EVANSTON — Four permits were approved at the regular meeting of the Evanston City Council on June 4.

A permit was granted to Elijah Robinson, who requested a street closure permit from 6 p.m. to midnight on July 4, on Sage St. from 4th to 5th Street for the purpose of a block party. 

A limited malt beverage permit was requested by Kathy Bella of Bluegrass Evanston for the Evanston Bluegrass Festival, to be held from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., on Saturday, June 22, at Depot Square. There were no objections and the permit was granted.

Jane Law, of the Evanston Urban Renewal Agency, was granted two permits. The first was for a limited malt beverage permit for the Evanston Brewfest event in Depot Square from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 20. The second request was for an open container permit from noon to 6 p.m. for Brewfest for Front Street and Main Street from 9th to 11th Street and for 9th, 10th and 11th streets from Front to Main. 

Ordinance 19-05 was presented by DuWayne Jacobsen of planning and zoning. It deals with the permitted and conditionally permitted uses for the commercial and business districts and would add Section 24–105 to add the definitions of light rental service and office. 

Discussion and concerns on the part of the public and council were due mostly to the definition of light rental service and the 500-pound limit on rental equipment suggested in the amendment. 

Mayor Kent Williams asked Jacobsen, “What is the reasoning behind putting the pound limit in?”

Jacobsen said, “In order to keep industrial from moving into the downtown zoned area and minimize impact.”

Attorney Dennis Boal said, “If you want to take the pound limit out of the amendment, just understand what you are doing. Do you want oil field and heavy equipment in that zoned area? We need to talk about this a lot more in a work session.”

The council liked the definition of professional office and approved the first amendment to Ordinance 19-05. 

It was then agreed to hold more discussion on the second amendment to Ordinance 19-05, which refers to the definition of light rental service, at the next work session.

There were three resolutions and one ordinance under new business.

Ordinance 19-06 of the City Code would authorize the planning department to approve the transfer of a conditional use permit and an existing use in certain circumstances. 

Jacobsen said this ordinance is in response to lengthy discussions and complaints from local businesses in regard to a new owner having to go through the conditional use permit process when the business remains the same and is only changing ownership. 

Boal said, “This should help a new owner and lets the existing business know we appreciate their long-time service to the community.”

The council thought this ordinance would help to streamline the process and allow the planning and zoning staff to more easily review a request for transfer. Ordinance 19-06 passed unanimously on the first reading. 

Community Development Director Rocco O’Neill brought Resolution 19-26 to the council. This resolution would authorize a Brownfields Assessment Application to the EPA for environmental assessment assistance for the Sunset Cabins property. 

O’Neill said an EPA assessment would be provided at no cost to the city and would provide information as to what contaminants the site contains and what processes need to be followed to get the site cleaned up for possible future recreational /green development and reuse.

Resolution 19-26 was approved.

O’Neill then presented Resolution 19-27, which would authorize an application to the EPA for technical assistance in expanding and increasing the outdoor recreation economy within the community. 

O’Neill said this application for technical assistance would be at no cost to the city. Representatives from EPA would hold information-gathering public meetings in order to gain input and ideas on recreational needs. He said this is the EPA’s way of promoting healthier living. 

“The idea I had is a bike path connecting the city. I thought this is just a way to get us looking towards future possibilities,” O’Neill said. Resolution 19-27 was approved unanimously.

City Treasurer Trudy Lym presented Resolution 19-28, which would authorize the acceptance of a Caselle Software & Services proposal to provide the city with computer software, which will enable department heads and the governing body to monitor budgets and accounts and facilitate advanced reporting.

Lym said the software would create better transparency and tracking, as well as quicker and easier access for department heads. The cost would be $11,000 for initial investment and would add $275 per month for software services. 

Resolution 19-28 was approved.

The council then moved to public participation. 

David Anderson of Superior Rental spoke on the matter of Ordinance 19-06. “I think there needs to be more public involvement and input on the transfer of conditional use permits,” he said. “When a transfer does take place all codes should be investigated in case the original owner is already breaking some codes.”

Williams thanked him for his continued participation and reminded all that the ordinance has to go through two more readings before it becomes part of the City Code. People can attend the work sessions and the council meetings in order to voice their concerns.

The regular session was adjourned and then moved into a work session to go over the remainder of the projected budget.

Trudy Lym called their attention to changes to the Capital Improvements page, including decreasing the $30,000 allocation for a service vehicle for IT because of the possibility of purchasing a good vehicle for less, and increasing the police patrol vehicles amount so that three new vehicles could be purchased instead of two. 

There was discussion on using the interest from the emergency building funds to replace the entire carpet in the police department and to replace the lockers at the recreation center. 

Other changes had to do with leaving in an amount for the future building of a garage at City Hall; lowering the amount slightly for the water tanks on E-Hill and Twin Ridge as the work won’t be completed in the next year; taking out the budgeted item for a key fob system for rental buildings for now to do more research; and taking out the amount put in for the Roundhouse remediation of the yard area until construction inside is completed. 

The council discussed a request from Holly Slade-West for an increase in the amount given to the Evanston Youth Club. Council members shared concerns that the youth club needs to work more toward becoming self-sufficient in the future. There was also the question raised as to whether the cost of utilities amounted to as much as the $30,000 a year increase Slade-West requested. The council decided to deny the request.

Lym directed attention to the payroll budget, which had a change due to the hiring of the community development director. 

Lym said that the completed budget will be sent to all department heads and they need to get back to her with any possible changes, so the final budget can be published.

“The amount we have in reserves is due to the good planning on the part of previous city council members and mayors. It is real money and we are thankful to have it,” Lym said.