City Council

MINUTES WOODSTOCK CITY COUNCIL April 5, 2022 City Council Chambers A regular meeting of the Woodstock City Council was called to order at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, April 5, 2022 in the Council Chambers at Woodstock City Hall by Mayor Michael Turner. He explained the Consent Calendar process, invited public participation, and noted, as is the City’s policy, this evening’s meeting is being live streamed with a recording archived should members of the public wish to view it in the future. Mayor Turner stated at the conclusion of this meeting, Council will adjourn and then convene a continuation of the Budget meeting that was begun yesterday but was not completed due to time constraints. He confirmed with City Attorney Ruth Schlossberg that this is permitted by the Open Meetings Act as both meetings were properly noticed and Mayor Turner announced yesterday at the Budget meeting that it would be continued this evening. A roll call was taken. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Darrin Flynn, Lisa Lohmeyer, Tom Nierman, Wendy Piersall, Bob Seegers, Jr., Gordon Tebo and Mayor Michael Turner. COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: None. STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Roscoe Stelford, City Attorney Ruth Schlossberg, Deputy City Manager/Executive Director of Strategy & Planning Paul Christensen, Executive Director of Business Development Danielle Gulli, Chief John Lieb, Public Works Director Christina Betz, Economic Development Director Garrett Anderson, Building and Zoning Director Joe Napolitano, Library Director Nick Weber, IT Director Dan McElmeel, Opera House Director Daniel Campbell, Public Works Deputy Director Brent Aymond, City Engineer Chris Tiedt, City Planner Darrell Moore, Communications/Grant Manager Terry Willcockson, Public Works Staff Members John Mecklenburg and Jeff Burgess, and City Clerk Cindy Smiley. III. FLOOR DISCUSSION A. Proclamations 1. National Public Library Month Without objection, the City Council approved and adopted the Proclamation Honoring National Library Week and the Woodstock Public Library. Mayor Turner invited Library Director Nick Weber to join him at the podium and read the proclamation for all to hear, which was acknowledged with hearty applause. Mayor Turner talked about the work of the Library and its Staff, opining it is critical to and valued by the community. Mr. Weber thanked the Council for the proclamation, stating he and Staff appreciate the support. He also thanked Ms. Willcockson for crafting the proclamation and Library Board Member Christy Johanson for attending this evening. He invited all to come to the Library and enjoy what it has to offer.  Woodstock City Council 04/05/22 Page 2 of 8 Mayor Turner stated it is also important to note the great work the Library did through the COVID- 19 pandemic and how its engagement with the community continued through that difficult time, noting that work did not go unnoticed. 2. Retirement of Jeff Burgess Mayor Turner noted this is a momentous occasion honoring almost 37 years of service. Without objection, the City Council approved and adopted the Proclamation Honoring Jeff Burgess. Mayor Turner was joined at the podium by Mr. Burgess along with Ms. Betz and Mr. Aymond. He read the proclamation for all to hear, which was acknowledged with hearty applause. Ms. Betz opined something is lost forever when an organization loses a 36-year employee. She stated Mr. Burgess has been a spokesperson for the Department of Public Works, and the Streets Division in particular, expressing her gratitude for him stepping up to do this for the group and for his service to the community. Noting he has taken pride in his community, Mr. Burgess stated it has been his honor to serve the residents. He stated he has seen a lot of changes expressing his hope that the City continues to grow and go forward, and continues to be a place the people take pride in. Mr. Burgess stated Woodstock is a good place to live and grow, wishing continued success to the people he works with. He stated he is thankful for the opportunity he was given for the last nearly 37 years to work and serve and build relationships. His comments were met with hearty applause. B. Public Hearing – FY22/23 Mayor Turner stated this is a Public Hearing in compliance with Illinois State Statutes and the Woodstock City Code to allow the Public the opportunity to comment on the recommended FY22/23 Budget. Motion by D. Flynn, second by L. Lohmeyer, to open a Public Hearing to accept Public Comment on the City of Woodstock’s proposed FY2022/2023 Budget. A roll call vote was taken. Ayes: D. Flynn, L. Lohmeyer, T. Nierman, W. Piersall, B. Seegers, G. Tebo and Mayor M. Turner. Nays: none. Abstentions: none. Absentees: none. Motion carried. The Public Hearing was opened at 7:17 PM. There was no comment forthcoming from the Public. Motion by G. Tebo, second by D. Flynn, to close the Public Hearing. A roll call vote was taken. Ayes: D. Flynn, L. Lohmeyer, T. Nierman, W. Piersall, B. Seegers, G. Tebo and Mayor M. Turner. Nays: none. Abstentions: none. Absentees: none. Motion carried. The Public Hearing was closed at 7:20 PM.  Woodstock City Council 04/05/22 Page 3 of 8 C. Public Comments Carl Kaufmann, 426 Highland, Woodstock, wished to bring Council’s attention to the condition of the ponds at Emricson Park. He stated the park is beautiful, but not as beautiful as it once was. He stated children do not have as much opportunity to have fun outdoors fishing, noting encounters he has had with children who have told him they have not caught fish. He stated the ponds are no longer deep enough to support fish, noting it would be advantageous to have more depth as the fish are dying off due to lack of oxygen. He stated they also contain leaves and other material which deplete the oxygen and are not conducive to fish. He presented Council with photos of the debris around the ponds and with petitions containing the signatures of a number of people in support of this effort. Mr. Kaufman asked Council to have the ponds evaluated and consider cleaning them up and improving them for spawning. Thanking Mr. Kaufmann for bringing this forward, Mayor Turner expressed his support of the idea asking Staff to investigate how the ponds can be improved. He opined they are as much an asset as ballfields and should be looked at in that way. Councilman Tebo noted Mr. Kaufmann is the most sought-after fishing guide in Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin with great knowledge of fish and their habitats. He stated children were shut in because of COVID-19, opining the more opportunity they can be given to get outside the better. He, too, asked Mr. Stelford to look into this and bring ideas back to the City Council. Mr. Kaufmann stated he would be happy to act as a consultant if needed. D. Council Comments Mayor Turner spoke about his recent visit to the State Capitol in Springfield where he was joined by Councilman Flynn and Mr. Stelford to work with IDOT on the potential of additional widening of Route 47 between Huntley and Woodstock, to be constructed sooner rather than later. He spoke of their opportunity to meet with state legislators and have very productive meetings with members of the Governor’s staff. He stated discussions also took place of the Metra expansion as well. Mayor Turner thanked Councilman Flynn and Mr. Stelford. He stated the City will continue to push these projects to the forefront and noted Joyce Nardulli’s invaluable role. Noting he was once a skeptic, he stated he now could not be more supportive of what she does to continue moving Woodstock forward. In response to a request from Mayor Turner, Mr. Christensen provided information on the City’s recent bond issuances for the Enhanced Streets Resurfacing Program and the Old Courthouse. He stated this was accomplished before the rates went up, further noting the City continues to maintain its AA bond rating. He stated, further, S&P continues to give the City a stable outlook. Mayor Turner thanked Staff for their important work on this. Mayor Turner stated tonight is Mr. Stelford’s 200th Council meeting serving as City Manager, noting this accomplishment. CONSENT AGENDA Motion by D. Flynn, second by B. Seegers, to approve the Consent Agenda.  Woodstock City Council 04/05/22 Page 4 of 8 In response to a question from Mayor Turner, the following item was removed from the Consent Agenda at the request of Council or the Public: Item D-1 – Ordinance – Special Use Permit – Former Golf & Games, Eastwood Drive by Councilwoman Piersall. In response to a request from Mayor Turner, the following questions were forthcoming from the Public or the Council regarding items remaining on the Consent Agenda. Item D-2 – Award of Contract – Downtown Square and Adjacent Property Landscape Councilman Nierman suggested bark mulch be used in City landscaping rather than brown-dyed mulch, noting bark mulch mends the soils and is beneficial to plant material rather than depleting the soil as does the dyed mulch. Mayor Turner asked Ms. Betz to investigate this. Item D-4 – Resolution – Draft Sewer Use & Pretreatment Ordinance In response to a question from Councilman Tebo, Ms. Betz and Mr. Aymond explained the figures appearing on the local limits’ evaluation table in the draft, noting the adjustments are based on the wastewater from the City’s industrial users. Mr. Aymond confirmed the City is not lowering its standards, with Mayor Turner noting this is in keeping with the IEPA, USEPA, and County standards. Ms. Betz stated this will be reviewed by the USEPA and the IEPA who will come back to the City should there be any issues. She expressed confidence they will accept the document. There were no further Council or Public comments or questions. Mayor Turner affirmed the Consent Agenda to include items A through C and D-2 through D-6: A. APPROVAL OF CITY COUNCIL MINUTES March 15, 2022 City Council Minutes March 15, 2022 City Council Executive Session Minutes B. WARRANTS: 3996 3997 3998 C. MINUTES AND REPORTS: Historic Preservation Commission Minutes January 10, 2022 Historic Preservation Commission Minutes January 24, 2022 Police Department Monthly Report February 2022 Opera House Advisory Commission Minutes February 15, 2022 Board of Police Commissioners Minutes March 7, 2022 Public Library Board of Trustees Minutes March 10, 2022 Library Director’s Report February 2022 D. MANAGER'S REPORT NO. 200: 2. Award of Contract – Downtown Square and Adjacent Property Landscape – Authorization to award a contract for landscape and maintenance services in the Historic Downtown Square and on adjacent public properties to the lowest responsible bidder, Langton Group, Woodstock, IL, in accordance with the unit prices as submitted and not to exceed $30,000 for FY22/23.  Woodstock City Council 04/05/22 Page 5 of 8 3. Award of Contract – Mosquito Abatement – Approval to award a contract to Clarke Environmental Mosquito Management, Inc. (Clarke), St. Charles, IL, to provide mosquito control services in accordance with the unit prices as submitted and not to exceed $25,000 for FY22/23. 4. Resolution – Draft Sewer Use & Pretreatment Ordinance – Approval of Resolution 22-R-08, identified as Document 2, A Resolution Granting Authority to Submit a “Draft” Sewer Use & Pretreatment Ordinance and Local Limits Evaluation to USEPA. 5. Ordinance – Sign Variation – Northwestern Medicine – Doty Road Campus – Adoption of Ordinance 22-O-19, identified as Document 3, An Ordinance Granting Sign Variations to Allow New, Permanent Ground Signs for the Northwestern Medicine Campus, 3701 Doty Road. 6. Ordinance – Side Yard Variation – 12116 Southview Drive - Approval of Ordinance 22-O-20, identified as Document 4, An Ordinance Granting Variations from UDO Section 7A.3 (Bulk and Area Standards) to Allow a variation of Side Yard Setback from 10 Feet to 3.4 Feet to Allow an Addition at 12116 Southview Drive. A roll call vote was taken. Ayes: D. Flynn, L. Lohmeyer, T Nierman, W. Piersall, B. Seegers, G. Tebo and Mayor M. Turner. Nays: none. Abstentions: none. Absentees: none. Motion carried. Item D-1 – Ordinance – Special Use Permit – Former Golf & Games, Eastwood Drive At the request of Councilwoman Piersall, Mr. Napolitano provided information regarding how the State of Illinois evaluates, approves and oversees applications and licensing for cannabis businesses. Mr. Napolitano stated the Cannabis Control Office of the Illinois State Police is responsible for reviewing and approving security plans, noting a business may be awarded a cannabis license, but it is not valid until various items, including the security plan, are approved. He also provided information on the reviews performed by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health. Mr. Napolitano stated all reviews and approvals must be completed before construction can begin and final on-site inspections by the various Departments must be done before the facility can open. He noted all of this is in addition to the requirements of the City. Mr. Napolitano stated the Cannabis Control Office also conducts random inspections, noting they are currently inspecting every facility every month to ensure they are in compliance. He opined as more facilities open inspections may not occur as often. In response to a question concerning the criteria that is required by the state in the security plan, Mr. Napolitano stated there is an extensive set of requirements that must be made before approval of the license. He noted these include requirements for a certain number of security cameras, retention of recordings for 90 days, and making all security devises available for inspection among others. Noting the three different applications that were previously considered by the City Council, Councilwoman Piersall stated she was impressed with the security plan provided for the facility proposed for Cold Headers. Detailing some of the criteria and procedures provided with that plan,  Woodstock City Council 04/05/22 Page 6 of 8 she opined Council still has not seen that level of detail from the petitioner and still has not seen the full scope of what the petitioner will be doing. Councilwoman Piersall stated she cannot vote for the request as it stands. Mayor Turner stated the security requirements for these types of businesses come from the State and they are the ones that assess and approve them as they have jurisdiction. Mike Leuzzi, founder of Six Labs, stated they have a security plan as required by the State of Illinois, which they can supply to the City Council should they wish to see it. He stated they have a 45,000sf facility in Michigan, which has been operating for 3 years with 60 employees, showing a video of that facility to illustrate their level of commitment and dedication. In response to questions from the Council, Mr. Leuzzi, confirmed the state is responsible for licensing requirements. He also confirmed that the information Councilwoman Piersall is asking for is available, noting it is what was submitted to the state and is similar to what she described. In response to a question from Councilman Seegers as to why this location was chosen rather than an area less specific to this area of the City and not in a prime corridor, Mr. Leuzzi stated one of his partners is the owner of the property and they have plans to build on the six acres. He also confirmed the site is important as it is their plan to locate a dispensary on the property with everything located on the same site. In response to a question from Councilman Seegers as to what her concerns are as a Councilmember if security is inadequate, Councilwoman Piersall stated her primary concern is police calls with her secondary concern being that the site is located prominently on Route 47, which is a gateway to the community. She noted Council heard yesterday SGA’s advice that it is important to let people know what Woodstock is about. Councilman Flynn stated the City Council already approved this site for a cannabis operation, noting the petitioner is asking for a Special Use for infusion. In response to his question, Mr. Leuzzi stated the building will be empty until a grower’s license is issued. He stated the proposal is really the same except for the Special Use for the addition of temporary trailers for infusing. In response to a question from Mayor Turner about any security concerns the Police Department may have, Chief Lieb stated if the applicant meets the standards set by the Illinois State Police, they will meet the requirements of the Woodstock Police Department. He stated the WPD would also do a security review if the petitioner wishes. Chief Lieb stated he would also reach out to other communities to see what experiences they have had. In response to questions from Councilman Tebo, Mr. Leuzzi stated they would prefer not to move the trailers to the east. Mr. Lance Shalzi, architect for Six Labs, provided elevations of what the facility, including the building and the trailers, will look like from all views, including from the neighboring properties. Stating a landscaper was hired to develop a plan, he called attention to the screening provided by 6 to 12ft. conifers along with slats within the fence. He also noted the removal of the golf amenities, as requested by the City Council. Noting an item has been identified for action, Mayor Turner stated Council must make a decision as to whether the petitioner has met their requirements. He stated his belief the site is appropriate  Woodstock City Council 04/05/22 Page 7 of 8 for this use, thanking Councilman Nierman for pointing out the need for the removal of the miniature golf course. He stated this is a new venture for the state of Illinois and is highly unusual for many. Mayor Turner reminded all that a Special Use is a very unique thing, noting being granted by the City Council, it can also be rescinded should the petitioner fail to perform. He stated the City Council has set an expectation regarding odor, asking the petitioner if he agrees there will be no odor. Mr. Leuzzi agreed, stating there will absolutely be no odor. He stated no odor is produced by phase 1, the infusion. He also stated it was required that odor be addressed in the application, explaining how this will be mitigated in all phases. Stating a security plan must be provided to Staff, Mayor Turner emphasized the requirement of the Special Use will be to meet all requirements of Staff, including the security plan. In response to a question from Councilwoman Piersall, Mr. Leuzzi stated there will be no signage at the facility until the dispensary is sited. Councilwoman Lohmeyer expressed appreciation to the petitioner for coming back and answering the Council’s questions and concerns. She also expressed appreciation to Councilwoman Piersall and Mr. Napolitano for the checks and balances their questions and comments brought to the discussion. She expressed her comfort with the petition. In response to a question from Mayor Turner, there were no comments forthcoming from the Public. Motion by G. Tebo, second by B. Seegers, to approve Ordinance 22-O-21, identified as Document 1, An Ordinance Granting an Amendment to the Special Use Permit Granted by Ordinance 20-O- 56, to allow Cannabis Infusing and Transporting on a Temporary Basis subject to the following conditions: 1) Site improvements shall be made in accordance with the revised plans received on March 29, 2022 and provided to the City Council for the April 5, 2022 meeting; 2) Removal of the mini-golf facilities and restoration of those areas to grass/landscaping is required prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy for temporary operations; and 3) The Ordinance Granting the Amendment to the Special Use Permit shall be effective for two years or upon issuance of an occupancy permit for a new building, whichever comes first, at which time the provisions of the original Special Use Permit granted in Ordinance 20-O-56 shall be reinstated. In response to a question from Mayor Turner, there were no questions forthcoming regarding the motion. A roll call vote was taken. Ayes: D. Flynn, L. Lohmeyer, T. Nierman, B. Seegers, G. Tebo and Mayor M. Turner. Nays: W. Piersall. Abstentions: none. Abstentions: none. Motion carried. Mayor Turner expressed appreciation for the petitioner’s investment in Woodstock. He asked Mr. Leuzzi to continue to work with Staff on the Special Use requirements and any administrative requirements.  Woodstock City Council 04/05/22 Page 8 of 8 VI. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS There were no additions or deletions to the tentative Future Agenda items. ADJOURN Motion by D. Flynn, second by L. Lohmeyer, to adjourn this regular meeting of the Woodstock City Council to continuation of the Special Budget Workshop meeting immediately following. A roll call vote was taken. Ayes: D. Flynn, L. Lohmeyer, T. Nierman, W. Piersall, B. Seegers, G. Tebo and Mayor M. Turner. Nays: none. Abstentions: none. Absentees: none. Motion carried. The meeting was adjourned at 8:23 PM Respectfully submitted, Cindy Smiley City Clerk