It sure looks like there is a light at the end of the tunnel. At the time of this post, vaccination in the U.S. has crossed the 50% mark. With that in mind, we’re planning on a return to in-person meetings in the fall. Our first is scheduled for September 7, 2021 at the Athenaeum Theatre. Nothing’s final yet. The one item on that agenda, so far, will be a vote for SLN’s officers and directors, which requires a secret ballot. Watch this space for more as it develops. You’ll also note that the meeting date is the first, not second, Tuesday of the month.
At the May, 2021 meeting (the audio and chat log of which is available), Cook County Commissioner Bridget Degnan brought us up to date on developments in county government. The main focus of the May meeting was a discussion and vote on the development of 18 single family homes on currently vacant land at Wolfram and Paulina. You’ll find details of the proposal and the results of the vote in our Summer Newsletter.
Thanks to everyone who attended. We sincerely hope that this is the last time we have to Zoom a meeting. Get your vaccination(s) if you haven’t already done so!
Copyright 2021, South Lakeview Neighbors. All Rights Reserved.
The public chat transcript:
19:02:28 From Steve Stern : Sam is having a little computer trouble and will be on shortly
19:04:50 From Sarah Lewis : For more information regarding COVID-19 vaccination, business support, property taxes, and other Cook County programs, call (773) 283-7873 or email district12@cookcountyil.gov, and sign up for the newsletter at www.commissionerdegnen.com. For the May Pet Drive until Monday, May 31st, please consider donating pet supplies, toys, blankets, and towels, which can be dropped off at the district office at 4253 N. Milwaukee Avenue. Thank you!
19:08:42 From Sarah Lewis : To find a COVID-19 vaccination appointment, visit: https://www.zocdoc.com/vaccine or www.vaccine.cookcountyil.gov.
19:08:56 From Sarah Lewis : The County’s vaccine hot line for assistance is 1-833-308-1988.
19:09:56 From Sarah Lewis : Here is the link to one-on-one counseling for businesses in the suburbs and Chicago: https://nextstreet.submittable.com/submit/174228/cook-county-covid-19-small-business-advising-application.
19:10:46 From Sarah Lewis : Here is a list of all available County resources: https://cookcountysmallbiz.org/. Here is the link to get paired with a lender for your PPP loan: https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/covid-19-relief-options/paycheck-protection-program.
19:10:55 From Sarah Lewis : Information and access can be found here for Economic Injury Disaster loans : https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/covid-19-relief-options/covid-19-economic-injury-disaster-loan.
19:13:55 From Sarah Lewis : To download your tax bill or make a payment, visit www.cookcountytreasurer.com. Here is the interactive budget page: https://budget.cookcountyil.gov/.
19:16:28 From F : Thank you for listening to the housing providers and working towards a better piece of legislation!
19:18:31 From Sarah Lewis : Here is a link to the Earth Day webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWAXqBrSxJs. All Earth Month webinars can be found at www.commissionerdegnen.com.
19:19:18 From Sarah Lewis : Once again, for more information regarding COVID-19 vaccination, business support, property taxes, and other Cook County programs, call (773) 283-7873 or email district12@cookcountyil.gov, and sign up for the newsletter at www.commissionerdegnen.com. For the May Pet Drive until Monday, May 31st, please consider donating pet supplies, toys, blankets, and towels, which can be dropped off at the district office at 4253 N. Milwaukee Avenue. Thank you!
19:26:08 From Bill Haderlein : if you want a consultation, should you make an appointment
19:26:25 From Samantha Cohen : Susan and Fertile are great - the have helped us so much over the years. She has an amazing eye and design sense.
19:28:18 From F : What are your hours?
19:38:28 From ellenmiller : What’s the price point of the homes?
19:39:26 From Tamara Maple : Will the house on the south side on Paulina face Paulina or Wolfram?
19:39:55 From Samantha Cohen : just brick on the front or all the way around the houses?
19:40:04 From Keith Giles : Probably starting $1.7-1.8mm
19:40:15 From Tamara Maple : Doesn’t RT-4 zoning allow for multi unit development? If you get the zoning, can you change the plans to multi-family?
19:40:34 From Keith Giles : Not our intention
19:41:17 From Tamara Maple : But is it possible?
19:41:34 From Geoff Gass : There appears to be one lot left between the site and McDonald's. Is that not part of what you're acquiring?
19:41:51 From David Duggan : do you own the land iris it under contract
19:41:51 From Keith Giles : no - that is not part of our site
19:41:52 From Amanda Szaraz : The homes on the north side of Wolfram are zoned for Burley which has a severe overcrowding issue. The school is out of space . Has consideration been given to how 13 homes will impact an overcrowded school?
19:41:57 From Adam Cole : The north lot homes (13) would be in Burley school boundary. The south lot homes (5) would be in Prescott school boundary. I understand both those schools are at capacity. How is that supply vs. capacity issue being addressed?
19:42:05 From Bill Haderlein : Due to the size of the Project are you required to provide low-income affordable housing opportunities on-site or nearby in the neighborhood
19:42:39 From Amanda Szaraz : Does this development have to include affordable housing?
19:42:46 From Tamara Maple : Will Fertile go away?
19:42:50 From Adam Cole : The sidewalks surrounding these lots are in terrible, unsafe condition. Will it be required that the developer replace the sidewalks. It should be
19:43:12 From ellenmiller : When will they begin delivering?
19:43:14 From Tamara Maple : When will construction start and how long will it last?
19:43:43 From brandywaffles : what’s the square footage of the RT-4 mockup?
19:43:54 From Keith Giles : Yes, Fertile goes away, and we are contributing to the affordable housing fund. We expect to deliver next year
19:44:21 From Geoff Gass : Doesn't Fertile keep their Diversey-facing space?
19:44:58 From Keith Giles : About 5,250 sf max on the north side. Fertile is staying on Diversey
19:45:21 From Samantha Cohen : What is the affordable housing fund? Is that tied to these houses or larger city fund?
19:45:27 From Susan : Fertile will keep 3 lots on Diversey
19:45:43 From David Duggan : is there any reason why you don't have solar power provided
19:45:52 From Adam Cole : What is the specific height limitation you’re seeking for each R-3 and R-4 dwellings?
19:45:58 From Alex and Jenn : Is there any more detail you can offer about project start time and expected duration?
19:46:39 From Keith Giles : We will come to market in the fall. Timing is about 2 years.
19:46:44 From Amanda Szaraz : So contributing to affordable housing fund means there will be no affordable housing in this development. Is that correct?
19:46:58 From Keith Giles : Correct.
19:48:48 From ellenmiller : To SLN: So what is the down side of this project?
19:49:07 From Tamara Maple : Will all the construction happen at once or will this go on for years?
19:49:16 From F : Disappointed this isn’t denser!
19:49:19 From Adam Cole : You are not addressing the capacity of schools. The chance of buyers w/ no children buying homes of this size is near zero. The schools are already over-capacity. So why more kids allowed without a plan by CPS.
19:49:35 From F : Would have loved to see the the townhome project presented
19:49:39 From Amanda Szaraz : Schools with no room for more students.
19:49:40 From Adam Cole : THERE IS NOT CAPACITY AT THESE SCHOOLS, Sam et al
19:49:59 From ellenmiller : Do you need a real estate agent to represent you? :)
19:50:28 From Samantha Cohen : is there any solar or other sustainable measures integrated into project
19:51:06 From Adam Cole : Sidewalks need to be replaced. Will they be required?
19:51:19 From brandywaffles : 5250 sq ft homes are about 2.3M in the region.
19:52:54 From Amanda Szaraz : Families are moving due to large class sizes (among other reasons). This will not help with 30 5 year olds in a classroom.
19:53:35 From Adam Cole : Sidewalks
19:54:03 From Tamara Maple : Will these be constructed at once or will this just go on for years?
19:56:15 From Jane Berry : Where will parking be located and how much for each home?
19:56:44 From ellenmiller : I love that they fit in so nicely with the neighborhood!
19:57:21 From Adam Cole : Will Wolfram stay one-way between Ashland and Paulina?
19:57:47 From Adam Cole : I think the lots are 143’d
19:57:56 From Geoff Gass : SLVN question - is there an opportunity to "clean" up some of the other nearby zoning?
19:58:02 From Adam Cole : Is the developer seeking to make the street two-way?
19:58:52 From David Duggan : will the alley be deeded to the city
19:59:55 From Adam Cole : These lots will be divided as separate lots, with city trash, or as a PD?
20:01:16 From Tamara Maple : Thank you for answering my questions. I think it will be good for the neighborhood.
20:02:26 From ellenmiller : How about putting Y or N in the chat
20:02:36 From William's S21 Ultra : this vote has to happen now?? we can't think about it?
20:02:39 From F : Sam can’t see the chat
20:03:31 From William's S21 Ultra : how are we voting and confirming that we are all residents?
20:04:14 From William's S21 Ultra : is this vote final this evening?
20:04:54 From Amanda Szaraz : I agree with Susan. I am not in support of this development due to density related concerns.
20:05:08 From Alex and Jenn : # of mutes vs. unmutes?
20:05:09 From Adam Cole : Lovely homes and good the site is planned for development, but the issue of school overcrowding is serious and an Alderman or organization supporting further development of family dwellings without related school capacity is a concerning community issue.
20:05:18 From F : What about using the check mark ‘for’ and the red ‘X’ as against?
20:06:43 From Ed S. and Kim L : how about everyone just send a DIRECT MESSAGE chat to STEVE
20:07:39 From Tamara Maple : Even if every house has 3 kids, that is 54 kids total across all grades and two different schools. Plus, many will go to private too.
20:08:44 From ellenmiller : Yes Tamara! I agree
20:09:09 From Amanda Szaraz : Burleys enrollment is currently 546 students. Burley has been asking for support from CPS and CPS is unwilling to give the money.
20:09:17 From Samantha Cohen : It could end up being condos so this may be less dense than alternatives
20:09:26 From Tamara Maple : Yes, agreed, Sam
20:09:27 From Geoff Gass : or townhouses
20:10:00 From ellenmiller : Single family homes always best!
20:12:37 From Adam Cole : Its clear that this plan would create less density than other potential development plans, including the one this developer abandoned. But the point is that schools should be considered with neighborhood development. It is not certain by any means that families interested in these homes would be going to private schools. This land is currently NOT zoned to allow homes, so this decision is directly impacting the demand on two schools at-capacity.
20:13:00 From Sarah Lewis : I’ll abstain as well! I live in Westchester, IL (haha).
20:13:03 From Ernie Toth : abstain (2)
20:13:26 From ellenmiller : yes
20:13:28 From F : Yes
20:13:32 From Tamara Maple : Yes
20:13:36 From Susan : yes
20:13:43 From Samantha Cohen : yes
20:13:43 From Ed S. and Kim L : yes
20:13:52 From Alex and Jenn : yes, in favor
20:14:01 From Bill Haderlein : yes in favor
20:14:34 From Geoff Gass : yes
20:14:47 From Adam Cole : I ask that this organization qualify its support with notation of community concern re: school capacity. For the record.
20:15:03 From William's S21 Ultra : We're not comfortable with this voting process. I thought residency was supposed to be acknowledged.
20:15:32 From Aaron Zaretsky : roll call
20:15:42 From Ernie Toth : More tgan two members per household
20:15:49 From Samantha Cohen : Thank you organizers for trying to work this all out.
20:16:04 From Jane Berry : Yes
20:18:41 From Ernie Toth : Don't the bylaws require secret ballot? Maybe not...+
20:19:34 From ellenmiller : Good
20:20:08 From Adam Cole : Thank you for the presentation. The homes will be swell if built. And so happy to see the sidewalks will be replaced after years of neglected condition.
20:20:42 From Ken DeMuth : Thank you!
The Politician: Cook County Commissioner Bridget Degnan Completing the full circle of presenting our local elected officials to the SLN Membership during our Covid-19 ZOOM Meetings (Alderman, State Rep., U.S.Congressman and State Senator), our District 12 Cook County Commissioner Bridget Degnan will appear.
Zoning: 18 single family homes behind the McDonald’s on Ashland A Developer will present plans for the development of the vacant land at the northeast corner (currently fenced in) and southeast corner (backside of Fertile Urban Gardener) located at Wolfram and Paulina. The Developer is proposing building 13 RT-4 zoned homes (extra large) on the north side of Wolfram Ave.that will be 3-levels with a private alley and five RS-3 (the size allowable east of Lincoln Ave.) homes on the south side of Wolfram Ave.
Spring Planting: Fertile–Urban Garden Center Owner and SLN Member-Susan Brandstetter will give a Spring planting presentation to the SLN Membership.
