As we expected, last night the city council voted 4 (Allspaghetti, Benedict Ryan, Lord of the Manor and Carey the Unfriendly Ghost) to 3 (Schmidtzkrieg, Wsoooool man, DreadBach) in favor of giving Norwood's Park Ridge 2004 LLC the density variance for the 8 additional condo units.
Again, it was Aldermen Schmidt and Wsol who led the effort to not only keep the development within the parameters of the new and more lenient zoning code, but also tighten up the language on the ordinance regarding the "senior housing" component and ensure that the city not get handed the final bill for the water retention.
The language in the ordinance remains full of loopholes "big enough to drive a condo through", largely due to the parliamentary maneuverings of the Lord of the Manor and the stupidity of his fellow Aldermorons.
There were 13 comments from the gallery; 4 of those comments were in support of the project. Again, Carla Owen addressed the council and "updated" the petitions she and her Berry Pky. neighbors have been collecting in opposition to the code variances for the Norwood project. Those petition signers now number around 500.
To no avail.
The preferences and will of the majority of residents in the immediate area of Executive Office Plaza and throughout the city have been ignored.
Get used to it.
November 6, 2007
It Ain't Over Til...
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37 comments:
observations from the meeting:
-the "old boys club" is alive and well;
-Napolean was confused most of the time and seemed IRRITATED with the comments of the citizens;
-the decision was made before the meeting and comments from the "gallery" were valid, but not considered;
-more people need to go to the meetings, they need to know WE ARE WATCHING;
-WHEN is the next election?
I was flabbergasted by some of the things I heard the Council saying. And that Norwood attorney! What an idiot!!!! Alderman Schmidt had that attorney tripping over his own stupid tongue!!!! That guy said that if the Council makes the restrictions for the Senior Housing too small then how will that induce people to move to Park Ridge!!!! Hey, stupid idiot!!! Haven't we been told from day one that this was all about Seniors not having to leave Park Ridge?!?!?!?!
The next election is for mayor in '09. The current mayor is a ringleader of the "old boys club." But why wait for the next election? Push hard, very hard, for your aldermen to adopt a recall ordinance. There will be reistance from the usual suspects, so it might not pass the City Council, but it can also be done by referendum if enough people are pissed.
too bad no one has ever considered the phrase "affordable senior housing"
to anonymous at 11:54am---unfortunately, MY alderman is FOR the whole thing. [note: I am FOR him being removed at the next election!]
Ms. Manchester,
Ironic that you should mention "affordable senior housing".
In fact, Presbyterian Homes does cater to the "affordable senior housing" set. They accomplish that mission by "overcharging" for services elsewhere. Where do you suppose they will be doing that?
Keep in mind that final action of the City Council can be reconsidered--and reversed--at the next meeting if one of the aldermen who voted on the winning side is willing to move for reconsideration and change his vote. Perhaps disappointed citizens of the 2nd, 4th, 5th and 6th Wards will wish to ask their aldermen to reconsider.
The only thing that will not change is no change it self.What can we expect from these suburban raised foo fighters.
Its a good old boys club here and if your not double parked with two latte's to go ...hold the lithium then ...its business as usual.
Holdem'close to the vest boys - now its time to clean up the brass and move back to the 500!
What is next ??
two more observations and then I am off...
-about the Comcast video that was played--I don't really remember what the content was, as I was busy trying not to throw up;
-am I mistaken that an alderman said "not in my town" in response to someone suggesting a life partner may share senior houseing?
Not the outcome we wanted, but not unexpected. I was really impressed by the people who spoke last night-- even though it was pretty much a done deal before anyone stepped in the council chambers last night, people took the time and spoke from their hearts. I felt pretty tapped out, myself, but people sure did step up. And there were some people who spoke who had never spoken on this matter before. That's impressive, and shows how much this matters to people.
As for the petitions I submitted last night (510 signatures by my count), I just wanted to clarify a little detail for PRU-- at least half of the people who collected signatures don't even live on Berry Parkway. I only mention this because it shows that people feel Executive Plaza is in all of our back yards.
Kudos again to the Underground for keeping the more general public informed about this matter.
Well, not a surprise but, still, what a bunch of crap.
Ryan is my aldermope and I can tell you this - I will campaign as much as possible against his next run, even if it's for dogcatcher.
The Mayor? Like with the lemmings who elected Toddler Stroger for whatever it is he does, if the citizens of PR re-elect Frimark again then all I will say is - you get what you ask for.
Wake up pepole!!!!!
As I said before..The new condos near Greenwood and Peterson are not selling as expected. One building is now renting out the units. The headaches and fustrations, not to mention crime from these commerical properties going up in residential neighborhoods is something local residents are not aware of and should be.
Meanwhile.....Dear residents on Berry Pkwy, get your home alarm systems now, lock up your homes, leave nothing of worth outside. Take before pictures of your property, inside and out.
Know and print out a copy of your rights during construction! https://www.parkridge.us/assets/constructguide.pdf
Can I have Alderman Schmidt or Wsol be my Alderman? Mine seems to be broken...
Folks we have all got to start letting the rest of town know what poor representation we have.
People have to know that the seven dwarfs (apologies to Wsol & Schmidt) are giving away the store.
I thought there was a glimmer of hope when Ald. DiPietro said what we expect from one developer should be expected from any others. (his specific example was LGH and money they were paying the city for some improvements and that we should expect the same from Norwood for similar improvements) Silly me! Neri went back to the drawing board and followed the zoning ordinance. So, how then does DiPietro justify allowing Norwood to not only have the specific zoning of the site changed to increase the density but to also ADD 8 more units? The man talks out of both sides of his mouth.
I believe that Ald. DiPietro had made up his mind long before last night's meeting, given the long speech he read at the end. He really didn't care what any of the residents thought.
As for Ald. Ryan, he obviously doesn't give a damn about his constituents. I have to ask myself, will his firm be getting any business from Norwood in the near future?
Does anyone believe that this group of jerks will actually pass a recall ordinance? Dream on!
And Mr. Zugel, I certainly hope you plan to buy one of the "much needed" senior units at this development. I think you'll find that it's not at all what you envisioned. And as for "affordable", my guess is not likely.
As for the Frimark video we all had to suffer thru - what a self-serving piece of garbage that was. The man obviously loves himself far more than we do!
One last question: Judy, do you have any purple ribbon left?
I heard there was a court reporter in the room last night....can anyone tell me why?
Just a clarification of my comments at 3:42 PM: My reference to "jerks" did not include Aldermen Wsol, Bach & Schmidt.
Kaiser, I was wondering the exact same thing myself. Maybe I just missed it, but I never saw one at previous City Council meetings. My guess is that court reporter makes a considerable higher amount of pay than the seven aldermen there or for that matter the seven who were eliminated last May. How efficient.
Asking Judy for a purple ribbon: what a delicious irony.
Two and a half years ago, the purple ribbon bunch was down on us because we had succesfully stood up to Mayor Frimark. Now there is no one on the Council who can effectively stand up to the Mayor and his post-referendum majority.
Enjoy the New Order, purple ribbon gang--you deserve it!
Ah...........but that's where you are wrong....Wsol is the democrat hiding in the weeds - folks. Lets not worry about the next election here - but turn our thoughts and efforts to the positive.
Yes....think positive because Frimark can make all the deals he wants for now. He won't be back after 09'.
Get it together people.
Oh and ...please don't degrade us by marching in any upcoming parades for the seven riders to the rescue below this border line!!
Its like comparing the city council members and the builders here to the local hooker that will spread the legs - wider is you pay her more.
Hey Anonymous 2:30: Are you talking about those condos on Peterson developed by Leonard DiCristofano, a $500 contributor to Frimark's mayoral campaign? Didn't he pick up a variance or two on his project, too?
To Anon@8:51^^
Dude, seriously - we love the entertainment value of PWI (Posting While Intoxicated), but Wsol a democrat?
Dude, seriously - try posting before you finish off the 6 pack.
Anonymous at 8:51.
Huh?
Colorful metaphors for sure...but I can't say that I follow.
Seven Riders?
Spreading Hookers?
Wsol the Democrat?
I want some of the after-dinner drinks they're serving at your house tonight.
: )
I do agree with you on Frimark in '09...someone will run against him. I know there those among us who are neither shameless, nor spineless.
All we need is for those people to stand up.
fellow citizens,
I am in mourning for this city where I grew up. It used to be quaint, charming, a great place to raise a family. I'm NOT against progress, but truly wish we could've retained the charm.
I mourn moderate homes on nice sized lots, I shudder at the mcmansions built two on a lot and my uptown that looks like all the others up and down the train line.
I mourn the fact that Maine South doesnt have a championship basketball team since, um, '79? Well, if you play football...oh, wait, that is another topic.
What I am trying to say is: IT's TIME. We need to take back our city.
City council members (we know you are reading) -- get ready!!!!! I hold you in the same disregard and disgust as I do Mr. Bush, just on a smaller level. [One battle at a time.] GET READY. We may be in mourning, but we are circling the wagons. The smirk on your face and the greased pockets will be no more.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
Last mayoral election our choices were an attorney with questionable ethics and Frimark. Hopefully next time we'll have better choices, goodness knows it'd be hard to have worse choices.
To Anonymous 10:18:
I assume "an attorney with questionable ethics" refers to Michael Tinaglia. If so, then you fell for the HOward Frimark smear strategy.
Tinaglia's "ethics" were never in question. He was penalized by a federal judge because of a factual misrepresentation he made in a case - and he was ordered to reimburse his opponent for the extra fees his opponent incurred in connection with that misrepresentation.
Tinaglia was never sanctioned by the attorney regulatory commission for his conduct, unlike Frimark's buddy/big campaign contributor ($1,250) and Ald. Robert Ryan campaign treasurer Owen Hayes III -who recently was found by the Illinois Dept. of Financial & Professional Regulation to have engaged in "dishonorable, unethical, or unprofessional conduct of a character likely to deceive, defraud, or harm the public" when back in 2004 he tried, as a RE broker, to sell a building on Busse to the City for a new cop shop without telling the City he had just become the owner and stood to make a quick $200,000 profit on the deal.
Time to start looking a lot closer at all these deals going on in our town, people.
To Hoover:
Anonymous 10:18 here.
When Tinaglia was questioned about the situation you described he got huffy and puffy and said he'd do it again. For me that was the nail in the coffin. He came across as arrogant and above the law. I think others shared that view and voted for what was believed to be the lesser of two evils.
You are absolutely correct when you say we need to be watching the deals that are going down that involve the city.
If there ever comes a time when Howard is in fact the lesser of two evils, I'll stand in line to get a look at his opponent.
In response to M. Anderson, you may have a case of short term memory loss-or perhaps it is selective. If it makes you feel better, that the purple ribbons were meant to represent "a man" instead a way of conducting "a government" then so be it. I hardly believe your need to stand up to a Mayor only a day after he took office is really what you expect people to believe. Besides, 2 1/2 years is an awful long time to hold a grudge. Dwelling on the past won't help the here and now.
As far as the "new order" goes.... it would seem that the 5th ward Ald. Ryan, someone you have admitted to supporting and would support again, is actually a part of it. So in reply, you also get what you asked for.
M. Anderson,
I would be cautious to get in line for that. You might consider some sort of heat resistant clothing as you move to the front.
Whether or not you like the PR Journal & Topics, they've done a far better job of covering this whole mess than the PR Herald Advocate which is more a collection of ads than any real news. Having said that, check out today's issue of the J&T, page 3, "Dissenting Alderman 'Anti-Overdevelopment'", the last paragraph of which is salt in the wound to those of us opposed to the variance:
"Also on Monday morning, Park Ridge 2004 LLC released a statement outlining the company's reaction to the decision.
'We are very pleased that after a very healthy debate on this project, City Council members approved our Executive Office Plaza proposal,' the statement read. It added that the company was always willing to modify the plan, but never wavered in commitment to the project. '...this project will enhance the entire community, provide high-quality living options to seniors and support local businesses.'"
Hey Aldermen DiPietro, Allegretti, Carey & Ryan, you didn't need to cave in to Norwood. Sounds to me like they'd have done the project without the 8 additional units. And the rest of us could've lived with that a lot better than what you've crammed down our throats.
Jean dietsch makes many good points.
As for standing up to Howard the day after he took office, it's always better to wipe out trouble in the cradle, rather than waiting until it gets too big to handle.
Jean's right. 2 1/2 years is much too long to hold a grudge. Not healthy.
As for digging up the past, I admit to being nostalgic. But it wasn't me who asked about bringing back the purple ribbons.
As for my support of Robert Ryan, I knew what I was getting into when I signed on with him. If only more people knew what they were getting into when they signed on with Howard.....
Thank you Mark!
And for the record. I will not be making the same mistake.
Folks - this is getting more and more like Jurasic park. Only the attys gets eaten first!
Or is it more like a Rod Serling film
living here in PR.
The Starter castles are getting to me.
Enough of these tear downs - please.
Lets call the next film to be shot here.........." As the fern turns".
Too many actors....
Hey anonymous 4:19, may I remind you the champion of the people, Alderman Schmidt, is a lawyer. May I also remind you that three of the four yes votes came from non-lawyers. Eat them first, and if you're still hungry, then start munching on the mayor, a non-lawyer who has gotten nice and fat on developer money.
to Anonymous at 1:13...I am curious how the builder could release a statement on MONDAY MORNING that the City Council approved the project. Wasn't the vote on Monday EVENING?
to Ms. Manchester
from Anonymous 1:13
Good point, but my best guess is that the J&T meant Tuesday morning, not Monday morning. If you read paragraph 3 of the article it references a statement made at the council meeting by Ald. Schmidt Monday evening and says, "He had not changed his mind the next morning." That would have been Tuesday morning.
Perhaps J&T can clarify.
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