Happy belated birthday, Ann! I figure from the posts that the date is the 29th. Hope you enjoyed YOUR day.

The fun has begun! Three mailings of the daily crime report in 2 minutes! Can't wait to opin it and reed it!

The fun has officially begun at 325/327 Custer! Police were out early this morning for a Domestic! The good news is that the Zippersteins were woken up too!

Hi Everyone - thanks for your birthday wishes. Very sweet.

Edited by author 06-30-2009 10:58 AM
On gas blowers - the legislation was advocated by those concerned with noise - affecting people who worked at home as well as the noxious fumes. However, as Danny points out - what about mowers? The house next door has a service that uses a riding gas powered mower and a push mower at the same time. The ordinance is one of appeasement. Electric blowers, in general, are loud. The police are the enforcers.

/m16736

Laura and all:

Alderman Rainey, EPD was handling a stolen auto incident. The car
crashed by the cemetery and a foot chase ensued. 4 of the 5 offenders
were apprehended. (looking for #5).

Thanks Rich Eddington

Gas-powered leaf blowers usually have "2-cycle" engines. Lawn mowers usually have "4-cycle" engines. 4-cycle engines have a fuel explosion every 2nd revolution, 2-cycle engines have a fuel explosion every revolution. The result is, 2-cycle engines make a sound that is one octave higher than that of a 4-cycle engine running at the same speed. The higher pitch is much more annoying. Plus, they often don't have mufflers, making them noisier and more annoying.

There is a small amount of oil mixed in with the gasoline for a 2-cycle engine, so the combustion process burns the oil, resulting in the smelly blue smoke that is also annoying. 4-cycle engines keep the oil separate from the gasoline.

2-cycle engines are cheaper to manufacture and are lighter, great for all kinds of situations. But they are noisy and burn oil.

The leaf blower ordinance only covering gas-powered whilst allowing electric machines is emblematic of many ordinances in the city that don't quite solve nuisances.

Take, for instance, the motor vehicle repair ordinance. Auto repair shops are only allowed in certain, commercial districts. I am assuming this is due to the fact that the functions undertaken in such shops are noisy and noxious.

However, if I wanted to paint a car, swap out an engine, do body work on a car on my property in a residential district, it apparently is OK as long as I am not charging for it.

The nuisance is the action associated with auto repair, but the city only penalizes commerce involved. The result is that you get these informal alley mechanics who do work for their friends, associates, family, essentially creating the same nuisance a commercial shop would.

It is likely that some of these folks are charging sums for their services. But, of course, establishing that a commercial business is going on is difficult since most of the alley mechanics, get paid in cash and don't keep records.

John - thanks for the information. You can't get this kind of education any place other than the great 8th.

Ryan - I have told you several times that it is a violation of the zoning ordinance to have a garage repair operation in a residential district.

It is not allowed. On week days call the zoning department 847.866.2930 and ask for a zoning officer to report a violation or at night or on weekends call the police. When the officer arrives, explain that you want the officer to make a report to the zoning dept on the next work day. If you get any feedback - tell him/her alderman Rainey insists.

If you know of a specific violator's address contact bdunkley@cityofevanston.org

If you suspect this is going on but do not have complete info - that isn't your job - it is a zoning official's job.

I am not certain it does much good to keep complaining about this when there is a process to address the issue. If we cannot catch them in the act, an inspection should turn up some evidence.

Here is some more good information.


Dear Alderman Rainey,
 
Thank you for making sure that we at CTA understood the extent of the problem found at the new Howard Station.
For your office's records, the maintenance responsibility belongs to Mid-America Real Estate Group.
Although it is not CTA's responsibility to maintain the garage/elevator, we realize the direct impact that the poor maintenance has on our ridership, therefore, I've called Mid-America Real Estate Group to address this matter. Please note that if you or your constituents experience similar parking garage conditions in the future, Mid-America Real Estate Group will take your complaints and work to rectify.
 
Below is their contact information:
 
Eric Hussey, Asset Manager
Mid-America Real Estate Group

One Parkview Plaza, 9th Floor
Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181-4713

630-954-7317

 

Kindly keep me informed of any communication with Mid-America so that CTA can monitor and keep record of this important issue.

 
Best Regards,
 
Ryan Mouw
Chicago Transit Authority
Government and Community Relations
Senior Government Relations Officer

Ann, I was told by the police non-emergency switchboard a few weeks ago that only commercial vehicle repair is prohibited.

They said explicitly that someone could paint a vehicle, do body work, dismantle an engine on their own property so long they weren't "running a business."

I've complained numerous times to property standards about a particular property, but it hasn't deterred the mechanics.

I appreciate the advice to call zoning. I haven't tried that yet.

FYI to all living on 100 block of Callan. It seems a new hangout for drunks has developed on the corner of Callan and Howard. Seems over the last several weeks the group has been growing in numbers. Their crowding the sidewalk (making it impossible to pass) and yell at passing foot and car traffic.

Just saw on the Evanston FB page that the CTA plans to cut the rush-hour Main St. Bus (#200.) Just wondering if anyone knows about it? I hadn't even realized this route existed, a comment made by others who saw the posting. The bus runs from Central in Skokie to the Main St. CTA station.

Here's the CTA page on the route: http://www.transitchicago.com/riding_cta/b...te.aspx?RouteId=303 (don't let the number in the link fool you, it should bring up route 200)

Edited by author 06-30-2009 06:11 PM
Thanks Michelle, for the heads up. I missed this, but found the press release: http://www.transitchicago.com/news/default...ry=2&ArticleId=2366

The 200 has been around for about 4-5 years. It basically goes straight from the Main St. CTA/METRA to Rand McNally during the rush hours.

It is not surprising that their ridership levels are low since it only ran a few hours during the day and didn't really provide much of a regional link. Also, I think Rand McNally is moving.

I would assume that many folks who ride it are low-wage workers in the Food 4 Less/Marshalls/Sams Club Plaza on Main St. who will be looking forward to a 1.5 mile walk to the trains once the bus is eliminated. Hopefully there won't be anyone who uses a wheelchair or other such device since there are no curb cuts on the south Main sidewalk until you get to Dodge.

Ryan - give me the address I will deal with the problem - also the desk is clueless and has no business giving out that advice and I am reporting this to the chief. These repair shops are taking money for their work and they are retail establishments and should be shut down on a complaint basis. If neighbors have no problem with one - fine; if they become a nuisance we have the wherewith all to shut them down.