Download the full May newsletter in PDF format

A FEW WORDS FROM OUR PRESIDENT …

Our Nominating Committee met and some changes to the composition of our Board and Officers occurred. Change brings new ideas and energy to a group.

I want to thank the past Board and Officers, members, advertisers and volunteers for allowing me to serve as President of SLN. It was a privilege. I feel most fortunate to be part of the community and our organization. I look forward to continued participation in the efforts of SLN. Again, heartfelt thanks to all.

Susan Radzinowicz

MAY 2010 MEETING PREVIEW

Fun Night

SLN will supply beer, wine and pop at no charge at the May meeting which is our last meeting before our Summer break. Any member is welcome to bring a small snack. Come, meet your neighbors and maybe leave with a new Summer friend. Yeah baby!

Meeting a Glance …

May 11, 2010

Location: Basement of St. Alphonsus Church
1429 W. Wellington

Agenda:

• 7:00 pm: Coffee & Cookies
• 7:30 pm: Meeting

• 1A) Election of Officers and Directors
• 1) Fun Night – free beer, wine & pop
• 2) St. Alphonsus Parking Lot – zoning change
• 3) Cody’s – Beer garden permit
• 4) 3000-3100 N. Southport – Future zoning issues general discussion – Continued
• 5) South Lakeview Playlot Advisory Council – Introduction

St. Alphonsus Parking Lot

Consisting of the parking area behind the school and church and the lot at Oakdale and Southport, these parking lots have been operated as pay lots (on certain nights excluding parishionsers with parking permits) for several years. In late 2009, the City of Chicago determined that the zoning of these properties was not appropriate for the operation of a pay lot. Since then, St. Alphonsus has discontinued the operation pending an appropriate zoning change from the current RS-3.5 to RT-4. After receiving the appropriate zoning and obtaining their license, these parcels will be down-zoned back to RS-3.5 in order to protect the neighborhood from a large multi-story development being built by the Archdiocese or whoever buys the parcel when St. Alphonsus retires. This is a voting issue.

Cody’s Public House – Beer Garden

Located at 1658 W. Barry, the owner has applied for a beer garden license. The owners will present their plan. This is a voting issue.

3000-3100 N. Southport – updated discussion of future zoning issues

SLN’s NDRC continues the discussion of potential zoning issues on these two blocks based on the information gathered at the March meeting and new information based on a parking space inventory conducted by SLN. The blocks are currently zoned RT-3.0 which allows for the construction of single family homes only. Developers are inquiring as to possibly getting zoning changes to RT-4.0 for the purpose of building 3 or 6 unit condominiums.

South Lakeview Playlot Advisory Council

Still in its building stage, this Council will be taking on the responsibility of planning events at the Playlot, capital improvements and fund raising. The current Board will give a brief presentation of how things are going.

Election of Officers and Directors

Always nerve-racking with multiple nominations from the floor, back-room deals and the final dropping of balloons for the newly elected officers and directors. Come see all the excitement plus the free booze and pop. Let’s do it.

AT THE APRIL 2010 MEETING

U.S. Census Bureau

Mr. Floyd T. Rutues, Partnership Specialist from the U.S. Census gave a brief presentation for the membership. The Census was mandated by the Constitution in 1790 and is completed every 10 years. The mail-in portion of the Census ended on May 1. The door-to-door process for those who did not respond will start shortly. There may be up to 6 visits by a U.S. Census taker to get the required information. The Census information affects the number of seats our State occupies in the U.S House of Representatives. People from many walks of life use Census data to advocate for causes, rescue disaster victims, prevent diseases, research markets, locate pools of skilled workers and more. The information collected helps determine how more than $400 billion dollars of Federal funding is spent each year on infrastructure and services like : hospitals, job training centers, schools, senior centers, bridges and other public works projects and emergency services. Mr Rutues noted that the Lakeview area

had one of the top 3 participation rates in the Chicago region. He also noted that the Census is still hiring. The U.S. Census Bureau donated hats and t-shirts to the SLN meeting which were quickly gobbled-up by the membership. For more information visit www.2010.Census.gov. SLN appreciates the time Mr. Rutues and his staff spent with our membership.

New Sidewalk Café Permits

Alderman Waguespack’s office forwards all new permits to the neighborhood groups for approval. Here are the results of the votes

Jack’s Bar & Grill and 404 Wine Bar located at 2856 N. Southport. Jack’s was represented by Manager Lyndsey Anderson and Bar Manager Chris Keagle. The plan submitted was substantially the same plan for a café on Southport as in July 2009. The proposed hours were to open only until 9:00PM Monday-Thursday (instead of the allowable 11:00PM and until 10:00PM on Friday and Saturday (instead of the allowable Midnight).

Ms. Anderson noted that all street café patrons would have to order food. Ms. Anderson also described the decibel testing Jack’s does for its beer garden noise. The membership noted that Jack’s already had a beer garden and questioned as to why Jack’s should have two outside venues. Ms. Anderson answered that the overriding reason for the street café was to increase sales. Other members questioned and complained that Jack’s has installed a wide screen TV and speakers in the garden emitting B96 music that can be heard in the members kitchen. Others members noted that smokers on George St are loud and disruptive, trash bins are often open, overflowing and emit a strong order, beer bottles are found outside of the establishment, rats patrol the alley next to Jack’s and noise has increased over the years. There was a smattering of support from some members, but none who lived in the immediate vicinity of Jack’s. Voting results : Do you favor the proposed street café :Yes=3, No=39. The vote was forwarded to the Alderman’s office.

Patsy’s Bar & Grill located at 2825 N. Lincoln Ave. Patsy’s was represented by owner Tom Murphy. Currently Patsy’s has 2 large tables with 6 chairs. Patsy’s wished to expand to 4 small tables with 16 chairs total. Mr. Murphy noted that his establishment must be one of the smallest bar and grills in Chicago. He is a hands-on owner that is present 5-7 days a week. He intends to expand the time of his weekend brunches to 10AM starting time and closing time of the street café would be midnight as allowed by the license. The membership had overall positive comments on the operations of the business. Voting results : Do you favor the expansion of the street café : Yes=32, No=4. The vote was forwarded to the Alderman’s office.

The Ashland Bar located at 2824 N. Ashland Ave. The Ashland was represented by the new owner Bo Doung. Mr. Doung is also in the process of purchasing the building. Mr. Doung’s group also owns the Grand River Bar & Grill on Lincoln Ave. He noted that he was aware of the neighborhood’s negative opinion of the prior owners operations. After closing on the building (estimated date is April 30), the bar will close and have a total remodeling including painting over the graffiti mural currently on the side of the building. They have spent $50,000 on the new kitchen and plan to make the establishment more family friendly. The street café plan is to relocate the current café from building side to curbside to improve pedestrian traffic on Wolfram and expand the outdoor café from 30 seats to 50 seats. Mr. Doung noted that his café sits across from McDonalds and businesses and not residences. The membership objected to the expansion of total seats because of potential increased noise but relented to give the new owners a break and see how it goes noting that a close eye will be kept on The Ashland. Voting results : Do you favor the relocation and expansion to the street café : Yes=25, No=8. The vote was forwarded to the Alderman’s office.

Macondo Coffee located at 2965 N. Lincoln Ave. The owned by the same owners of Las Tables, Macondo was represented by Manager Leo Saurez This establishment does not serve liquor. The establishment serves fair-trade and organic Colombian coffee, empanadas and Colombian baked goods. The café plan calls for 4 tables and 16 total seats operating from 8AM to 8PM and 9PM on the weekends. The overall impression of the business from members that have visited the shop was positive. Voting results : Do you favor the proposed café : Yes=33, No=4. The vote was forwarded to the Alderman’s office.

3000-3100 N. Southport – updated discussion of future zoning issues

SLN has been approached by Alderman Waguespack’s office and various developers to examine zoning issues on an overall basis for this area. These blocks were flyered inviting all to attend the meeting. Currently zoned RS-3 which allows for only single family homes to be built. An inventory of the housing stock perfomed by SLN showed that many of current buildings are actually 3 flat multi-unit buildings, with some coach houses (3 to 5 rental units) that are currently legal because they were built and grandfathered-in before the Zoning Laws of 1957. However, most of these buildings do not exceed new height restrictions and generally not as deep on the lots as even a new single family house would be. Developers wish to build 3 unit condominium projects. The floor was opened up for comments. Owners on or near these blocks were concerned about 1) increased density if multi-unit condos were built, 2) the square box look of condos ruining the general residential look of the blocks, 3) the increased parking problems in an already congested area and 4) dilapidated and boarded-up buildings and current vacant lots negatively affecting the value and resale value of houses that have been renovated and kept-up by responsible owners.

This was the first membership meeting on this issue. It was agreed that SLN will undertake and perform an inventory of parking spaces and how new buildings will change that number. These results will be presented at the May meeting and the discussion will continue.

OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS – Election 2010

A Presidential Election year. 14 possible candidates was whittled down to 7. Upon being asked to serve as President, 3 people immediately put their houses up for sale and are moving to Wisconsin. We had to invoke, the SLN President eats free at all restaurant myth to entice the remaining candidates to consider the positon. For the an amazing 40th year plus, we have a slate for the 2010-2011 season :

President – David Duggan

1^st Vice President – Sam Samatas

2^nd Vice President – Ernie Toth

Recording Secretary – Bill Haderlein

Treasurer – Ann Sychowski

Corresponding Secretary – Marge Fahrenbach

Directors : Joseph Semerling, Robert Taugner, Joan Gatz, Daniel Clifford, Maureen Short, James Volkober, Greg Brown, James Frendreis, Perry Castrovillari and former President Susan Radzinowicz.

Thanks to the Nominating Committee for all the time they put in : Joe Semerling, Bill Haderlein, Ann Sychowski, Marge Fahrenbach, Daniel Clifford, Katy Toth and Susan Radzinowicz.

SOUTH LAKEVIEW PLAYLOT – NEWS

South Lakeview Playlot Advisory Council

An introductory meeting was held April 19 at Hamlin Park. Two nearby Playlot residents, who have been involved in the planning of past summer events at the Playlot, are spear-heading the creation if this Advisory Council. The meeting was attended by Park District Supervisor, several members of SLN and approximately 12 interested volunteers.

The next meeting is scheduled for May 17 Monday @ 7:00PM Hamlin Park Fieldhouse 3035 N. Hoyne.

Contact Jennifer Roche at jenniferroche@yahoo.com or Carolyn Withey at witheycarolyn@yahoo.com for additional information.

South Lakeview Playlot – Clean up

The first activity scheduled by the Advisory Council. Sunday – May 16 from 10AM to 12PM Noon. Contact Ari Silverstein, clean-up coordinator at email = arm829@aol.com to volunteer or additional information. Good luck for good weather.

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS AND INFORMATION

CAPS Meetings by Sam Samatas

Arrests are up, crime is down. Beat 1932 has 884 911 calls which includes calls for unusual or suspicious activity which could prevent crime at another location. There were a couple of arrests for battery on the 1300 and 1400 blocks of Belmont and Wellington. A major undercover sting on St. Patrick’s Day nabbed 6 arrests for prostitution at the Belmont and Clark intersection during 10PM and 4AM. Go to bed early my friends.

• Beat 1924: 3^rd Wednesday of odd months at 6:30 pm, Lincoln/Belmont Library, 1659 W. Melrose. The next one is May 20^th.
• Beat 1932: 2^nd Thursday of even months @ 7:00 pm, Illinois Masonic, 836 W. Wellington.

GARDEN TIPS by Maureen “Dolly” Regan

Composting: the controlled decomposition of organic, kitchen scraps, wood shavings and paper is a thing of beauty to gardners and spring is the time to harvest that gold mine. Compost recipe – you will need a container like a small garbage can and poke holes in the top for air circulation.

Ingredients: brown materials like leaves, dry matter, not wood sticks (takes too long to compost), green materials like grass, vegetable waste soil or old compostis full of microorganisms that act similar to yeast in the making of bread or yogurt – just a little. A bacteria to kick off the process. Although the composting will work without this addition of soil or old compost, it helps the process go faster. Water, to a damp sponge consistency, to have adequate moisture inside the compost pile. Many compost piles suffer from being too dry. Water and stir the pile as you build it. Air: oxygen is required for slow fire called composting. Without air any biological activity will be severely limited. Direction: mix all of these ingredients and turn as you can. Easy compost recipe: two parts tree leaves (for deep minerals), two parts grass clippings (fresh hot greens) and one part steer manure (crumbly handles best). Add a dash of soil and a dash of minerals such as phosphate rock, potash, clays, etc. Spray with water while mixing, but don’t let the pile get soggy. Cover with soil, turn every few days and respray with water lightly at least twice. The compost is usually ready in two to four weeks in warm water. Mix with soil and add to the garden. Cover composted areas with mulch.

NEW AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Things were slow at the office, so I took a walk around the neighborhood to see if any new businesses have cropped up.

The Belmont Ave. strip was pretty bustling for 1:30 on a dreary Thursday afternoon:

Insight Sign Company – 1631 W. Belmont. Get your car wrapped in advertising, increase your profits. www.chitownwraps.com

The Pony Inn – 1638 W. Belmont. Been around for a few months. Formerly Gunther Murphy’s and for the old-timers The Belmont Lounge. A TV at every table so you can ignore your husband or wife. People tell me they like to take the kids there early for food, drinks and general mischief.