1996 NU West Lot Racing

Pioneer Press August 22, 1996

Improper Use of Northwestern Lot

Northwestern University apparently rented the parking lot west of Dyche Stadium to Mercedes Benz for the purpose of allowing potential customers to drive a Mercedes car through a test course set up in the lot.

This is not a test drive on city streets, but a challenge to drivers: twists and turns, sudden stops and "floor to 50" back stretch (western edge of lot bordering on a tree-lined alley). The NASCAR test drives began on Friday and continued through Sunday. In fact, as I write this note, I get to listen to screeching tires and rapid acceleration ' of expensive cars with novice drivers. With my property tax bill in hand and racing car noises in the background, I am reminded of what a good neighbor Northwestern University is.

I have called the Evanston police (can't help, Northwestern University issue); Northwestern University Public Safety (joke); and Jack "The Pager" Freeman of the Northwestern University Athletic Department Facilities. The net result was that nothing could be done.

I am writing to express several concerns.

First of all, Northwestern University's apparent ability to use the lot for whatever purpose:

• Having recently gone through the Ameritech Cup false start, I would have thought the university/city/ I alderman, would have been a bit more sensitive to the neighborhood. How is it that Northwestern can rent out its lot for an event that clearly has nothing to do with academics or collegiate athletics? In fact, it is a blatant commercial event to sell cars — even on a Sunday. The scheduling of this event seems like real "in your face" behavior on the part of Northwestern — don't let us have our tennis tourney, see how you like this.

• Other seemingly benign events that use the Northwestern University property, such as home shows, etc., warrant public hearing notifications. To my knowledge, no notice was given for this event; it just happened. I quite frankly cannot believe that Northwestern has the latitude to use the parking lot for such purposes. It fails the sensibility test of what the community intends for proper and acceptable activities on any property in Evanston.

Second is the issue of safety:

• The Northwestern University motor speedway back stretch is the 50-mph straight-away. The signage directs test drivers to "floor to 50." As it happens, the straight-away parallels, perhaps 15 feet away, the tree-lined alley that serves the neighborhood. The organizers have strung yellow barrier tape through the foliage at adult height, approximately four feet above the ground. Unfortunately, this too-high yellow plastic border would do nothing to warn or prevent a youngster from coming through the bushes into the straight-away. There are no other warnings or barricades, such as bales of hay. I pointed this out to one roving safety person — an overweight man in a van. This would clearly be a good approach to avoid a young child from being knocked off by a novice driver in a power test car on a below-average street surface.

• To my knowledge, there is no street in Evanston that allows a speed of 50 mph. How is it that a sign on the Northwestern University Motor Speedway back-stretch is "Floor to 50"? Do we now allow speeding cars on Northwestern property immediately adjoining a public alley?

Fred D. Watson

N.E.W. issued this article in August 1996

On the morning of Saturday, August 10th, NEW neighbors whose property borders the parking lot west of Dyche Stadium woke to the sounds of cars racing. To the residents’ surprise, Mercedes Benz had rented the stadium lot to showcase their new models of luxury cars. Silvia Kusaka, the president of NEW, immediately started to get calls for aid to stop a nuisance and a potentially dangerous situation. The neighbors’ concerns were not unfounded. The cars were testing acceleration times and handling all along the border of the parking lot. Neighbors were told the drivers were not professionals and that the event had been OK'd by Northwestern.

Silvia phoned several different law enforcement agencies only to be told there was little or nothing they could do. Our resident expert on zoning matters was called to review the zoning ordinance. He explained that the city would need to issue a Certificate of Zoning Compliance in order for this event to take place. After reviewing the City's Zoning Ordinance, he further stated that this use was not listed under permitted or special uses for this property.

Monday morning I informed Alderman Engelman of the situation and started calling Mr. Alterson, the city's Zoning Administrator. After half a dozen calls with no response, I finally got hold of a Mr. Wolinski, He was surprised to hear of the use of the parking lot and told me he was reasonably sure no Certificate of Compliance had been issued for the event. He would check into it and get back to me.

On Tuesday Mr. Wolinski phoned to say that there had been no permission granted by the city and the use did not meet zoning requirements for the west parking lot. He had informed Northwestern's attorney who was unaware and surprised to hear about the event.

Northwestern was issued a warning letter stating the section of the Zoning Ordinance that was violated and told that, "Failure to remedy this situation will result in the Zoning Administrator issuing a citation."

NEW believes this should put an end to these trials.