Hi Ann,

I'm wondering when the next 8th ward neighborhood meeting is. Perhaps you've seen my emails back and forth with Morris Robinson -- I'm interested in proposing an alternate use for the unoccupied CVS building at Oakton/Asbury -- a community center with attached businesses following the Seattle model.

Thanks!

Julia

Quick question re: the long-time owner's exemption. If someone, say, my mom, is already getting the senior citizen property tax break (I forget what it's really called but those who know me know what color my hair is), are they additionally eligible for the long-time ownership exemption, or does one cancel out the other?

Braha, we've had the same problem with District 65 drivers - there is a regulation about this (and their drivers are AWFUL about following it) It is helpful to have a bus number or license plate when you call. District 202 is 847-424-7000; ask what company handles their disabled students' transportation.

In case others of you have this issue with an elementary or middle school driver: From the D65 website: If you experience a problem with bus service or have a question, please call Alltown Transportation Services at 847 674-0090. If you do not receive a satisfactory response, please call 847-859-8019 for the District 65 Transportation Manager.

AFSCME is having a campaign to organize Resurrection Hospital System. They have gone after other hospitals in the group and now St. Francis is the target. They have tried to organize the system for the last six years and in their multiple attempts they have failed to even get the 30% of cards signed to have an election.

They are running a series of misleading ads which I think are disgusting and a disservice to a good neighbor.

They want the system organized because there are 11,000 employees and they want the dues. As with other unions, they have sunk a ton of money into political campaigns and they need the money.

Their failed attempts would indicate that the employees are happy with their situation and don't see the need to reduce their pay by having union dues deducted.

I wonder why they have not gone after North Shore/Evanston?

St. Francis has been a good neighbor, free parking, use of facilities for community meetings, etc., and for a while they were the only Level 1 Trauma center.

Any thoughts on how we can help St. Francis?

"...a community center with attached businesses following the Seattle model." Exactly what does that mean? Is this a joke? We need a market in this spot. If we have to wait until the economy improves, we should do that.

Here was my response earlier today re a teen/youth drop in center at asbury and oakton. I am completely opposed to this use at that location.

reply:

This is a shame - the property is not for sale - it is a retail location - a drop in center will be a special use and I oppose it completely.
 
I have heard nothing from residents wanting a community youth drop in center. Where does the money come from to renovate, and do you plan to have this applicant remove it from the tax rolls? Will teens be asked to pay to drop in? Will it only be open nights and week ends.
 
My opinion? This is being handled badly from the git go. The flurry of emails is ridiculous. Who is entity applicant and why have we handed it like this? This is a location for economic development. I cannot think of a worse idea.

A B2 District is as follows:

A)The B2 business district is designed to accommodate and encourage the continued viable use of older, pedestrian oriented shopping areas found throughout the city primarily at arterial roadway intersections and, in some cases, near mass transit facilities. This zoning district encompasses the city's oldest shopping areas whose pedestrian orientation and character it wishes to preserve.
(B)These shopping and business areas are primarily neighborhood oriented, however, they can also accommodate specialty stores and service facilities that service a larger market area. The established physical pattern of the district is typically buildings built to the front lot line and continuous bands of storefronts. The provisions of this district are intended to maintain pedestrian character.
(C)Uses in the B2 district may include businesses catering to the daily shopping needs of neighborhood residents, specialty stores that provide retail opportunities that have broader market appeal, retail service uses and professional service uses, offices and financial institutions without drive-up facilities. No individual use in this district should exceed twenty thousand (20,000) square feet in size. (Ord. 43-0-93)

Hey, Daniel, don't be so negative! I'm sure the "Seattle Model" is an exceptional coffee house-perhaps an Evanston outlet of Stumptown Roasters!--and maybe a recreation of the Pikes Place Market?!?!

Come to think of it, the old CVS property would be a great place for a Space Needle. There are endless possibilities with the Seattle Model.

Ryan - consider yourself smacked.

Jeannie-your mother can get both long term and senior exemptions. As Ann indicated earlier, they can tell you at the assessor's office if the long term or senior freeze (which is different than the senior exemption) would work better for her but you cannot get both of those ememptions.

Oh for a camera! Saw the most beautiful hawk at James Park yesterday. Fat and fluffy, hopping along the ground, all white leggs and underneath, prtty brown/gray on top. Huge wingspan. Lazily ended up on top of the baseball backstops, waiting for a bunny to come along. Must be very good eating this time of year.

Youth drop-in center the the old Osco? Agreed, Ann, ridiculous on every front! We're in the worst economy in our lifetimes and the market is saturated with commercial space. But that it is a great location and as we showed with the failed grocery store attempt, the neightborhood (and more) WILL support the right business in this eacellent, easy to access location. Lots of free parking, easy to get to. I'm sure as the economy improves it will be a great location for a productive business that contributes to the community.

I was so impressed with the relief provided by he long-time occupant exemption I wanted to make absolutely sure I didn't miss it. I called the County assessor's office. I spoke with an extremely polite and helpful representative (at the end of the call, he even thanked me for being a responsible taxpayer and helping contribute to his ability to have a job!). Anyway, the form is not on the website because a relatively small number of taxpayers qualify and they tried to streamline the site and that was something they decided not to include. But the rep said his colleagues are pushing hard to get it included because they're fielding a lot of calls about it. Makes sense. There s a small amount of info about the exemption on the website if you look hard.

He said the assessor's office plan is to mail out forms by early March to qualified property owners. I was notified by mail last February or I wouldn't have even known about it. He said if you believe you qualify and don't receive a form in the mail (the best laid plans of mice and assessors), call the county assessor's office and ask to have a form mailed to you. You don't have to go in and wait. So if you qualify, mark your calendar for late February and be prepared to be pro-active if you don't get a form. As Ann said, it is an annual exemption because it's based on annual income.

On the use of the former Osco at Oakton and Asbury: we need a market there. And there is no need for a teen/youth center there.

Our neighborhood needs a market. As an indication that a market is viewed as a boost to the neighborhood, I saw home sale ads in the newspaper include the notation "close to opening full-service market." The closest commercial enterprise (other than a gas station) is the CVS on Howard Street and it is not a market.

The City of Evanston (meaning us) needs the tax revenue -- property taxes and sales taxes.

We do not need to take another property off the tax rolls. A community center does not generate any tax revenue. Instead, I assume that it would need City funding to operate.

On need for a teen/youth center: the Levy Center is only a few blocks away. As I understand it, anyone can use the Levy Center after 5 p.m. and on the weekends. The City's web site states: "Programs for all ages are held in the evening and on the weekends." For example, there are health/fitness classes available to teens: http://www.cityofevanston.org/departments/...nesspagesfall09.pdf
I also found guitar classes for students 7-18 years old, as well as taekwon-do and hapkido.

There's also the Robert Crown Center. It has ice rinks and a gym available for basketball. You can sign up for dozens of classes -- as I recall, pottery, dance, karate and, of course, ice skating. If a teen doesn't want to take a class, there is public ice time available. There are also meeting rooms if teen/youth groups want to meet there or have a birthday party. Between activities, there is a lounge area with a TV.

Also, for adults who do not have children in school...you may not know that every District 65 school has many opportunities before and after school for students. Flag football, chess club, art classes, martial arts, sewing class, Scouts. The list of before and after school activities for District 202 (Evanston Township High School) is amazingly long.

What would be offered to teens and pre-teens at the old Osco site that is not already available at the Levy Center, the Crown Center or the teen's or pre-teen's school?

Edited by author 11-08-2009 11:41 AM
Karen and Tad - thanks for your comments. Imagine! Removing another property from the tax rolls? The tax base is what spreads our taxes out over all the properties. For each property removed from the total tax assessment the burden shifts to the remaining properties.

Additionally, revenues such sales taxes are revenues that support our community.

Karen did a good job of outlining some of the services for kids - especially the ones after school.

http://www.evanstonteens.com/:

is the city youth initiative sponsored site and it is quite interesting.

Please help in the design of Richmond Brummel Park Come to the Levy Center, Wednesday, November 11 2009 6:30 pm

Hi Neighbors - the park at the corner of Richmond and Brummel is about to get a makeover! Please help.
 
Attend the first of 2 meetings and offer your ideas for new equipment, furniture and amenities that you would like to see in the "new" park."
 
 Wednesday, November 11 2009 6:30 pm
Community meeting about Brummel Richmond Park improvements
Wednesday, November 11 2009, 6:30pm at the Levy Senior Center, 300 Dodge Ave., Evanston.

Meeting purpose: To gather community input regarding planned improvements with Alderman Ann Rainey and City of Evanston staff. For more information, please call 847/866-2912 or 847/866-2914.

Being the mother of two Evanston teens, and someone with my ear to the ground concerning outlets for their activities, and connected with both Chute and ETHS, I haven't heard word one from any family or parent organization about a need for a teen hang-out at Oakton/Asbury.

My kids love the loft at the library, our 201 bus line takes them right there and home. They love hanging out at both bookstores and enjoy the options that downtown Evanston gives them, and then they can hop the train home. They adore walking down Central Street and enjoy going to each other's homes.

While my son would tell me that his friends didn't come south because there was little to do down here, the former Osco space would not have been any better than watching movies in his friend's basement around the corner from the video rental store.

I have heard wonderful things about Boocoo on Church and Dodge, and would dearly love to visit some day. Except I can never get there when the doors are open. Four times now I have shown up, with and without my child, on Saturdays, school registration days, parent/teacher conference days to be locked out because of construction work being scheduled on that day. It's starting to get funny. Oh, and closed on Sundays. To keep a drop-in center, cafe open when kids are available requires nights and weekends. Do we really need a neighborhood place that's closed until three?

I'm still very amused by the new burger joint downtown that decided to be open just for lunch and close at 4 p.m. The same hour that kids are out of school. Way to send all that business to UberBurger, a place they adore.