HomeMy WebLinkAbout031-R-23 Expressing the Commitment of the City Council to Complete a Property Conversion Utilizing an Undeveloped Property Within the City of Evanston to Create New Public Park Space31-R-23
31-R-23
A RESOLUTION
Expressing the Commitment of the City Council to Complete a Property
Conversion Utilizing an Undeveloped Property Within the City of Evanston to
Create New Public Park Space
WHEREAS, the Board of Education of Evanston/Skokie School District No. 65 (“D65”)
owned certain land adjacent to and between Foster Field and the Fleetwood-Jourdain
Community Center (“FJCC”) (hereinafter referred to as “the Property”); and
WHEREAS, in 2007, D65 entered into a long-term lease with the City of Evanston
(“City”) for the City’s use of the Property; and
WHEREAS, the City fully utilized the Property by developing a parking lot, basketball
court, and tennis court to the east of the FJCC building; and
WHEREAS, the City applied for and received a grant from the Illinois Department of
Natural Resource (“IDNR”) Open Space Land Acquisition and Development (“OSLAD”) program
in 2008 for the improvement of several amenities, including the aforementioned parking lot,
basketball court, and tennis court; and
WHEREAS, the OSLAD grant agreement required these amenities to stay in place for
20 years, through 2028; and
WHEREAS, the community of Evanston has expressed a desire to have a D65
neighborhood school in the Fifth Ward; and
WHEREAS, Foster Field and the Property adjacent to FJCC is the only property of
adequate size already owned by D65 within the Fifth Ward; and
WHEREAS, D65 has declared their intent to build a Fifth Ward school on the Foster
Field property and has officially terminated the lease with the City in accordance with the lease
agreement; and
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31-R-23
WHEREAS, D65’s project includes demolition of the parking lot, basketball court, and
tennis court in order construct a larger parking lot to support the operations of the Fifth Ward
school; and
WHEREAS, other options for nearby parking to support the Fifth Ward school operations
are limited, and will likely have a negative impact on the surrounding neighborhood; and
WHEREAS, D65’s proposed schedule for opening the new Fifth Ward school plans for
the start of demolition in November 2023, with a school opening date in August 2025, both of
which are prior to the termination date in the OSLAD grant agreement; and
WHEREAS, IDNR has an accepted process for redeveloping the property prior to the
termination date in the OSLAD grant agreement referred to as a Property Conversion; and
WHEREAS, the City is supportive of the community goal to have a public elementary
school located within the Fifth Ward; and
WHEREAS, the IDNR has indicated understanding that development of a new park may
take a number of years and is seeking commitment from the City prior to the demolition of the
existing improved park amenities that a new park space will be developed as a Property
Conversion in accordance with the OSLAD program requirements.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF EVANSTON,
COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS:
SECTION 1: That the foregoing recitals are hereby found as fact and incorporated
herein by reference.
SECTION 2: The City is committing to identifying and developing new parkland as
required by the IDNR to replace the previously improved park space being redeveloped by D65
for a new non-park use.
SECTION 3: The City will begin the Property Conversion process promptly and strive to
complete the conversion and have the new property open to the public by 2030.
SECTION 4: The City will not seek funds from IDNR for the Property Conversion.
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31-R-23
SECTION 5: That this Resolution 31-R-23 shall be in full force and effect from and after
its passage and approval in the manner provided by law.
_______________________________
Daniel Biss, Mayor
Attest:
______________________________
Stephanie Mendoza, City Clerk
Adopted: __________________, 2023
Approved as to form:
______________________________
Nicholas E. Cummings, Corporation
Counsel
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April 10
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