Central Street Neighbors Association Est. 2007

On Tue., May 20, at 7:30 PM, in Council chambers at the Civic Center, the Zoning Board of Appeals will meet; the agenda is scheduled to include, under New Business, the proposed National-Louis dormitory at 1620 Central.

Over the last couple years I've attended many Plan Commission sessions. Throughout personnel changes I've seen the commissioners, despite the long hours that Chris correctly notes, generally show patience, courtesy, genuine intellectual curiosity, and a commitment to a better Evanston. Personal civility has generally been extended both to the public and to other commissioners.

While I couldn’t attend last night’s “special” Council meeting on the behavior of the Plan Commission, I have read two very different angles on the meeting from online blogs (I hesitate to call them news). Personally, I am of the opinion that it is the old adage of the pot calling the kettle black. I would urge the Council to carefully look in the mirror before forcing a further setback on a City whose leadership is leaving in droves.

General Dawes will be returning to his home at 225 Greenwood in Evanston on Thursday May 22 to demand his home be returned to the EHC as he intended when deeding the property to NU. For more information, please visit generaldawesreturns.org.

You'd think the last thing Evanston needs is more meetings, but in the wake of the "walkout" by three commissioners at the last Plan Commission meeting come two more meetings this week. First, on Monday, May 19, at 6:00 pm in the Aldermanic Library, the City Council is having a special meeting at which the agenda includes only one public item, "Discussion of the Plan Commission." I have no further information on this cryptic reference at this time and would encourage Ald. Moran and Ald. Tisdahl, both registered users for this site, to offer a little illumination.

The sporadic Bluegrass Legends Concerts series resumes this Saturday night, May 17, at the American Legion Hall, 1030 Central St., with a show by the Lovell Sisters. The opening act is an Irish band named Cù Roì, graduates of the Academy of Irish Music in Chicago. Show is at 8, doors open at 7, seats are limited. For more info: http://chicagobluegrass.com/.

I'd like to know when it was decided that downtown Evanston should be comprised of tall buildings crowded together. The consultants' definition of words like "density" was reminiscent of something from George Orwell.
According to them, "density" only applies to residential areas, and tall buildings crowded together is merely a feature of a "downtown" area.

And now this from the Just When You Thought it Couldn't Get Weirder Dept. The regularly-scheduled meeting of the Plan Commission last night (May 14), with about 30 community residents, ended in a fiasco. The Commission is currently at only 8 members due to the resignation of Sara McMurray. Chairman Woods was also absent (after having given a pro-Tower pitch at P&D last Wednesday) as the Commission moved into ch.