PRESSto Chango!

As many PRU readers may remember, a year ago the City Council voted in favor of giving Norwood's Park Ridge 2004 LLC a density variance for 8 additional condo units; bringing the total number of residential units to be built on the site of Executive Office Plaza to 168. Condominium projects of this type are referred to as "planned unit developments", or PUDs.

We covered the matter at length in a dozen posts beginning here. And as we told PRU readers here, the variance sought for the density was based largely on the inclusion of 50 units -- less than 1/3 of the development -- for "senior housing."

So in last week's edition of the Herald-Advocate an article headline caught our attention:



Senior housing project? What Senior housing project? A 168 unit development that is less than fully 1/3 for senior housing is a "senior housing project?" The local rag has got to be kidding!

Then the PRU Crew remembered the magic of the local press; help the politicians hang their hat on whatever smoke and mirrors spin will make them "look their best", as City Cluck Betty Henneman has been known to phrase it.

Just more of the same.

Meanwhile in Lombard...

It looks like some elected officials listen to their resident's concerns and carefully consider the consequences of their decisions on their community. Our thanks to a PRU reader for the submission.



Daily Herald - Lombard denies group's plan to build senior housing complex
By Justin Kmitch Daily Herald Staff
Published: 11/7/2007 12:18 AM

Highlights from the article include:

• A Naperville-based nonprofit group has scrapped plans to replace the second phase of a stalled luxury condominium development in Lombard with apartments for fixed-income seniors.

• Lombard trustees denied the Xilin Association's bid to build a publicly funded 52-unit senior citizen housing complex in place of a previously approved 40-unit condo building along St. Charles Road.

• Village President William Mueller said the trustees were uncomfortable the Xilin plan called for 12 additional units. Trustees also had a short timeline to make a decision.

• "The board had a lot of questions that could not be addressed because of the timeline," Mueller said. "But, ultimately, the density was not thought to be proper for that location."

• On Thursday, trustees rejected Xilin's plan.

• Village planner Bill Heniff echoed Mueller's sentiments that "density was an issue." Heniff said several residents voiced concerns and support for the project during the past few weeks.

• Mueller wants the developer, Park Ridge-based Neri Companies, to construct the second condo building as planned in 2004. A message left Tuesday at Neri's offices was not returned.

Haunted Senior Housing!

'Twas Halloween day, and all through the town,
Not a creature was sure of what would go down;

The council would meet in just five more short days
And Norwood was hoping they'd hear four "okays".

The children in costumes were ringing door bells,
And some folks were saying, "We think Norwood's plan smells."

And Norwood was reading Park Ridge Underground,
Maybe looking for info. that's floating around?

Well here is our take, if you really must know;
We think the new ordinance really does blow.

The City Attorney said that he wrote it again,
And that by consensus he left the "out" clauses in.

Now, we don't recall hearing Aldermen speak
About the "out" clauses as something they seek.

As a matter of fact, we distinctly recall
Five of the Aldermen were not pleased at all!

The variance being sought for the density,
Is based largely on the senior amenity.

So it seems a bit odd, if not totally queer
That the new ordinance is not a lot more austere.

But we're pretty sure that just like last time,
Allegretti and Ryan will think it's just fine.

So for this fine Halloween that is our story to tell.
We'll leave it at that and hope all does go well.

A Real Miracle!

Penn & Teller are known for their outrageous blending of comedy and magic, that often skewers the genre of traditional magic and debunks all manner of nonsense peddlers - they call that nonsense "bullshit".

Let's give a big warm welcome to Park Ridge's version of Penn & Teller: Aldermen Schmidt and Wsol!

At last night's city council meeting, a motion was made to again defer the matter of Norwood's Park Ridge 2004 LLC PUD.

Aldermen Schmidt (1st ward) and Wsol (7th ward) skewered what Norwood's Park Ridge 2004 LLC and Presbyterian Homes tried to offer the council as covenants to ensure that the Executive Office Plaza (EOP) development meet the "senior housing" promises made to the Park Ridge community in exchange for Norwood's requested density variance and R-5 zoning designation.

Ald. Schmidt noted that the new ordinance covenants as written introduced the entirely new legal ideas of Federal regulations on senior housing, and an "out-clause" for Presbyterian Homes into the discussion, and that the council had never debated these issues. He took care to also note that the ordinance covenants as written would allow Norwood to reduce the number of senior housing units from 50 to 40.

Ald. Wsol then took note of the fact that the ordinance as written did not seem to require that Norwood's Park Ridge 2004 LLC pay for the balance of the estimated $2million cost for the water retention improvements to the site; only that the "applicant will participate" in the cost of the project. Neri builders, who is developing townhouses (without variances to the zoning code) on another portion of EOP, has agreed to a cost-share of between $300k - $400k. Ald. Wsol wants a guaranty that the balance of the estimated cost will be the responsibility of Norwood Builders, and that the city will not have to "incur indebtedness" for this part of the project, since the city has not budgeted anything toward the water retention improvements.

Ald. Wsol went on to "echo Ald. Schmidt's senior housing concerns" saying it seemed possible that within a time frame of 18 months, there could be "zero senior housing units" in the development under the ordinance covenants as written.

Both Alderman Schmidt and Wsol appear to have been able to debunk the magical effect of the illusion of senior housing amenities on hell-bent council members willing to accept anything as fact in their eternal quest to aid and abet developers who come to Park Ridge. Neither Ald. Schmidt or Wsol went so far as to call the senior housing convenants "bullshit", but if they had, we'd agree with them.

City attorney, Buzz Hill, commented that the language of the ordinance should be clarified, and that any diminished services to seniors would have to be by the consent of the city council to an application made by Norwood. Gee! What are the odds of that happening?

For his part, Ald. Robert Ryan (5th ward) said he didn't have any problems with the covenants as written and that he believed Norwood's Park Ridge 2004 LLC had "come back [to the council] in the spirit" of what had been asked of them. Okay. We guess he felt he had to say something!

Finally, the city council voted 5 to 2 to once again defer consideration of the project, with Aldermen Schmidt (1st ward), DiPietro (2nd ward), Bach (3rd ward), Carey (6th ward), and Wsol (7th ward) voting "yes" to defer, and Aldermen Allegretti (4th ward) and Ryan (5th ward) voting "no".

A city council demanding an "iron-clad" agreement that a developer deliver what they have promised to the people of Park Ridge. It's a miracle!

Owwooooo!

Alderman Robert Ryan sure does say things that peak our curiosity. Take his comment reported in last Thursday's Park Ridge Herald-Advocate that our community is "in dire need" of the kind of senior housing that Norwood Builders is proposing for Executive Office Plaza.

According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, "dire" is defined as:

1. exciting horror

2. warning of disaster

3. desperately urgent

Assuming Ryan was using "dire" in the "desperately urgent" sense, that means he is claiming that there is a desperately urgent need for the 50 units of "senior housing" at EOP.

Where are the scores of seniors marching in front of City Hall with signs reading "We Need Senior Housing NOW!" Where are all the letters to the editors of our local papers bemoaning the "dire" shortage of senior housing? Where is the mass exodus of seniors to senior housing in nearby communities? Even Norwood's designated "senior housing" cheerleader for EOP, Herb Zuegel, has pretty much stuck to the City's "Comprehensive Plan" language, which states that senior residential uses at EOP would be "desirable."

If there really were a "dire need" for senior housing in Park Ridge, PRC could have built it into the residences at TA2, and Norwood would be planning more than just 50 units of it.

The only "dire need" we can see is Ald. Ryan's - to get Norwood's zoning variances pushed through the City Council, contrary to the wishes of hundreds of his constituents who signed a petition opposing those variances. And if he has to resort to the demagoguery of "crying wolf" about the "dire need" for senior housing, it's pretty clear that he can live with that.

A Space Odyssey.

Last evening's city council meeting was nothing if not a resounding display of how tightly sealed the pod bay doors have been shut in the minds of some council members on the condo project commonly known as Executive Office Plaza (EOP).

Alderman Dave Schmidtzkrieg (1st ward) made a determined effort to see to it the interests of Park Ridge residents were addressed; particularly residents living in the neighboring 5th ward. After all, somebody has to represent the folks in the 5th ward. Benedict-Alderman, Robert Ryan, sure isn't doing that even when he does manage to make it to a meeting!

Alderman Schmidtzkrieg attempted to amend the zoning map ordinance by offering his fellow council members a motion and opportunity to consider the more transitional and less dense R-4 zoning district.

5th ward residents Carla Owen and CURRB's Judy Barclay both spoke, and urged the city council to give thoughtful consideration to discussion of the R-4 amendment as well as the precedent-setting nature of the decisions before them.

Then, in case anyone was lost, 1st ward resident Dave Kemerer informed those in attendance that they are not living in Colonial Williamsburg, and that there is nothing so unique about Park Ridge that it must be preserved. Don't tell the Pickwick owners he said that, their feelings might get hurt.

Mr. Kemerer also questioned the wisdom of a "stable housing base", opining that we need to add more housing units in order to produce more tax revenues to off-set the costs of increased services, implicitly suggesting that the taxes from those new units will pay for services not only for their own residents but also for the rest of Park Ridge. Mr. Kemerer offered this suggestion without any supporting data. Mr. Kemerer also insisted it was unfair to make a motion for a less dense R-4 district "at the 23rd hour" after having "led the developer way down the road".

We're not sure what roads Mr. Kemerer travels, but we are sure he's lost the map for this trip. Mr. Kemerer, we'd like to suggest that just this once you pull over and ask somebody for directions.

Norwood's attorney offered that the motion before the council was not proper. He was roundly ignored. Norwood's attorney then went on to say that the R-4 zoning district "doesn't advance the development potential of the site". That's lawyer talk for "doesn't provide my clients with the potential level of profits they want."

Resident Herb Zuegel then addressed the council in support of Norwood's plan. Mr. Zuegel must have forgotten to print out a copy of his recent email on the subject so he could have read it to the city council. Mr. Zuegel's remarks before the council were far less strident and lacked his email's wildly speculative questions about the motivations of CURRB's Judy Barclay and others opposed to the density and height variances for Norwood's condominium project. Tsk tsk, Mr. Zuegel. CURRB and Judy Barclay have been opposed to a number of questionable zoning variances for the last 12 years. It is silly to now speculate that CURRB's or Ms. Barclay's motivations have anything to do with her having lost the election to Benedict-Alderman Ryan.

Schmidtzkrieg's R-4 zoning district amendment lost by a 4 (Allspaghetti, Lord of the Manor, Benedict-Alderman, Carey the unfriendly Ghost) to 2 (Schmidtzkrieg, Wsoooool man) vote.

Alderman Wsoooool man did make note of the fact that Guido Neri, a developer and resident of Park Ridge, had a project to build 25 townhomes on an adjacent parcel approved as planned.

Shortly thereafter, the city council voted 5 to 1 (Schmidtzkrieg) to adopt the R-5 zoning map amendment.

The next item on the agenda was final consideration of the ordinance to allow Norwood's Park Ridge 2004 LLC project to be approved. An ordinance for this type of a project is referred to as a PUD (Planned Unit Development). We think this one should be referred to as a DUD!

Norwood's Park Ridge 2004 LLC again insisted they have made every effort to adjust their condominium plan, and that they are "amenable to further discussions" on the issue of senior housing. No one has reported they saw any of Norwood's people with their fingers crossed behind their backs. Still we are pleased to hear the Lord of the Manor motioned to defer consideration of final ordinance approval until such time as a covenant, ensuring that senior housing be maintained on the site, is written into the final ordinance. What a concept! Get it in writing first!

Additionally, the Lord of the Manor had an enumerated list of conditions that would have to be met prior to the council's final consideration of the ordinance on October 15th; one significant item was the inclusion of an on-site Registered Nurse to provide consultation and care for those living in the senior housing units.

We still object, we strenuously object, to the characterization of the 50 senior housing units as senior housing units. What Norwood and Presbyterian Homes is offering the Park Ridge community is nothing more than age-restricted condominium units with a sprinkle of ordinary services offered by most insurance providers, local libraries, community centers, park districts and churches.

In response to the Lord of the Manor's motion to defer final consideration, most of those in attendance became aware that Alderman Allspaghetti's personal power grid had shut down, and his internal digital clock was flashing 12:00. Alderman Allspaghetti urged the council not to defer final consideration of the DUD since the matter had "already been deferred for a year". Alderman Schmidtzkrieg helped Alderman Allspaghetti reset his clock to the correct time by reminding him that the matter had only come before the council last August...not quite two months ago.

Benedict-Alderman Ryan, described by Herb Zuegel in his email as having "done his homework" on the Norwood - Presbyterian Homes project, said he "won't dictate the need for an on-site Registered Nurse; he doesn't know enough about it". Between his absences and incomplete homework, we fear we will have to give Benedict-Alderman Ryan a first quarter failing grade in Alderman 101!

We thought we heard that the Ghost of the 6th ward was present in the room, but we can't be sure. He made no attempt to communicate with the living.

And with that the pod bay doors opened and the motion to defer final consideration was voted upon.

Can you guess the outcome?

Daddy, I Want A Variance!

Veruca Salt

Developers must reduce condo project to build

"A developer seeking to construct four condominiums in Park Ridge's Executive Plaza will be allowed to do so -- as long as the project follows rules set in the city's new zoning ordinance." (emphasis added)

Full story: http://www.pioneerlocal.com/parkridge/news/522239,pr-execplaza-082307-s1.article

So, no golden goose egg for Norwood or any other partners in Norwood's Park Ridge 2004 LLC.

Several sources report that the developer is really pissed!

We would be pissed too if we'd made campaign contributions to Mayor Frimark, and the Citizens for Strong Schools committee headed by Mayoral friend and supporter, former 5th Ward Alderman Steve Huening, and all we got (so far) was a lousy zoning map amendment! We're willing to bet this will be a topic of discussion between Mr. Huening and his friend, current 5th Ward Alderman Robert Ryan, on one of their walks.

Norwood is purported to have fired their attorney, insider and zoning-guru, Mr. Jack Owens. We can't say for sure, but we suspect the "guru" part has something to do with the "insider" part.

Sources also tell us any revised plan presented to the city council will completely nix senior housing, underground parking, dedication of Touhy Ave. frontage, and the community park.

In other words, "Take that! Hmmph!"

That's known as throwing a temper tantrum...or as we like to call it, being a Veruca.

We won't belabor the issue but,

• The "senior housing" portion of the plan simply wasn't...




• The underground parking was a selling point for buyers, who are likely to be familiar with the delights of midwestern winters, as well as allowing the developer to "bury" one story of each of the buildings underground.




• The dedication of land along Touhy Ave. was moot, as the State can take whatever portion of property it deems necessary if Touhy is widened...




• While the "community park" was likely to be just the community of condo. residents' park.

But rest assured, we're pretty certain the 55-and-over set may make up a significant portion of buyers for units in a redevelopment of this nature; maybe as many as 50 out of the 160+/- units to be built? And the condo. association can always pass out brochures on behalf of Presbyterian Homes; the same brochures that the on-sight Presbyterian Homes sales office would have had if the plan were approved as, well, planned.

There's still one more council reading of the ordinance to go. We hope the council doesn't cave to the pressure that is probably being applied at this very moment. Though we think it's safe to assume nobody is dropping off any boxes of meat at city hall and saying "thank you for your time".

Oompa Loompa doompadee doo
I've got another puzzle for you
Oompa Loompa doompadah dee
If you are wise you will listen to me


Who do you blame when a project is slowed
Too dense and tall for the zoning code?
Blaming the council is a crying shame.
You know exactly who's to blame:
The greedy re-developer!


Oompa Loompa doompadee dah
You thought Jack was the variance czar
But now you know that it is not true
Like the Oompa Loompa doompadee do