
built at the property line, a fire-rated parapet wall would need to be provided and the roof would
need to be flat versus gabled. The applicant prefers the gabled roof to improve the building’s
design and overall character.
Ms. Radzevich said that Gewalt Hamilton Associates (GHA) performed the traffic and parking
study and projected that the animal hospital would generate only 9–10 trips (both directions
combined) during the weekday and evening peak hours. The impact on traffic volumes and
operations on Waukegan road would be very limited with the expansion of this business.
As far as parking, the Village’s code requires 11 parking spaces based on having six
examination rooms and one residential apartment. The applicant’s plan includes a total of
22 parking spaces. Thirteen customer parking spaces will be provided in the front—twelve
standard spaces and one ADA compliant, and nine employee parking spaces will be located in
the rear. GHA projects a parking demand of six customer spaces and nine employee spaces,
so the applicant’s plan is more than sufficient.
Ms. Radzevich said there was discussion at the Plan Commission’s public hearing on this case
regarding drainage, noise, and the proposed setback variance. The Commissioners were
largely concerned with the setback variance in conjunction with the prospect of redevelopment
of the abutting site. A compromise was reached with the applicant agreeing to reduce the depth
of the 30” landscaped area between the property line and the building from 15-feet deep to
5- or 6-feet deep.
Ms. Radzevich said that one of the residents attending the public hearing stated that he had
concerns about the drainage and water retention in the alley. He felt the alley became an “ice
rink” in the winter and often had standing water in the summer. The architect said that the new
building will be raised up and the grade will be re-pitched to create a swale that will drain toward
the east. The resident was still concerned, and additionally was concerned about noise from the
kennel area. The applicant and architect responded about the methods they would be using to
contain any noise.
Minutes of August 10, 2015 Board Meeting
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V.
h.
i.
j.
4.
a.
b.
c.
d.
SPECIAL REPORTS (continued)
Ms. Radzevich said the Plan Commission recommended the approval of the Special Use
request by a vote of 5-1, with one absent. The Commissioner who voted against the request
did so because he believed the requested waiver to the sideyard setback requirement was self-
imposed and unwarranted.
Ms. Radzevich said that the applicant was requesting a waiver of the second reading this
evening so that work can commence on this project before September.
Trustee Thill complimented the plans and said it was a nice-looking building. He wondered if the
roof line had changed. Ms. Radzevich said only in that just the front six feet will be gabled.
Reducing the depth alleviated the Plan Commission’s safety concerns.
Plan Commission Case PC15-7, Request for a Special Use Permit for a Physical Fitness and
Health Service Use to Allow for the Operation of a Fitness Center With Private Classes and
Personal Training at 6231 Dempster Street.
Ms. Radzevich said that David Englund of 8532 Marmora Avenue in Morton Grove is the owner
of Ultimate Fitness, Inc. He is applying for a Special Use permit for a physical fitness facility
greater than 1,000 square feet at 6231 Dempster Street. Ultimate Fitness, currently located in
Evanston, is a specialized physical fitness facility that provides scheduled fitness classes and
personal training sessions. The building at 6231 Dempster is currently a vacant 5,314 square
foot tenant space located within a single-story multi-tenant commercial building. There are
seven parking spaces on site.
Ms. Radzevich said the facility will not operate as a traditional open gym where customers work
out at their own convenience; rather it is operated on an appointment basis only for personal
training sessions and includes scheduled group classes. The facility will be open from 6am to
9pm Monday thru Friday and from 10am to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday. Group classes are
scheduled mid-morning (9:30am) or early evening (5:45pm and 6:45pm); the maximum class
size is approximately 15 participants. Personal trainers work with one or two clients at a time.
One trainer will be on-site for a training session or a class. To minimize the potential conflicts
due to overlapping parking demand, the applicant has stated he will stagger class times,
allowing a minimum of 20 minutes between the end of one class and the beginning of the next.
Eriksson Engineering Associates (EEA) performed the parking and traffic study. Their report
says that the traffic generated by the proposed fitness facility will range from 30 trips per hour,
when classes are scheduled, to only a few trips per hour when personal training sessions are
scheduled. Based on the applicant’s intent to schedule the classes after the peak morning and
at the tail end of the evening commute periods, EEA concluded that there will be minimal impact
on existing traffic patterns on adjacent roadways.
As far as parking, in order to meet the Village’s requirements for parking for the proposed
5,314 square foot facility, it would need 35 parking spaces. But the Unified Development Code
does make allowances for parking requirements for multi-tenant commercial sites that operate
during different times of the day. In this case, Ultimate Fitness would share the available
parking spaces with three other commercial tenants—of which one (the dental office) is only
open two days a week. EEA’s traffic study included observations of parking spaces on a
Wednesday between 9am and 7pm. They observed a maximum of four occupied on-site
parking spaces and no more than 1 of the total 17 spaces along Fernald Avenue occupied
throughout the day.
Minutes of August 10, 2015 Board Meeting
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V.
e.
f.
g.
h.
SPECIAL REPORTS (continued)
EEA determined, based on their observations and on data in the Transportation Engineers
Parking Generation Manual, that the existing parking demand would be a maximum of
7 vehicles on days when the dental office is open and a maximum of 5 vehicles on the other
days. EEA projects that the peak parking demand for Ultimate fitness will be during a scheduled
class and would be approximately 16 spaces (based on a 15-person class size plus one
instructor). The peak parking demand would likely occur during the morning class time
(9:30am). Even if the peak parking demand for the existing businesses were maximized during
the same peak time for Ultimate Fitness, the projected maximum parking demand would be
23 spaces, which could be accommodated by the 24 parking spaces available (on-site and
street parking.)
At the Plan Commission’s public hearing, no member of the public was present to speak to this
case. The Commission unanimously recommended approval of this Special Use application.
Ms. Radzevich said that the applicant had requested a waiver of the second reading of the
Ordinance related to this case because his current facility in Evanston is vacated for demolition
and he would like to start moving all the equipment in to the new building.
Mayor DiMaria commented that it is not typical to have this many requests to waive the second
reading of the Ordinances related to these cases, but understandable in light of the fact that the
Board will not have a regularly-scheduled meeting until mid-September.
VI.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
NONE
VII.
1.
a.
b.
RESIDENTS’ COMMENTS (Agenda Items Only)
Noreen Girard, representing the Foot Health Center, which is in the same commercial building
as the new fitness facility just discussed, said she felt that, because the Foot Health Center was
closed for part of the summer, it had not been taken into account for the parking and traffic
study. She said they have a huge concern, because their patients come every 15 minutes and
show up in wheelchairs, walkers, canes, etc. They sometimes come alone and sometimes
accompanied by someone to aid them. There are no handicapped parking spaces available,
and they are very concerned about that.
Ms. Girard said 85% of their business is paid by Medicare, and the patients will find a new
doctor if they can’t find parking close to the doctor’s office. She was requesting two (2)
handicapped parking spaces.
Mayor DiMaria said he would take her request under consideration and will ensure that the
Traffic Safety Commission is notified as well. He thanked Ms. Girard for her input.
Minutes of August 10, 2015 Board Meeting
6
VIII.
1.
a.
2.
a.
b.
3.
a.
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Mayor DiMaria proclaimed August 2015 as the 25th Anniversary of the Passage of the
Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). He dedicated the proclamation to his daughter Danielle
and grew emotional as he read through it. The ADA has expanded opportunities for Americans
with disabilities by reducing barriers and changing perceptions by increasing full inclusion in
community life.
Mayor DiMaria encouraged everyone to celebrate this milestone anniversary by reaffirming their
opposition to discrimination based on disability, and by striving to promote full implementation of
the Americans With Disabilities Act.
Mayor DiMaria brought Matthew Eshaya, Mayor for a Day, to the podium to read the next
proclamation, which is for “Bella Terra Day” in the Village. Bella Terra Nursing Facility (formerly
Bethany Terrace Nursing Center) is celebrating its 50th anniversary at their 8425 Waukegan
Road location. In honor of this, the Village has proclaimed July 13, 2015 as Bella Terra Day and
wishes them many more years in the Village.
Trustee Thill asked how Matthew came to be “Mayor for a Day.” He responded that he won this
opportunity through an auction at his school. Mayor DiMaria said that Matthew had visited with
all the department heads to learn something about what each is responsible for, and had gone
through all of the ordinances and resolutions on tonight’s Agenda with Mayor DiMaria.
Mayor DiMaria then presented Matthew with a certificate and some mementos of his day from
all of the department heads.
Next, Mayor DiMaria presented Ordinance 15-14, Amending Title 1 of the Municipal Code
Entitled “Administrative,” Chapter 5 Entitled “Village Board of Trustees,” Section 5
Entitled “Rules of Procedure” by Adding Two New Paragraphs “K” and “L” Entitled
“Electronic Attendance” and “Sample Electronic Attendance Request.”
This is the second reading of this Ordinance.
Mayor DiMaria said that the Open Meetings Act allows Trustees to attend meetings
electronically, provided a majority of the quorum of the public body is physically present at
the meeting, and the person wishing to attend the meeting electronically is prevented from
attending the meeting in person because of illness, employment purposes, Village business,
family, or other emergencies. This ordinance amends the Village Code to establish rules that
comply with the Open Meetings Act for attending Village meetings electronically.
Trustee Pietron moved to adopt Ordinance 15-14, seconded by Trustee Thill.
Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays.
Tr. Grear aye Tr. Minx aye Tr. Pietron aye
Tr. Ramos aye Tr. Thill aye Tr. Witko aye
Minutes of August 10, 2015 Board Meeting
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VIII.
4.
A.
a.
b.
B.
a.
C.
a.
D.
a.
b.
PRESIDENT’S REPORT (continued)
Mayoral Update
Mayor DiMaria welcomed all the Boy Scouts in attendance this evening. He wanted to
acknowledge several in the audience who had attained the rank of Eagle Scout, which is the
highest rank in boy scouting. The latest statistics say that, nationally, only about 6–7% of boys
in scouting achieve this honor; however, in Morton Grove’s Troop 228, approximately 50% of
the boys this year have achieved this rank. These outstanding young men have demonstrated
leadership, organization, project management, community service, dedication and respect,
loyalty, helpfulness to their fellow scouts, trustworthiness, and above all, they demonstrate what
it means to be a citizen of Morton Grove and America.
Mayor DiMaria singled out Vinny Kabat, Brad Erickson, Steven Kushner, Joel Segal, and Ryan
Linke, and gave an explanation of each boy’s Eagle project. These projects included organizing
a benefit concert at St. Martha’s for the food pantry at St. Agnes of Bohemia; building planter
boxes and spring-cleaning for a child care center and playground; building barricades and
erosion control for a nature center; renovating Parkview School’s courtyard, and holding a food
drive for the Niles Township Food Pantry.
Mayor DiMaria also acknowledged scout leaders Ted Begley, Chuck Cercone, Rob Erickson,
Mitch Kushner, and Lisa Linke. He said he was very proud of all these young men and thanked
all the leaders for their support.
Mayor DiMaria reported that the Police Department’s “National Night Out” on August 4th
attracted over 350 attendees. Hot dogs and ice cream were served (until they ran out) and
police equipment was on display.
“National Night Out” began in 1984 as an effort to help community members feel more
comfortable with their local law enforcement personnel. It’s always held the first Tuesday of
August.
Mayor DiMaria announced that, on Saturday, August 8, the Police Department held an Open
House of the police station and Village Hall. Over 150 attended and toured both buildings.
Mayor DiMaria commended Police Chief Simo and staffs for their efforts to be more community-
friendly and to have residents gain a better understanding of the police department and its
personnel.
Mayor DiMaria said that The Morton Grove Police Explorers, a program designed to encourage
young people interested in police work, competed in a weeklong conference and earned a
fourth place trophy at the 2015 Law Enforcement Explorer Conference on Friday.
The conference took place at Louis University in Romeoville from Aug. 1 to Aug. 8. Explorers
from all over Illinois had the opportunity to compete in a number of categories, including
individual exams, group competitions and festivities to celebrate achievements.
Mayor DiMaria congratulated Officer Dennis Johnson and Commander Ed Panko on the
Explorers’ trophy and thanked them for their efforts in the Explorers initiative.
Minutes of August 10, 2015 Board Meeting
8
VIII.
4.
E.
PRESIDENT’S REPORT (continued)
Mayoral Update (continued)
Mayor DiMaria said the Farmers’ Market is enjoying another successful year but is still looking
for donations to help offset some of the costs of putting on a weekly market. He encouraged
everyone to become a “Friend of the Market”. For a donation of $25–$49, you can receive an
insulated market tote bag plus have your name displayed on the Market’s website and on a
special display at the weekly market. For donations over $49, you can receive all of that plus a
second insulated market tote bag!
Mayor DiMaria paused the meeting momentarily so that anyone in the audience who wanted to
leave could do so.
IX.
1.
2.
3.
CLERK’S REPORT
Clerk Travis requested a motion to approve the Executive Session Minutes of September 8 and,
September 22, 2014; October 13, 2014; November 10, 2014; February 9, 2015; April 27, 2015;
May 26, 2015; June 22, 2015; and July 9, 2015.
Trustee Minx so moved, seconded by Trustee Witko. Motion passed unanimously via voice
vote.
Clerk Travis next requested a motion to not release any Executive Session Minutes.
Trustee Thill so moved, seconded by Trustee Ramos. Motion passed unanimously via voice
vote.
Clerk Travis then asked for a motion for the destruction of recordings of Executive Sessions as
authorized by the Illinois Open Meetings Act for the recordings of June 24, 2013; July 8, 2013;
September 9 and 23, 2013: October 7 and 28, 2013, and November 25, 2015 (pre- and post).
Trustee Minx so moved, seconded by Trustee Witko. Motion passed unanimously via voice
vote.
X.
A.
1.
a.
STAFF REPORTS
Village Administrator:
Village Administrator pro tem Tom Friel introduced Brian LeFevre from the Village’s auditing
firm, Sikitch LLP, to talk a bit about the Village’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report
(CAFR).
Mr. LeFevre said the 2013 CAFR includes three major sections.
The Introduction section includes the Government Financial Officers Award for
Excellence in Financial Reporting. This is the 26th year the Village has received this
honor for its transparency in financial reporting.
Minutes of August 10, 2015 Board Meeting
9
X.
A.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
2.
STAFF REPORTS (continued)
Village Administrator: (continued)
The Financial section includes the Auditor’s Opinion, based on generally accepted
accounting principles and GASB standards. The auditor’s opinion is “unmodified,”
which is the highest level. This section also includes the Management Discussion and
Analysis, which is akin to executive summary and is required by GASB standards. The
first financial statement in this section is a “global” or overall view of the Village’s net
financial position, including all capital assets and long-term fixed liabilities (i.e., GO
bonds).
Mr. LeFevre said that next year, pensions, although not “fixed” liabilities, are going to be
included as liabilities. This will affect the global view, which is something that the bond
rating community looks at.
Mr. LeFevre pointed out a number of pages in the Financial section dealing with the
Village’s General Fund Balance; Balance Sheet (revenues increased $584,000);
Operating Statement for Water & Sewer Fund; Operating Statement for the pension
funds; and the Schedule of Funding for IRMF (73% funded at 12/31/13).
The next section is the Statistical section, which looks at the Village’s revenue trends;
revenue capacity; debt capacity; demographic and economic information, and operating
information.
Mayor DiMaria asked if any of the Board had any questions for Mr. LeFevre.
Trustee Thill asked him if it would help the Village’s position of it could pay “ahead” on some of
its pension obligation. Mr. LeFevre said it would help the Village’s liability, but the Board needs
to bear in mind that, once those funds are paid to the pension funds, the Village can’t get the
money back if it has need of it.
Administrator pro tem Friel said the CAFR would be posted on the Village’s website to comply
with the auditing firm’s requirements.
Mayor DiMaria complimented Chief Friel on stepping up to the duties of Administrator pro tem
during this period of transition and thanked him for all of his good work.
B.
Corporation Counsel:
Corporation Counsel Liston had no report.
XI.
A.
TRUSTEES’ REPORTS
Trustee Grear:
Trustee Grear had no formal report, but commented that he and Mayor DiMaria had spent the
day with the MEC at their golf outing in Aurora and had a wonderful time. He thanked the MEC
for allowing them to be part of the outing.
Minutes of August 10, 2015 Board Meeting
10
XI.
B.
1.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
TRUSTEES’ REPORTS (continued)
Trustee Minx:
Trustee Minx presented Ordinance 15-15, Amendment to a Special Use Permit to Allow for
Expanded Days and Hours for the Operation of the Previously Approved Haunted House
and Additional Entertainment Uses at 8220 Austin.
This is the second reading of this Ordinance.
Trustee Minx noted that, at the first reading of this Ordinance, it had been pointed out that the
address of haunted house/entertainment facility is incorrect throughout the Ordinance. The
Ordinance states the address is 8220 Austin. The correct address is 8240 Austin. Trustee Minx
noted the address is mentioned several times in both the Legislative Summary and the
Ordinance itself, and it is incorrect in every occurrence.
Trustee Minx explained that, in 2011, the Board approved a Special Use Permit for
Entertainment Uses to allow for a haunted house to operate at 8240 Austin Avenue. In 2013,
Big City Entertainment, the owner and operator of the haunted house at the time, applied for
and the Village granted an amendment to the Special Use to allow for additional entertainment
uses outside of the month of October. In the fall of 2014, Big City Entertainment also applied
for and received a minor amendment to the original Special Use permit (Ord. 14-21) to allow
private parking attendants in lieu of off-duty police officers to direct traffic to/from Austin Avenue
to the subject property.
The applicant for this amendment to the Special Use permit is 13th Floor Entertainment Group,
who recently purchased the Fear City haunted house, which had been owned and operated by
Big City Entertainment. 13th Floor Entertainment Group owns and operates haunted houses in
Denver, Phoenix, San Antonio, and Austin. They also own a haunted house in Melrose Park.
13th Floor Entertainment Group is seeking to extend the days for the operation of the haunted
house to include the last two weekends in September and the first weekend in November, on
Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays for each of those weekends. The applicant is also requesting
to expand the permitted days in October from 30 days to the full 31 days within that month. The
applicant is also asking that all of the previously-approved entertainment uses be allowed to
occur on Friday evenings from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., in addition to the previously permitted
Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Trustee Minx said that, when Community and Economic Director Nancy Radzevich had reported
on the Plan Commission public hearing for this case, she had said that all of the residents in
the area had been notified of this meeting, yet, at the hearing, no one from the surrounding
area was present who wanted to speak or be heard on this case. The Plan Commission felt,
and Trustee Minx echoed the thought, that having no one present to speak proved that the
neighborhood had no complaints about this facility. The Plan Commission voted unanimously
to recommend approval of the applicant’s request to the Village Board of Trustees.
Trustee Minx moved to adopt Ordinance 15-15, seconded by Trustee Pietron.
Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays.
Tr. Grear aye Tr. Minx aye Tr. Pietron aye
Tr. Ramos aye Tr. Thill aye Tr. Witko aye
Minutes of August 10, 2015 Board Meeting
11
XI.
B.
2.
a.
b.
c.
3.
a.
b.
c.
d.
TRUSTEES’ REPORTS (continued)
Trustee Minx:
Trustee Minx next presented for a first reading Ordinance 15-16, Approving a Special Use
Permit for a Mixed Use Development For an Animal Hospital With Accessory Kennel
Services and a Residential Unit at 9128 Waukegan Road, Morton Grove, Illinois 60053.
This is pursuant to Plan Commission Case PC 15-06, reported out earlier this evening by
Community and Economic Development Director Nancy Radzevich.
Trustee Minx said that this Ordinance will grant a Special Use Permit, with conditions, to the
Morton Grove Animal Hospital, and will grant two requested waivers: one to the maximum fence
height requirement from a 7-foot high fence to an 8-foot high fence; the other to the 5-foot
required side yard setback on the north side of the property to allow for a 2-foot 7-inch setback
for a portion of the building.
As Ms. Radzevich had pointed out, the applicant in this case had requested that the second
reading of this Ordinance be waived. Trustee Minx moved to waive the second reading of
Ordinance 15-16, seconded by Trustee Witko.
Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays.
Tr. Grear aye Tr. Minx aye Tr. Pietron aye
Tr. Ramos aye Tr. Thill aye Tr. Witko aye
Trustee Minx then moved to adopt Ordinance 15-16, seconded by Trustee Pietron.
Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays.
Tr. Grear aye Tr. Minx aye Tr. Pietron aye
Tr. Ramos aye Tr. Thill aye Tr. Witko aye
Next, Trustee Minx presented Ordinance 15-17, Approving a Special Use Permit For a
Drive-Through Facility For a New Restaurant at 9480 Waukegan Road, Morton Grove,
Illinois 60053.
This is pursuant to Plan Commission Case PC 15-05, reported out earlier this evening by
Community and Economic Development Director Nancy Radzevich.
Trustee Minx said that this Ordinance will grant a Special Use Permit, with conditions, to Abdul
Panjwani/Panjwani Restaurant Networks for a new Dunkin Donuts restaurant with an eight-
vehicle drive-through lane and 12 stall parking lot. This restaurant will be open 24 hours a day,
with the anticipated peak business hour between 7:30am and 8:30am. It is not expected to
have an adverse impact on traffic volumes and flows on Waukegan Road.
As Ms. Radzevich had pointed out, the applicant in this case had requested that the second
reading of this Ordinance be waived. Trustee Minx moved to waive the second reading of
Ordinance 15-17, seconded by Trustee Thill.
Trustee Grear said he felt having second readings of ordinances was a good policy, but he
understood the reasons behind the waiver request. He said that he was comfortable voting in
support of this request, especially because no residents had addressed the Plan Commission
Minutes of August 10, 2015 Board Meeting
12
XI.
B.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
l.
TRUSTEES’ REPORTS (continued)
Trustee Minx: (continued)
at the public hearing about this matter. He felt that, if residents had complained about the hours
or the menu board volume controls, he’d be more concerned about waiving the second reading.
Mayor DiMaria called for the vote on the motion to waive the second reading.
Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays.
Tr. Grear aye Tr. Minx aye Tr. Pietron aye
Tr. Ramos aye Tr. Thill aye Tr. Witko aye
Trustee Minx then moved to adopt Ordinance 15-17, seconded by Trustee Grear.
Trustee Witko said that she, too, had concerns about possible complaints regarding the menu
board volumes, and wondered if the Board should add a condition giving specific times when
the volume should be lowered.
Trustee Witko moved to amend the Ordinance to set concrete times (10:00pm to 7:30am)
during which the menu board volume should be turned down. Trustee Thill seconded the
motion for discussion.
Trustee Pietron said he could understand Trustee Witko’s desire to be considerate for the
residents, but said, at this point, the Village doesn’t have any “proof” that the volume will be
too loud.
Trustee Witko said that the Plan Commission report says that the applicant agreed to lower the
volumes; in fact, this is one of the conditions of the Special Use permit. She said she was only
trying to make it less “vague” by putting in a specific timeframe during which volumes should
be lowered.
Trustee Grear said he agreed with Trustee Witko, but felt that restrictions may not be necessary
at this point.
Trustee Minx said that neighbors complained about menu board volumes when McDonalds first
opened; she wasn’t certain if a problem still existed there. Ms. Radzevich said she wasn’t aware
of any ongoing problems with McDonalds as regards noise.
Mayor DiMaria asked the applicant if he felt time restrictions would be reasonable.
Reena Panjwani responded that the volume controls are based on ambient noise; there’s also a
“night volume” setting. She said they would be willing to address this after the operation has
been up and running for two or three months, especially if the Village is receiving complaints.
She added that there’s an alley and a fence between the menu board and residents’ homes,
both of which provide an additional sound buffer. She said they’d rather not have specific time
restrictions.
Trustees Witko and Thill withdrew the motion and second to amend the ordinance by including
specific times for the menu board volume to be turned lower.
Minutes of August 10, 2015 Board Meeting
13
XI.
B.
4.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
TRUSTEES’ REPORTS (continued)
Trustee Minx: (continued)
Mayor DiMaria then called for the vote on the motion to adopt Ordinance 15-17.
Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays.
Tr. Grear aye Tr. Minx aye Tr. Pietron aye
Tr. Ramos aye Tr. Thill aye Tr. Witko aye
Trustee Minx then presented Ordinance 15-18, Approving a Special Use Permit For a
Physical Fitness and Health Service Use Greater Than 1,000 Square Feet to Allow For
the Operation of a Fitness Center With Personal Training and Group Classes at
6231 Dempster Street, Morton Grove, Illinois 60053.
This is pursuant to Plan Commission Case PC 15-07, reported out earlier this evening by
Community and Economic Development Director Nancy Radzevich.
Trustee Minx said that this Ordinance will grant a Special Use Permit, with conditions, to David
Englund for a fitness center (Ultimate Fitness) with personal training and group classes at
6231 Dempster Street. The fitness center will have minimal impact on existing traffic conditions.
As Ms. Radzevich mentioned during her report on this case, the applicant has requested that
the second reading of this Ordinance be waived. Trustee Minx moved to waive the second
reading of Ordinance 15-18, seconded by Trustee Thill.
Mayor DiMaria again pointed out that there is no other scheduled Village Board meeting in
August, and the Board is trying to be business-friendly by recognizing the time constraints these
businesses are under. He called for the vote on the motion to waive the second reading of
Ordinance 15-18.
Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays.
Tr. Grear aye Tr. Minx aye Tr. Pietron aye
Tr. Ramos aye Tr. Thill aye Tr. Witko aye
Trustee Minx then moved to adopt Ordinance 15-18, seconded by Trustee Grear.
Trustee Minx asked about Ms. Girard’s request for handicapped parking spaces. Corporation
Counsel Liston said that matter would be handled separately.
Mayor DiMaria called for the vote on the motion to adopt Ordinance 15-18.
Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays.
Tr. Grear aye Tr. Minx aye Tr. Pietron aye
Tr. Ramos aye Tr. Thill aye Tr. Witko aye
Trustee Grear suggested the Board might want to evaluate the number of meetings it cancels
during the summer months.
Minutes of August 10, 2015 Board Meeting
14
XI.
B.
5.
6.
TRUSTEES’ REPORTS (continued)
Trustee Minx: (continued)
Trustee Minx thanked Tom Friel for stepping up as Administrator pro tem and for all his due
diligence and assistance he provided her as she got re-acclimated on the Board.
Trustee Minx complimented Chief Simo on his efforts to establish a better partnership between
the citizens of the Village and its police department. She said the National Night Out and the
Open House were phenomenal events.
C.
1.
2.
Trustee Pietron:
Trustee Pietron presented Resolution 15-59, Authorizing the Purchase of a New Single
Axle Dump Truck With a Snow Plow and Salt Spreader From Trans Chicago Truck Group.
Trustee Pietron explained that this will replace an existing 1987 Ford L800 Dump Truck. He
said he had looked at the vehicle that this purchase will be replacing, and said that it’s falling
apart. It’s rusting, unreliable, and parts are no longer available for it.
Trustee Pietron moved to approve Resolution 15-59, seconded by Trustee Minx.
Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays.
Tr. Grear aye Tr. Minx aye Tr. Pietron aye
Tr. Ramos aye Tr. Thill aye Tr. Witko aye
Trustee Pietron thanked Tom Friel for his stint as Administrator pro tem, stating that he was
impressed by the time and energy Tom put into the position.
D.
1.
a.
Trustee Ramos:
Trustee Ramos presented Resolution 15-60, Authorizing a Contractual Agreement With
Raftelis Financial Consultants, Inc. For Water Rate Analysis Services Relating to the
Negotiations of a Long-Term Water Supply Agreement Between the City of Evanston
and the Villages of Niles and Morton Grove.
He explained that the Village is working in collaboration with Niles to negotiate a long-term
water supply agreement with the City of Evanston, in light of recent substantial rate hikes from
the City of Chicago. An important component of this long-term contract is the wholesale water
rate Evanston proposes to charge Niles and Morton Grove. This rate is based on a formula
which allocates the value of the assets and expenses Evanston will use to collect, treat, and
deliver water to Niles and Morton Grove. It is in the best interest of the Village to retain a
financial analyst with specialized expertise in the analysis of the factors and components used
in determining the wholesale water rate.
Minutes of August 10, 2015 Board Meeting
15
XI.
D.
b.
c.
d.
2.
a.
b.
c.
TRUSTEES’ REPORTS (continued)
Trustee Ramos: (continued)
Trustee Ramos said that Raftelis Financial Consultants is a highly regarded, nationally
renowned expert in evaluating wholesale water rates, and has successfully assisted the
Northwest Water Commission, Village of Glenview, and City of Naperville for projects similar in
size and complexity to the Villages’ negotiations with the City of Evanston.
Raftelis Financial Consultants has proposed to review and analyze Evanston’s existing assets,
costs, and expenses to ensure they are appropriately valued and allocated among all its
customers. The firm will evaluate the proposed rate of return, proposed replacement cost of the
system’s assets, and the proposed allocation of total system capacity among all customers in
order to assist Morton Grove and Niles with negotiating the wholesale water rate.
Trustee Ramos said the fees for this work will be based upon the actual amount of work
performed, but are not to exceed $38,800. The Villages of Morton Grove and Niles will equally
pay all approved charges.
Trustee Ramos moved, seconded by Trustee Thill, to approve Resolution 15-60.
Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays.
Tr. Grear aye Tr. Minx aye Tr. Pietron aye
Tr. Ramos aye Tr. Thill aye Tr. Witko aye
Trustee Ramos then presented for a first reading Ordinance 15-19, Amending Title 1,
Chapter 10, Article E of the Municipal Code and Approving a Tax Collection Agreement
Between the Village of Morton Grove and Northern Illinois Gas Company, d/b/a Nicor Gas
Company.
Trustee Ramos explained that, on July 13, 2015, the Board adopted Ordinance 15-13. That
ordinance provided for the Village to increase the Municipal Gas Use Tax within the Village
from two cents per therm to five cents per therm. This tax is collected by Nicor d irectly from
customers as part of their monthly billing.
Nicor’s attorneys have requested that Ordinance 15-13 be amended to clarify certain
exemptions and other items, and to review the effective date of the tax increase to be
September 1, 2015. Nicor has also requested that the Village enter into an updated Tax
Collection Agreement, and to terminate the existing Tax Collection Agreement.
Ordinance 15-19 accomplishes these housekeeping matters.
Trustee Ramos noted that, in order for Nicor to implement this agreement by September 1,
2015, it is necessary to waive the second reading of this Ordinance. Therefore, he moved to
waive the second reading of Ordinance 15-19, seconded by Trustee Minx.
Motion passed: 5 ayes, 1 nay.
Tr. Grear nay Tr. Minx aye Tr. Pietron aye
Tr. Ramos aye Tr. Thill aye Tr. Witko aye
Minutes of August 10, 2015 Board Meeting
16
XI.
D.
TRUSTEES’ REPORTS (continued)
Trustee Ramos: (continued)
Trustee Ramos then moved, seconded by Trustee Minx, to adopt Ordinance 15-19.
Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays.
Tr. Grear aye Tr. Minx aye Tr. Pietron aye
Tr. Ramos aye Tr. Thill aye Tr. Witko aye
E.
Trustee Thill:
Trustee Thill had no formal report, but he encouraged residents to keep recycling, in spite of the
fact that the Village no longer receives a rebate from the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook
County (SWANCC) for its recycling. Trustee Thill said the amount the Village recycles does
affect the tipping fee Morton Grove has to pay—plus, it’s the environmentally friendly thing to
do.
F.
1.
2.
Trustee Witko:
Trustee Witko had no formal report, but encouraged residents to become a “Friend of the
Farmers’ Market” through donations or sponsorships.
Trustee Witko said she attended the Police Department’s Open House, and commented that,
although the building itself is archaic, the personnel are state-of-the-art and second to none.
XII.
WARRANTS
Trustee Ramos presented the Warrant Registers for July 27, 2015, in the amount of
$956,596.08 and for August 10, 2015, in the amount of $259,856.59, for a total of
$1,216,452.67. He moved that the Warrants be approved as presented. Trustee Thill seconded
the motion.
Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays.
Tr. Grear aye Tr. Minx aye Tr. Pietron aye
Tr. Ramos aye Tr. Thill aye Tr. Witko aye
Trustee Grear said he thought the Board usually voted on each Warrant Register separately.
Corporation Counsel Liston said that’s true, but there’s nothing to preclude the Board from
voting on them in total.
Minutes of August 10, 2015 Board Meeting
17
XIII.
1.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
OTHER BUSINESS
Appointment of New Village Administrator—Ralph E. Czerwinski
Mayor DiMaria said he was happy to announce the appointment of Ralph Czerwinski as the new
Village Administrator. He provided some background on Mr. Czerwinski:
Mr. Czerwinski joined the Morton Grove Fire Department in 1975 and rose through the ranks
to become the Fire Chief, a position he held for 13 years. He was then appointed Village
Administrator by Mayor Dan Scanlon in 2003. In 2005, he became Fire Chief f or the Village of
Skokie.
Mr. Czerwinski has served as president of the Northeastern Illinois Public Safety Training
Academy (NIPSTA), chair of the Regional Emergency Dispatch (RED) Center, and president
of the Northeastern Illinois Fire Chiefs Association. He holds a master’s degree in public
administration and has a distinguished record of community involvement, including chairing the
Morton Grove Foundation in 2003–2004, and serving as president of the Rotary Club in Skokie
Valley in 2014–2015.
Mr. Czerwisnki was named “VIP of the Year” in 2003 by the Morton Grove Chamber of
Commerce, and in 2012, his fellow Rotarians named him “Rotarian of the Year.” In 2015, he
was awarded a Presidential Citation from Rotary International.
Mayor DiMaria said he looked forward to working with Mr. Czerwinski, because he is
collaborative and results-oriented. He has a proven record of leadership and success, and
will serve Morton Grove’s residents with integrity and dedication.
Mayor DiMaria then presented Resolution 15-56, Authorizing an Employment Agreement
Between the Village of Morton Grove and Ralph E. Czerwinski.
This agreement sets forth the terms, conditions, and compensation of Mr. Czerwinski’s
employment, and will be effective August 11, 2015. Mayor DiMaria asked for a motion to
approve Resolution 15-56.
Trustee Minx so moved, seconded by Trustee Pietron.
Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays.
Tr. Grear aye Tr. Minx aye Tr. Pietron aye
Tr. Ramos aye Tr. Thill aye Tr. Witko aye
Mayor DiMaria then swore in Mr. Czerwinski as the Village Administrator, after which the Board
and assemblage congratulated him.
Mr. Czerwinski thanked the Board for this opportunity and said he was humbled by the Board’s
trust in him. He said he saw a lot of friendly faces and was looking forward to getting started.
Mr. Czerwinski commented that the interview process works two ways. He said that he looked
at the opportunities in Morton Grove for economic development; reviewed the Village’s financial
statements, and studied the Village’s strategic plan. He was impressed by all of it. He added
that he was looking forward to the diversity of the challenges ahead, and to interacting within
and outside of the Village, noting “we can’t be isolationists.”
Minutes of August 10, 2015 Board Meeting
18
XIV.
RESIDENTS’ COMMENTS
Mark Silas, a resident of The Woodlands, appeared before the Board and said that, as a
resident of The Woodlands, he frequents the Morton Grove Public Library quite often. He was
concerned because children trying to cross Lincoln Avenue to get to the Library are having a
great deal of difficulty, in spite of the pedestrian crosswalk at Lincoln and Georgiana. He said
that vehicles completely ignore pedestrians in the crosswalk—they don’t stop at all. Mr. Silas felt
that this had the potential to lead to a fatality, and asked the Board if anything could be done
about it.
Mayor DiMaria said that he could see Chief Simo taking notes as Mr. Silas was speaking, and
he was certain the Chief would be addressing this matter immediately.
XV.
ADJOURNMENT
Trustee Minx moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Trustee Ramos.
Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays.
Tr. Grear aye Tr. Minx aye Tr. Pietron aye
Tr. Ramos aye Tr. Thill aye Tr. Witko aye
The meeting adjourned at 8:47 p.m.
PASSED this 14th day of September, 2015
Trustee Grear __________
Trustee Minx __________
Trustee Pietron __________
Trustee Ramos __________
Trustee Thill __________
Trustee Witko __________
APPROVED by me this 14th day of September, 2015
Daniel P. DiMaria, Village President
Board of Trustees, Morton Grove, Illinois
APPROVED and FILED in my office this 15th day of September, 2015.
______________________________________
Connie J. Travis, Village Clerk
Village of Morton Grove, Cook County, Illinois
Minutes by: Teresa Cousar