Council Meetings - May 1996

There were three 1996 council meetings re. the Ameritech tennis proposal at Welsh Ryan Arena. In 2019 the City has only redacted summaries of the May 13 and May 20 council meetings.

However, the resulting victory of the residents against NU proves that the citizens' arguments were cogent and powerful since ultimately they persuaded the Council to deny NU's appeal.

May 13 Special Council Meeting preceding documents

The May 13 Council document shows that the 56-O-96 ordinance was introduced at the May 6th Council. However, there are no city records showing if any public comment was expressed re. NU's proposal at the May 6th Council. Three days later, on May 9th, Mayor Morton called for a Special Council meeting, to be held on May 13. At this Special Council meeting the proposed ordinance was discussed and denied*

Docket 96-5A-96: Ordinance 56-O-96 - ZBA 96-6- (SU-R) , Special Use - 1501 Central Street

However: a second ordinance was introduced:

Text amendment

Docket 98-5B-96: Ordinance 58-O-96 - ZPC95-4(T) - Text Amendment - Consideration of proposed ordinance 58-O-96 and the Plan Commission's report regarding the amendment of Section 6-15-6-3 of the Zoning Ordinance to list professional indoor tennis events limited to a maximum of 7 consecutive days as a special use in the U2, University Facilities Zoning District. (For Introduction)

*The 58-O-95 proposed ordinance was introduced because it was necessary to have a text amendment in order to introduce a special use that did not exist in the U2. In other words: since there were no special uses allowing for professional sports events in the U2 District, a change in the text of the ordinance governing the U2 District was necessary first.

Notice that "Alderman Feldman asked for a legal opinion from Corporation Counsel Siegel on the issue of precedent and asked whether adopting this text amendment would remove Council's power to control zoning and give it to the courts".

"Alderman Drummer said that this is a special use and the Council can put covenants on it that would discourage other professional sports promoters from seeking to use these facilities".

Discourage is not the same as impede!

In 2019 we asked via a FOIA to have access to any of Jack Siegel's memos, and we were told the City has no such records.

In 2019 we have a far more egregious text amendment proposal: NU asks the City to remove the words amateur and non-profit from the U2 ordinance. Feldman's concern is even more poignantas applied to our current 2019 situation.

May 13 1996 City Council meeting

The May 13 Council meeting started at 6:25pm. The issue at hand was introduced at 8:10pm.

Over 4 hours were allowed for citizens comments, interspersed with questions and discussions from alderpersons and the Mayor. and further responses by citizens and IMC.

Council then moved out to recess out of the Committee of the Whole and reconvene as City Council. and the proposed Ordinance 58-o-96 language was marked as introduced. The matter was concluded at 12:32 a.m

The Council went on to discuss other matters until 12:56 A.M.

In 2019 Citizens there is only a total of 45 minutes available to share among the residents who want to talk . Council members sit stone-faced and do not ask residents any questions. The process of discussion among the Council members is rushed through with often only a few alderpeople discussing it.. A 2019 Council meeting does not seem to extend beyond 10 P.M.

In 2019 , the City of Evanston has kept only a 4 1/2 pages summary of some of those +4 hours of comments, responses and discussions presented at the Council on May 13, 1996. The testimony of objecting residents is presented very briefly and in at least one instance incorrectly, while some of the arguments in favor of the pro-tennis are covered in a more expansive form including some misleading testimony. Since editors of Spotlight were present at the meeting, they are able to ascertain that the ensuing summary prepared by the City presents a biased view in favor of NU.

See below the order of testimony presented at the May 13 Council by N.E.W.

N.E.W. (North Evanston Watch) is the neighborhood organization that opposed the 1996 pro-tennis proposal.

In 2019, N.E.W. is opposing the 2019 NU's text amendment proposal.

Madam Mayor

Members of the City Council - Good Evening

My name is Carol Wells, I live at 2650 Eastwood Ave., within 500 Ft. of the U2 district.

Our neighborhood organization has gotten together and organized our testimony to try to keep our portion of this hearing as short and concise as possible.

We are keenly aware of the long weekend you have just spent on behalf of the residents of Evanston, interviewing for our new city manager and because of this we know you will realize how much time and effort this community has put into this testimony to fight this zoning change.

We realize there will be other members of the community who wish to present their own experiences and expertise on this issue, but I am asking that we be allowed to speak first.

Order of Testimony:

1. Tim Guimond - Economics

2. Dick Manger - Business Concerns

3. Silvia Kusaka - Appraisal & New Haven Letter

4. Carol Wells - Traffic

5. Judy Berg - Parking

6. Joan Andler - Safety A. Firefighter - Mr. Ellis

7. Yvi Russell - History

8. Jerry Jacover - Letter of Precedent

9. Amy Abrams - Cumulative Negative Impact

10. Charlie Stone - Conclusion

May 20, 1996 City Council Meeting

The May 20 City Council meeting, on May 20, both the special use and the text amendment were up for debate. Comments by residents and proponents of the Ameritech tennis tournament started at 8:45. The motion to extend time for Citizen Comment was approved. After other matters were talked about during the Council meeting and a short break at 9:34 pm, the meeting reconvened at 9:52 pm . At this time the Council moved for adoption of the proposed Ordinance 58-0-96 (the Zoning Ordinance Text amendment). After discussion the roll call produced unanimous nays. The motion failed. Ordinance 56-O-96 was also removed from the agenda.