This past Tuesday night, the Park Ridge Planning and Zoning Commission held one of their bi-weekly meetings.
If you haven't reviewed the videos from the meeting, we very strongly encourage you to do so. You'll find the videos from the meeting here.
On the agenda (.pdf) were two public hearings for two proposed text amendments to the zoning ordinance. The first covered proposed changes to the zoning ordinance governing planned developments and construction schedules. The second covered proposed changes to the zoning ordinance regarding billboards.
Currently the Park Ridge zoning ordinance does not allow billboards, which is just a cryin' shame, isn't it?
Apparently 4th Ward Alderman Jim Allspaghetti thinks so, because he's taken full credit for submitting the matter for consideration to the Planning and Zoning Commission after having been approached by Mr. James Loss, the attorney and controlling interest in a company known as Generation Group, Inc.
What Ald. Allspaghetti seems not to have expected is the Planning and Zoning Commission thought it odd, unusual, and even manipulative for Ald. Allspaghetti to take the lead on the matter instead of having Mr. Loss and his Generation Group, Inc. make a direct application to Planning and Zoning.
What Ald. Allspaghetti should also get credit for is seeking to eviscerate the independent review and decision making process that has long governed land use matters in the City of Park Ridge. It has been Ald. Allspaghetti leading the charge to make sure that any and all denials from Planning and Zoning are to be reviewed by the City Council, which can then over-turn those denials with a simple majority vote -- that's a whole 4 people deciding land use matters for the entire City of Park Ridge.
The reaction on the part of the Planning and Zoning Commission members, to the maneuvering being done by Ald. Allspaghetti and his Council cohorts, can only be described as negative, which the PRU Crew believes is the only appropriate response. And that negative response was placed into a very well-written letter to the Mayor and City Council, which you can view, below --
Planning and Zoning Commission Letter to the Mayor -- 11/10/09
November 12, 2009
Now, A Word From Planning and Zoning
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
24 comments:
Good for the commissioners.
In watching the videos, I find it funny how Ald. Allegretti is "peeved" to find that we don't totally trust everything he or the city council do...(around 17:30 of video 01)
Wow. The letter is powerful and every one of them signed it too?
The whole thing looks like a power grab by Allegretti. I can't say why but I think it looks bad.
The timing is too much coincadence.
Anonymous at 1:48,
It looks bad because it IS bad...it IS a power grab.
What these Adlermopes have ALWAYS failed to comprehend is that legislating and legislation does NOT begin and end with their terms of public office.
Laws, ordinances, policies, etc. will endure...if or until repealed/changed...loooong after each one of these dopes is out of office.
Unfortunately...we will have had to suffer through their "legacy" until there is enough evidence, political will, and momentum to make a "course correction."
...or, should Mayor Schmidt use his veto powers, we all might hope the original "No" votes on the council persist...
I watched the last couple of vids. Joe Baldi rocked the house! Way to go, Joe!
Anon@2:02 --
The Crew was fairly impressed too -- with the calm reflection and consideration given to the issue by all the P&Z Commissioners.
We were wondering if there is any way to swap out the P&Z Commission for the City Council.
Is it true if the aldermen take away the powers of the commissioners they will all resign? I have heard that and I heard it mentioned on the video too.
Anon@2:12 --
We have heard the rumor as well. We cannot tell you if there is any truth to it or not. We would not look unfavorably on any of the Commission members if they chose such a course of action as a protest.
We would caution the Commission members however, about anyone willing to step up behind them, seeking an appointment, given the knowledge of the Council's intentions and the possibilities for shenanigans.
PRU, great idea! Could we swap the aldermen for the commissioners here? I disagreed with some of them on the homeless shelter but they seem to care more about the character and quality of life in our town then the aldermen do.
Pru,
If this is too off the subject I expect you will let me know.
I have been wondering why you haven't had more to say about the ethics vote at the last council meeting. I've looked on the blog and can't find anything more from you than calling the meeting absurd and your link to the PD blog.
You seem to be avoiding the subject about Mayor Dave and his vote but again today you let Allegretti have it with your full force.
I know the Pru crew has always been Mr. Frimarks loudest critics or is seemed that way. Whenever the former Mayor did something you thought was dumb and wrong you were all over it. Are you giving Mayor Dave a pass? The PD blog took Mayor Dave to task. How about Pru offering an opinion.
Good for the commissioners. If I was in their shoes and this passes I would resign.
Anon@3:27 --
Ironically, yours is the second challenge issued to us today on the topic of our avoiding discussion of certain subjects.
As the blog administrator, our blog's content is a function of my determination, alone.
You may have noticed we devote Mondays to meeting notices, Tuesday's to video and Wednesdays and Thursdays to other discussions.
We posted the link to the PublicWatchdog editorial of the meeting at which the ethics vote occurred because we found it very well written and worth pointing our readers towards. I did not feel a duplicate or repetitive effort of the subject was necessary. And I do realize that may have offered the appearance of our avoiding the subject.
And I would be less than honest if I did not tell you the personal feeling of the Crew was a disappointment as deeply felt on this issue as any vote we've ever witnessed.
We are chagrined at the idea we promoted the candidacy of Mayor Schmidt as strongly as anyone and have now had the displeasure of watching Mayor Schmidt shrink from the duties of his office and the unpleasant task of enforcing a local law meant for the protection of the people's trust.
In short, our opinion is Mayor Schmidt demonstrated some of the worst of what a politician can be. We feel his disregard for the people's time as well as the time spent at the meeting by city staff and the time taken and work performed by the city attorney was, at best, profoundly irresponsible.
I hope this answers your curiosity.
Pru,
I appreciate your honesty and hearing your opinion.
I also appreciate you not admonishing me for going off subject.
While a mass resignation would provide some unprecedented drama, that drama would come at the expense of the residents of Park Ridge, who currently are at the mercy of a city council that is packed with five of former mayor Frimark's stooges (as measured by their contributions to his campaigns and his contributions to at least one of their's).
While Mayor Schmidt would have the power to appoint new commissioners, there is no guaranty that the applicants for those slots would be as qualified as the current commissioners, nor as seemingly apolitical (generally speaking).
And if these appointments are like the other mayoral appointments, they require the advice and consent of the same Frimark stooges that are the source of this problem. That could pose a problem in its own right.
Fits of pique do not make good policy, or sound decisions. And with all the problems Park Ridge currently faces, a mass walkout by the Planning & Zoning commission would hurt rather than help our community.
Anon@4:10 --
You asked a fair question. I believe you deserved an honest answer.
You're welcome.
When HO launched his campaign to reduce the council, I said then that this town, which many liken to Bedford Falls in Capra's It's a Wonderful Life, would be swiftly turned into Potterville (the name of the greedy villain in that film). So far, we're right on schedule. Felling the tree ordinance; weakening the ordinances governing the when, where and how of alcohol use; paving the way for billboards, neutering the land use commission -- HO is gone but his dream lives on, thanks to his pet aldermen. Potterville, here we come.
3:27, I was wondering the same thing. I'm glad you asked the question.
PRUADMIN, thank you for your answer.
4:28, who are you? Chicken Little? Park Ridge will never be a Potterville. You are over the top.
Anon 5:08:
Never say never.
I think if we don[t pay attention our town could go down the tubes before we know it.
We could go down the tubes just because of the mess Springfield has got us into.
I read a report that says Illinois is one of the top 10 most financial troubled states in the country.
Pity the POO Crew learning what smart people knew for a long time. Schmitty is an idiot.
Anon@7:15 --
Everyone is an idiot at least once -- usually more than once -- in their lives.
However, from your continued comments we will have to assume you represent the inverse that keeps the world such an intersting place.
Schmidiot!
Anon@7:25 --
Regarding Mayor Schmidt's vote on the ethics ordinance and failing to cast a vote to prosecute Howard Frimark for his ethics violation --
We'll give you a Hell, Yeah! shout out on that one. He certainly conducted himself as a real Schmidiot.
We're pleased to see evidence of your agreement that Howard Frimark should have been subject to prosecution under our ethics ordinance.
"the displeasure of watching Mayor Schmidt shrink from the duties of his office and the unpleasant task of enforcing a local law meant for the protection of the people's trust"
I couldn't agree more. Thank you for saying that so well.
I am hoping the Mayor sticks to his guns and vetoes the changes for the planning commission.
Post a Comment