2019 Speeches
On October 18 speeches only 2 minutes were allowed for public comment at the Planning and Development Commission and at Council. What follows is what Carrie Van Hoff sent Spotlight with the following message:
I am sending you my statement read at the beginning of public comment if you would like to share. I have also sent a version as a letter to the editor of the Evanston Roundtable, posted it in the Roundtable community forum, and sent to all members of the city council, the clerk, and the mayor.
She addresses the golf course parking issue. See:
October 28, 2019
My name is Carrie Von Hoff. I am a proud Northwestern alumna, class of 2000, and resident of Evanston since 2003. I have lived on Bryant Avenue, about a block from Ryan Field, for the last 15 years. I oppose the NU zoning text amendment and specifically would like to address the issue of precedent.
Several years ago, Northwestern piloted football parking on the greens of Canal Shores Golf Course on our block. When neighbors expressed concern about the idea and suggested the problems that would result from tailgating at the course in a residential neighborhood, NU assured us there were no plans to allow tailgates at Canal Shores. In 2017, despite those assurances, tailgating began; NU said, “Let’s see how it goes.” Now, tailgating on the greens is established and expanded, despite feedback from neighbors that things were not going well. Garbage on the streets and parkways, disorderly conduct, and reckless driving are now regular game day occurrences on a small residential street with many young children, including my three.
This is an example of why many people in the neighborhood are opposed to an amendment that would allow professional events to take place at the athletic complex. Time and again, when given an inch and saying it will go no further, NU has after a short time taken a mile and used the conceded inch as precedent to take the mile. This is why I am very skeptical of the assurances NU has given about expanding to professional events at the stadium and the steps they claim they will never take if given the chance to engage in this conduct. They have not acted as a trustworthy neighbor and are now seeking a privilege, unearned, that has significant potential to change the neighborhood by bringing professional events into the athletic complex. What has happened at the tailgates is only a prelude to what will come if the Council approves the amendment. Guests of the university use a residential area as a personal playground with no regard to the safety, cleanliness and quiet of the neighborhood. We moved to and accepted the risk of the 6-7 football games a year when we bought our home. We did not bargain for the additional items and events that have been added on since then.
I am very disappointed in Northwestern’s actions seeking the amendment, and I strongly urge the Council to reject it.
On October 14, 2019 the following speeches were given to the Planning and Development commission and the Council by Jerry and Judy Jacover.
The meetings on October 14 didn't discuss the NU text amendment proposal, but public comment rules allow residents to bring up any issue during public comment.
The 3 minute public comment time during Planning and Development wasn't enough for Jerry to read his entire statement, so Jerry's wife had to finish it, before giving her short statement. At council the time was even shorter.
Mayor Hagerty at first announced that 2 minutes were allotted to each of the 20 commentators present. A resident asked him if the formula had been correctly applied, that is: 45 total minutes divided by 20. Mayor Hagerty graciously admitted his mistake and granted an extra 30 seconds to each of the speakers.
October 14, 2019
Mayor Hagerty, and Ladies and Gentlemen of the City Council:
My name is Jerry Jacover. I live at .... Isabella..
I come to speak in opposition to ANY change in the city ordinance that protects our neighborhood from irreparable harm by allowing additional uses of Ryan Field and Welsh-Ryan Arena. My opposition reflects my own opinions, based on living in, and loving, Evanston for over 45 years.
I can think of several reasons why someone may not share my opinions on this subject.
1. Fear of reprisal by Northwestern
2. Lack of Impartiality due to some financial, social or familial connection to Northwestern
3. False belief that there will be some huge monetary benefit to the City
Since I’m sure you would agree with me that me that fear, prejudice, and wishful thinking are not sound reasons for decision-making, I would like to address two other reasons for my opposition that may be weighing on your mind:
You think I am exaggerating, or even lying, when I tell you that this ordinance change will cause irreparable harm to our neighborhood. But the fact is, you don’t have to believe a word I say because this very issue has been carefully and repeatedly studied by virtually every zoning board, planning commission, City Council and Mayor, including Mayor Morton, for over 50 years. And each and every time this issue has been reviewed, the conclusion has been the same: the ordinance should not be changed. Since the ordinance change you are now considering would obviously cause far more damage than any of Northwestern’s previous proposals, the inescapable conclusion is that the protection to our neighborhood afforded by the existing ordinance must remain unchanged.
Even though I believe that you know, deep down in your hearts, what your predecessors on the City Council learned through hearing-after-hearing over the past 50 years--, that this ordinance change will cause irreparable damage to our neighborhood, I understand that you may be motivated by one other consideration: You really don’t care what happens to us because it is not your ox that is being gored. But the last time I looked, Evanston was not a multiplicity of neighborhoods at war with each other, but one organic body politic. And as we all know, when you tear an arm off a single organism, the entire body will suffer. And that would be the case here. Because I know, from long experience, the personal contributions in time and money that our neighborhood contributes to the larger Evanston community. These include countless contributions in time and money to:
a. Evanston Township High School
b. Evanston YMCA
c. Evanston Woman’s Club
d. Evanston Garden Club
e. Fellowship of Afro-American Men
f. Billy Cherry Foundation
g. The Salvation Army
h. Countless privately funded scholarships
i. Volunteer organizers and coaches for youth sports
j. Volunteer tutoring to countless Evanston students
In short, I suspect that turning your back on our neighborhood in its time of need, will undoubtedly have unintended consequences that will adversely affect the entire City.
The ordinance in question has stood like the American Flag in Baltimore Harbor during the war of 1812. So, I ask you, what will be your legacy: Will, at dawn’s early light, will the ordinance still be there. Or will you succumb to your own fears, prejudices, and wishful thinking and turn the City of Evanston into a corporate town run by a multi-billion dollar mercenary institution. If you choose that alternative, I predict that Northwestern will come after your neighborhood next. And when they do, there will be no one left to fight for you.
Thank you.
October 14, 2019
Mayor Hagarty and Ladies and Gentlemen of the Evanston City Council
My name is Judi Jacover, and as my husband said before me, we have lived in Evanston in the same house two blocks from Ryan Field for over 40 years. We raised our 3 sons here and two of them live in Evanston with their families. I have been PTA President of Orrington, Haven and ETHS at various times and volunteered with Haven Help Us, helped found and run Bravo Arts at ETHS, and currently volunteer with the Woman’s Club of Evanston. I worked at ETHS as a librarian for a dozen years, sponsored, with my family, a scholarship for deserving athletes at ETHS, and my husband now volunteers over a dozen hours a week tutoring at ETHS.
In short, we have given a lot to this community – a lot more in time and energy, and more valuable, than any financial contribution made by Northwestern. And while we knew when we purchased our home that we lived near the stadium, we were willing to put up with the occasional football and basketball game to enjoy our beautiful neighborhood.
We have fought this kind of change in the ordinance that would adversely affect our neighborhood for the past 40 years. If this change would have happened then, this would not have been a place where I would have wanted to raise my children.
This year, there were several rock concerts down the street from our home run by Space. Again, we put up with the noise, garbage, traffic, illegally parked cars, disrespect and vulgarities from patrons. I took a picture of a pile of garbage near my home that remained days after the last concert and sent it to my Alderperson, Ms. Revelle, who passed it on to the Space people. They responded that they did their ”best” to make sure that everything was cleaned up and that there was no trouble. This only proves our point – their “best” is not good enough.
On November 11, Ray Friedman read the following statement
November 11-2019
Good Evening,
Our first observation is that: We thought that the government was "created by the people & for the people". That doesn't seem to be the case here in Evanston.
Why is it that Evanston residents & Businesses are required to follow all codes & ordinances, BUT,,, Northwestern is NOT; especially since we (the home owners & business owners) are required to pay our property taxes & all City services, Police, Fire, Ambulance, etc. etc. etc.
SO: how much is Northwestern contributing to ALL City services they are using?
With Northwestern having an 11 BILLION DOLLAR endowment fund & charging a whole lot of money to go to college there, WE would think that the City of Evanston would make sure that Northwestern would pay their fair share & NOT ALLOW Northwestern to sidestep or ignore the Zoning guidelines & ordinances that the rest of us (TAXPAYING) residents are expected to follow.
So, our request to City Counsel is --- Please listen to & act on behalf of your constituents, THAT is, ALL residents & ALL businesses that would be negatively impacted by your decisions.
Sincerely,
Ray Friedman 2nd Ward