Economic Development Committee

1 Approved 2 MINUTES OF THE NORTHBROOK ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION 3 Village Hall Terrace Room 4 October 14, 2015 5 Members Present: Chairman James Kahan, Carol Currie, Jessica Donato, Michael Durango, Sandra Frum, 6 Edwin Feld, Ken Slepicka, Mike Gold, Jay Glaubinger, Kate Hall, Cathy Lauria, Bob Resis, Karen Roloff, 7 Richard Rushkewicz, Hillarie Siena, Ken Spero, Vicki Tarver, Joel Taub, and Brian Wegley. 8 Staff Present: David Schoon 9 Recorder: S. Anetsberger 10 Review of Minutes: 11 On a motion made and seconded with one member abstaining, the minutes from the July 8, 2015 12 meeting were approved by voice vote. 13 Public Comment-Hear from the Audience - None 14 Community Planning & Economic Development Coordinator Report 15 David Schoon, Village Staff Liaison provided updates regarding the following Commercial Developments: 16 (1) NorthShore 770 - Mariano's has opened. Fuddruckers and Roti’s are completing build outs. Panera is 17 under construction, PNC is starting construction. The residential project is looking at early 2016 to start 18 with occupancy; (2) Marathon at Dundee & Skokie property owners continue to work towards a land 19 swap; (3) 1000 Skokie Mixed Use - Plan Commission held several public hearings. Recommendation was 20 for denial as concerns were raised regarding residential density, mixture of uses and adequacy of 21 parking. The Board will review on October 27; (4) The building at Dundee and Pfingsten has come down. 22 Dunkin Donuts work continues; (5) Metro Self Storage on Shermer and Janke is under construction; (6) 23 Lock Up Self Storage on Skokie Boulevard and Sunset Ridge was approved at the Village Board meeting 24 held last night. No news available on proposed self storage at Lake Cook and Sanders; (7) Waterway Car 25 Wash/Gas Station will hold a grand opening next week; (8) Metro Park Office Complex at 1131 Techny - 26 Lurie Out-Patient Clinic and Bright Horizon Day Care are open; (9) 1000-15 Waukegan Dunkin Donuts - 27 The applicant is not going to move forward due to an access issue with the site; (10) JCC on Holste is 28 seeking expansion for a physical fitness facility on their campus. Plan Commission will recommend 29 approval; (11) Auto Care Imports on Holste is not in compliance with the special permit issued five years 30 ago. The Plan Commission recommended approval for renewal but compliance is necessary for their 31 operation; item was continued to October 27 Board meeting; (12) Verizon wall sign on 235 Skokie - sign 32 on building is not in compliance with agreement between developer and Village. Verizon is working on 33 changes to meet compliance issue; Residential Developments include: (13) Memory care facility on 99 34 Pointe Dr; (14) Timber's Edge KZF - 21 unit single family development is working on securing financing; 35 (15) E. R. James proposal at Voltz and Waukegan Rd. is returning to the Zoning Committee next week 36 with a revised plan; (16) Hovanian Homes sent a formal application for a seven-lot subdivision; (17) The 37 Lodge - Village is waiting for the Lodge to submit revised plans for Phases 4-5; (18) Proposed Assisted 38 Living Facilty at Techny and Shermer - first staff review completed and waiting for applicant to submit a  Economic Development Committee Meeting Minutes – October 14, 2015 1 revised plan; (19) Jacobs Homes on Shermer south of Waukegan went before the Plan Commission and 2 held the first public hearing. Concerns included the height at the south property line, placement of 3 townhomes and guest parking. Project continued to Plan Commission November 3rd meeting; (20) 4 Jacobs Homes on South Shermer (Maurice Property) - Developer has decided the environmental issues 5 on the site were more than they wanted to try to address. Project will not move forward; (21) Red Seal 6 Mission Hills - Village Board approved plat and subdivision agreement for the project; (22) Bell Flavors 7 Class 6B application was approved by the Village Board; (23) Downtown Streetscape - Staff will present 8 design concepts for streetscape improvements that will add more downtown parking and make the area 9 more pedestrian friendly; (24) Zoning Code Amendments will go back to the Board in early November 10 regarding streamlining aspects of the special permit and variation processes; (25) David Schoon 11 attended the ICSC Deal Making Session; (26) The Annual TIF Joint Review Board Meeting will occur on 12 10/15/15 and offer a review of what has occurred in the TIF District over the last year and will include 13 status of the TIF district; (27) ICDC continues with business visits; (28) Facebook campaign continues 14 with the Chamber of Commerce and the Village. Both parties are working with a TV producer for a new 15 holiday commercial. 16 Updates from Each Taxing District 17 Library - The Library budget is in the black but they question how they will approach the levy with a 18 potential tax freeze. They are re-evaluating their planning process and the budget year. 19 District #27 - The fund reserve balance is at a reasonable level. A balanced budget is in place in the 20 amount of $25.9 million. Enrollment is up. The new Kindergarten program is progressing well. Concerns 21 raised regarding District 109 in Deerfield leaving the NSSED body. 22 District #28 - Reports that the property tax freeze, pending pension funding, and State funding 23 reallocation are all serious issues. Enrollment is up slightly. The Board is waiting for a report on half day 24 kindergarten. 25 District #30 - The district has a planned deficit budget for facility work. They remain stable and debt 26 free. The Illinois State Government predicament does present challenges because of its instability. 27 Property freeze tax and pensions are very serious concerns. The first ten year life safety review was 28 completed. More families have moved into the area. 29 District #31 - Bonds were issued to complete capital projects and life safety repairs and in anticipation of 30 a property tax freeze and the loss of revenue due to State aid being built into their budget. HVAC 31 worked has been completed at Field Middle School and the District Office. A bell intercom phone system 32 was installed in the middle school for safety issues. Concerns about NSSED rising costs as fees are based 33 on the percentage of use. A new 5-7 year strategic plan has been implemented. Funds are being raised 34 for a stem lab in the middle school. 35 District #225 - State budget is an issue. Worries have surfaced that the State will not pay out all the 36 money that is due and there are concerns for the looming property tax freeze. They are monitoring the  Economic Development Committee Meeting Minutes – October 14, 2015 1 situation in Springfield. Enrollment is good. A strategic planning workshop is scheduled for November 4 2 and 18 with public forums. 3 Park District - Short term budgets are fine. 53% of revenue is based on property tax and 45% is based on 4 fees. They have not applied for any grants from the State. Utilization is up slightly but they took a big hit 5 in the kinder care area. They are in the early stages of doing a strategic master plan and proceeding with 6 internal data collection. Community outreach will follow. Sports Center pool construction is due to 7 begin in August 2016. 8 Village of Northbrook - The Village reports that there is uncertainty with the State of Illinois. Sales tax 9 money is the number one source of revenue and questions if the State will pay the money owed to 10 Northbrook. Motor fuel tax and communication tax have not come through but sales tax has. A penalty 11 on cadillac health care plans is a concern. Village President Frum stated that she engages in a lot of work 12 with Senators and Representatives and the Northwest Conference of Municipalities Consortium. The 13 Village of Northbrook just received a Triple A Rating with Moody's and is waiting to hear on Standard & 14 Poor's. 15 President Frum requested names of any qualified Northbrook residents that are engineers, architects or 16 builders that might be qualified to fill openings on the Plan Commission and the Zoning Board of 17 Appeals. Open spots on the Environmental Control Commission and the Arts Commission also exist. 18 Rising health care costs and pharmaceutical costs also are prevailing concerns for the taxing districts. 19 Member Rushkewicz questioned the taxing bodies what, if any impact, the budget impasse is having on 20 them. He asked what Commission members thought of following up on a suggestion by Member Hall to 21 craft communication stating the Commission's position that the impact is having adverse consequences 22 on economic development for our taxing bodies. Member Rushkewicz asked if we should keep lobbying 23 in Springfield with professional organizations. Member Hall stated that individual constituents need to 24 send a message. President Frum stated that the North Shore taxing district board members really talk to 25 their legislators. She does not know why other legislators do not hear from their taxing district 26 constituents. President Frum shared that Board members should to go to Springfield and make contacts. 27 Member Roloff stated that in our area our general public is very engaged and aware. The legislature is 28 hearing from our public which is unlike in other parts of the state. Member Wegley stated that everyone 29 is concerned about the property tax freeze and inquired if it would help stakeholders to make a 30 statement. He asked if membership was in favor of taking a stand, and if it would be beneficial for the 31 legislators to hear that the taxing bodies are not in favor of a property tax freeze. 32 Chairman Kahan stated that something has to change as we are facing long term financial problems that 33 will pass on down. Chairman Kahan asked if we are facing short term imminent issues because of the 34 budget impasse. He stated that in our home town area, we were not. He questioned what the 35 Commission could say that dealt with the long term crisis. He stated the good news was that taxing 36 bodies have been planning so they can avoid a crisis and they are commended for that. Member Feld 37 questioned the mission of the Commission and what happens with the information. President Frum 38 asked how informed the Commissioners' Boards were. Membership answered by saying that their  Economic Development Committee Meeting Minutes – October 14, 2015 1 Boards were mindful of all issues. President Frum asked that if a motion was made today and seconded, 2 would the EDC members be ready to vote. Discussion followed. Does the EDC share or make policy? 3 Some members responded that most decisions come out of their Superintendant's office. Chairman 4 Kahan shared that the EDC raises awareness and get's the questions out on the table. The goal is to 5 impact decisions in the political process. Member Siena shared that the School Board has a component 6 to advocate and lobby in Springfield. 7 Old Business 8 None 9 New Business 10 Chairman Kahan offered that meeting two times per year was inadequate. It remains clear that sharing 11 information is appreciated and that the recent special meeting for 6B status was relevant. He asked 12 individuals to go back to their boards and to consider at the January meeting to declare victory and 13 dissolve EDC. He stated that all EDC objectives have been reached. Village President Frum asked if there 14 was purpose and if there was value in the information sharing. She asked if that information can come 15 from other sources and can it be disseminated. Chairman Kahan stated he could not make a decision 16 because the Board has not had an opportunity to talk about it. Member Siene stated that the benefit of 17 the dialog at EDC is valuable. Another Member stated that perhaps terms should be limited. Member 18 Hall stated that she found great value in the meeting. The Commission asked Liaison Schoon for 19 comments. He replied by stating the Committee is not a traditional Economic Development Committee, 20 so its title may not much the role that it has come to play. No matter what the title of the Committee is, 21 if the members find benefit from meeting and sharing information, then the Committee should 22 continue. The meeting ended with no definitive answer regarding whether or not the Committee 23 should remain active. 24 Adjourn - On motion made and seconded, the meeting was adjourned at 9:15 a.m. The next meeting is 25 scheduled for Wednesday, January 13, 2016 at 7:30 a.m. 26 Respectfully Submitted - Sue Anetsberger 27