North Center Neighbors Response to DLK June 2009

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NORTHCENTER NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION LETTERHEAD

July 1, 2009

Dear Alderman Schulter:

This is in response to your request for comments regarding the Addison Corridor Strategic

Plan that was presented at the meeting at Lane Tech High School on June 9 and was posted

recently on your website.

Northcenter Neighborhood Association is a new neighbors network that aims to enhance

the health, beauty, and diversity of our neighborhood by organizing activities that enable

neighbors to strengthen ties to one another. We would like to thank you for making theAddison Corridor Strategic Plan available on your website and for reaching out to residents

of the 47th Ward.

Several members of our organization attended the meeting on June 9 and would like toconfirm some of what we heard that night:

1. Based on a directive from the Department of Community Development and the current

zoning for the area, the plan is being designed for industrial/commercial use, but there is an

opportunity to address other issues related to the area, such as traffic congestion, the impacton existing community institutions, and open space. These issues are of particular interest

to our organization.

2. There will be at least three meetings with the residents of the 13th, the 33rd, and the 47th

wards to assess community values and interests in terms of the development of this

property. The ideas generated by residents will help shape the final plan. The first of thesemeetings was held on June 9. A second and third meeting will be held in September andOctober. A fourth interim meeting should occur sometime in July.

3. Transparency is important both to the community and to those directing this project. Awebsite will be established to keep the community informed of important decisions and

meetings, including any and all zoning meetings and changes and any and all important

decisions and meetings concerning the development of this plan. The website will also

fully disclose all developers, consultants, and participants in these meetings and strategysessions, and also will disclose any and all persons taking a fee in connection with the

development of this project.

Below is a summary of the concerns, priorities, and feedback from some of the residents of

the 47th Ward that were shared at the meeting:

1. There is a concern that the TIF funds generated by the project might not be invested in

this neighborhood and therefore, that the plan might not improve the lives of the residents

who live here. Our organizations top priorities in terms of development include the

following:


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a. improve and enhance existing community service organizations and facilities,such as the Neighborhood Boys and Girls Club, Revere Park, The Common Pantry, etc.;

b. improve and enhance existing public schools, including Bell, Coonley, and Lane

Tech; c. avoid any further crowding pressure at existing public schools;

d. increase the number of affordable housing units;

e. add park land and open space, especially along the river in accordance with theFriends of the River recommendations; and,

f. ensure that any and all new development that occurs in a manner that is

environmentally friendly and sustainable during the construction phase during its economic

useful life.

2. In addition, this plan should consider and address issues that already exist in our ward

and that might be exacerbated by this development. These include, but are not limited to:

a. industrial traffic patterns in the path of park-goers and school children;

b. traffic congestion en route to and from Wrigley Field on game days;c. air and noise pollution from heavy and light trucks going to and from the

industrial corridor; and,

d. water pollution resulting from the industrial activities along the river.

Based on conversations following the June 9 meeting, additional ideas were generated that

would further enhance the 47th Ward as part of the Addison Corridor Strategic Plan: the

possible addition of soccer fields, a pedestrian walkway that goes over Addison betweenLane Tech and the McDonalds/bus stop, more pedestrian friendly crossing at Western, and

a community greenhouse for growing food year round.

We appreciate your invitation to be a part of the process of developing the plan and look

forward to a final plan that addresses these concerns and ideas, as well as others expressed

at the meeting on June 9. We believe that, working together, we can achieve a plan that is anational model for forward-thinking communities and is beneficial to all parties concerned.

We would like to meet with you sometime soon--before the July meeting, if possible--to

discuss our ideas.

Sincerely,

The Members of the Board of the Northcenter Neighborhood Association

Julie Hobert JoLynn Haley Mercedes Prause

Monica Drane Karen Carter Lynch Don HorvathDoreen Lubeck Carol Jones Marnie Schwartz

Cc: Department of Community Development representative (from the meeting)

Diane Legge Kemp, DLK


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IL State Senator John Cullerton

IL State Representative John Fritchey

U.S. Representative Mike Quigley

Documents

North Center Neighbors Response to DLK June 2009