1984-5: Home Show

In 1984 NU and the Chamber of Commerce applied for a multi-year (1986-1991) special use permit to conduct a Home Show .

The ZBA granted only a one year special use permit to hold the Home Show for the date of March 22 -24, 1985 . Upon analysis of what would take place then, the ZBA would be amenable to grant a multi-year special use in the future.

Below see part of the ZBA 84-27 minutes which discuss

A. The impact on street parking impact from NU events

• p.8 [first page in the document] Chairman Schiltz: ..one other step would be in the long medium run be terribly useful for all of the special use considerations that might come before us on this property. And that is to be able to relate the not only use of the parking lots to the attendance at an event, but the parking load on the neighborhood street and that's really the issue that we need to be able to satisfy ourselves with in the long run and satisfy the neighborhood with concern about parking load on the neighborhood street.

B. The impact on citizens input from a multi-year special use.

• pp. 9-10 "Commissioner Gardner: You [Chamber of Commerce] represent the business community, you [NU] represent the educational institution, we [ZBA] try to represent the community. I would feel a little more comfortable if we were to pass something and not preclude the public from coming in. Assume that they have some problem, if we put something through to 1991, we have really precluded the public to see what's occurred and have an ability to respond. And I think one of the things that we would all do if we leave ourself [sic] open to hearing and to responding, I think we have a better situation and as I see this, what you're asking for if we approve this we're really in a situation that we can do nothing until 1991. And I think that if something were to occur, I really don't know if it's fair to the public to say, "Well, something has been done for the next 6 years, we can't hear from you". I don't think it would be good for either the two of you or us to do something. I think that there's no reason why this Board would change its policy. But I think that first thing I learned and the second meeting I was here which went until 5:00 o'clock in the morning is that we are a body that listens to the people of Evanston and...if something occurs we've really cut everybody out. I don't think that's wise for us".
• p. 11 "Commissioner Gardner: "...I think I'd rather spend more time than have the feeling that we as a Board or you too as the kind of institutions you're, you know, deaf to people's complaints.

Mr. Perry: I don't think we would be. That was the reason that we asked for the additional number of years, just in terms of eliminating the problem of constantly coming in for the same thing.

Commissioner Gardner: We like to -- We haven't seen you for a long time.

Mr. Perry: Keeping me here until 12:00 o'clock, you may not see me again. Any further questions?

Commissioner Whitney: Well, Mr. Perry, I'm going to agree with what Mr. Gardner is concerned about, a blank check for as I call it 7 years or 6, a number of years."

The December 3, 1984 Planning & Development Committee considered first whether to grant a special use renewable every two years, and then decided to permit the Home Show just for 1985.

In the above P&D document another issue was raised: the 1984 illegal Volleyball game.

1985 Volleyball

On December 17, 1984 the City Council adopted "an Ordinance 143-0-84 granting a special use to permit" the 1985 Home Show.

This information is from the document with McGaw Hall's "Pertinent Property History (1991 ZBA- case 91-32 - Tennis Bubble). See:

1991-2 Tennis Bubble