EDGEWATER TRIANGLE NEIGHBORS ASSOCIATION MONTHLY MINUTES April 12, 2006



Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 7:10 p.m. There were 25 people in attendance, including 4 presenters. Mari Colello took minutes in Mark Ross’ absence.

Approval of Minutes

The minutes of the March 8 meeting were approved with no changes.

Treasurer’s Report

There was no report this month.

New Business

Sidewalk café for Leonardo’s Restaurant. The owners of Leonardo have submitted a request for a sidewalk café. The area would include six feet of unobstructed space for pedestrians to walk through. A collapsible fence will surround six tables and will be taken in each night at closing. Flower and shrubs will decorate the space. There will be no canopy. Leonardo’s operating hours are 5:00 p.m. to 10: p.m. on weeknights and 4:00 p.m to 11:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and till 9:00 p.m. on Sunday. Alcohol will be served to diners.

Vote: Motion was made and seconded to approve Leonardo’s proposal for sidewalk café. The motion was approved unanimously.

Ridge Planting Contribution: May 13 is the designated date for planting flowers on Ridge from Glenwood to Clark. Every year, ETNA makes a donation towards the project.

Motion was made for ETNA to contribute $50 towards the Ridge St. planting.

Approved unanimously.

Old Business

5647 N. Clark St. Condos: Pat Daley provided on update on his development at 5647 N. Clark. Permits were approved for a 4-story, 12-unit condo development with two commercial spaces (totaling 3,000 square feet), and 24 parking spaces. He expects groundbreaking to begin in a couple of weeks. The main structure should be up by the end of the summer. Mr. Daley apologized to residents for the delay.

Proposal for Gethsemane parking lot on Edgewater and Clark: The owner of Gethsemane (Regus) and Ernie Constantino from the 48th Ward alderman’s office presented some options to ETNA members. The parking lot will have approximately 19 spaces and will have 20 feet of landscaping on the Clark St. side. The entrance and exit will be in the alley. The first option was to have Edgewater be a two-way street from the alley to Clark St. The second option was to leave Edgewater a one-way street. Northbound traffic would enter the lot by going down Hollywood and then going to Glenwood then going west on Edgewater to the alley.

Residents expressed skepticism that drivers would go down Hollywood to Glenwood, but would rather cut through the alley either at Hollywood or Victoria St. to enter the lot. This increased traffic would affect residents on three streets who park behind their homes.

Edgewater St. residents expressed concern about having Edgewater as a two-way street even from the alley to Clark. They did not think the street or the alley was wide enough for two-way traffic and that cars would be prohibited from parking on Edgewater from the alley to Clark. They were also concerned about the crossing at Edgewater and Clark with the presumed increased traffic making it harder for pedestrians and for cars turning left on Clark to navigate the intersection. ETNA members suggested a more prominent crosswalk and Do Not Block Intersection sign.

Regus mentioned that he is in discussions with the owner of M. Henry to allow the restaurant’s customers to park in that lot during Gethsemane’s downtime. He also is having his employees park in the former Carson’s Ribs lot so they do not take street parking.

Chris Lawrence asked if things don’t work out with the alley access to this lot, would Regus be willing to relocate the retail portion of his North Lot to the Edgewater lot and devote the entire North Lot to parking. Regus said that that meant blocking the alleyway for a time to move and unload the materials.

Ernie said that the community should at least try one option for six months to see how it works. Both of the presented options require less taxpayer investment and the easiest way to get in and out of the lot. If it isn’t working, then residents can discuss different options. Regus stated that it is his preference to have a cutout on Clark St. where entrance to the lot would be accessible from Clark St., but the local business council wants to keep the sidewalks “pedestrian-friendly.” Ernie mentioned that there is no zoning issue as the lot is adjacent to the business property. It is “C” zoning.

Regus then left the meeting so the block club could vote on the issue.

Vote: Motion was made and seconded to keep Edgewater one way going west from alley to Clark St. The Entrance and Exit to the lot will be from the alley.

Yes: 17 No: 3 Abstain: 1

Motion carried.

Zoning Compromise Amendment Vote: The east corner of Ridge and Broadway was designated B1-3 along with the rest of the east side of Broadway. Because the intersection is one of the few historical intersections left in the city, where buildings on three of the corners are over 100 years old. Members wanted to preserve the character of the corner. The west side of Broadway is B1 –2. A compromise amendment would be to make the historic corner B1-2.

Vote: Motion to approve the compromise amended.

Yes: 13 Oppose 0 Abstain 3

Motion carried.

Election of ETNA Officers. Motion was made to accept as a slate of candidates for 2006 ETNA officers:

Sue Morales, President
Chris Lawrence, Vice President
Joe Teller, Treasurer
Mark Ross, Secretary


Motion carried unanimously.

Open Discussion/Announcements

Ridge & Glenwood building rental. The building at Ridge and Glenwood that used to house Royal Foods is now being offered as shared office space for small business. Interested parties may contact John Supera.

Tax Reassessment: Lakeview is being reassessed this year and reassessed values are expected to rise 30% to 40%. ECC is holding a series of seminars. The first one is informational and will be held at the North Shore Baptist Church on May 2. Somebody from the assessor’s office should be present. Seminars on how to appeal will be held for homeowners and condo owners in following weeks.

Hollywood Pantry applied for a packaged goods liquor license. This item will be on the agenda for next month.

Public Art Project on Bryn Mawr Underpass. Meeting is being held on April 20 on designs.

Dog Park: a dog park like the one at Margate Park is being proposed for area just west of LSD south of Bryn Mawr.

Friends of the Park has taken the lead to mulch the trees at Peirce School on May 20, in conjunction with members of ETNA, EARC and the Alderman’s office.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 9:05 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Mari Colello