HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 05/30/1989 - City CouncilSPECIAL MEETING TUESDAY, MAY 30, 1989 6 P.M. The Special Meeting of the McHenry City Council was called to order by Mayor Busse on Tuesday, May 30, 1989 at 6 P.M. at the Tamara Royale Hotel, 4100 W. Shamrock Lane, McHenry. At roll call the following Aldermen were present: Bolger, Donahue, Lieder, Teta, Smith, Serritella. Absent: None. Patterson and McClatchey arrived at 6:10 P.M. Also in attendance was City Clerk Gilpin. Busse announced that this was a planning and organization meeting held for the purposes of identification and prioritizing of Council goals and objectives for the coming years. The intention of this meeting was to evaluate past policies, practices and procedures and to direct or redirect available resources to increase operating efficiency in the manner that city services are delivered. The first topic of discussion was the use of meeting time for annexation, regular, special and committee meetings, which would include discussion on the purpose, frequency and length of the meetings. It was decided to allow ten minutes at the beginning of the meeting for the public to comment. Members of the audience would sign in and then make their statements. The public should be made aware that there isn't going to be any open debate during this ten minute timeframe. Their concerns could either be resolved by referring it to a committee or a staff member or the matter could be placed on a future agenda. This would be their opportunity to make any statements as to their concerns and the Council should police themselves not to engage in debate on issues presented by the audience. In an effort to increase the efficiency of the meetings, Committee Chairmen should hand out prepared remarks or committee reports so Aldermen can know what issues will be presented and can make decisions. If reports are incomplete and no decisions can be made, the matter should be deferred back to the Committee. The Aldermen also expressed a sincere interest in self discipline and agreed not to engage in redundant comments or bantering arguments which unnecessarily lengthen the meeting. The Aldermen also agreed to become more involved in keeping a focus on the issues and not drifting off the subjects at hand. It was also agreed that the Mayor should cut off debate between the Aldermen when he feels it is necessary. Mayor Busse called for a recess at 7:35 P.M. The meeting reconvened at 7:40 P.M. with everyone still in attendance. Approximately 30 representatives from the Northern Illinois Medical Center appeared at the meeting to address their comments on a Bull Valley Corridor Plan which they commissioned to be drafted by Thompson Dyke & Associates. They also wanted to present their suggestion for the establishment of a hospital institutional zoning district and their pronosed concept site plan for the development of the Hospital's 100 acre medical complex. Speaking on behalf of the Hospital were Jeff Ladd and Tom Hayward with Tom Dyke and Ted Johnson speaking on behalf of Thompson Dyke & Associates. Tom Hayward said that at a meeting in April when Hospital Board Members were in attendance, the Council indicated it would like to know what the hospital had in mind for their 95 acres in the Bull Valley Road Corridor to see how it would relate to planned development in that area. They contracted with Thompson Dyke & Associates to development a master campus plan for the hospital territory. He said, however, it was difficult to look at the hospital property without looking at the entire Bull Valley Corridor and how the various land uses that were already in place relate one to the other and how the hospital could be a positive force, not only as it is in the community today but continuing with respect to surrounding uses. He stressed that they were not trying to do the land planning for the entire City of McHenry but they felt there were some observations and some studies that should be done. Therefore, NIMC asked Thompson Dyke & Associates to undertake those studies and then move into a development plan for the hospital site. Dyke presented a 12 page study entitled Bull Valley Corridor Land Use Plan which he had prepared for the Northern nos a lca re—nFe—r—da—fe-rRay 25, 1989. The plan was reviewed in detail page by page. Tuesday, May 30, 1989 Page 2 The Hospital also presented its proposal for a master campus plan for the 100 acres currently existing in the medical complex. They also presented a preliminary draft for a hospital institutional district which would allow specific permitted uses in the hospital district. At the conclusion of his presentation some Aldermen expressed their opinion that some of the matters brought forward in the Dyke report were valid and should be coordinated with the John Gann Land Use Plan recently submitted for the Bull Valley Corridor. Hayward said that one of their main concerns was the industrial zoning directly west of the hospital property. They felt that with the 278 acres of business park and industrial zoning for Prime Development, they would prefer to see residential or single family housing adjacent to their westerly boundaries. In closing Hayward said that they enjoyed meeting with the Council but they didn't want to be out in front of always having to rezone their property. They came tonight, not only for dicussion and presentation, but after due consideration to say what they really would like to put in place is the institutional district, medical campus. "As you consider some of these things, you are reacting with some assurance that we, the Medical Center, have committed ourselves to the land use plan that as a partnership between the City and the Medical Center can be agreed upon." Hayward said. Lieder commented that the Council should incorporate the pertinent and relative facts in the NIMC Study into the City's study with John Gann. Busse said that possibly one Zoning Board Meeting could be scheduled to consider the requests for a hospital institutional zoning classification and a business park classification. Mayor Busse called for a recess at 9:10 P.M. The meeting reconvened at 9:17 P.M. with all Aldermen still in attendance. Discussions took place on the use of professional consultants such as engineers, planning consultants and legal consultants. Concerning engineering firms it was the consensus of opinion that the City has had and continues to have a good working relationship with Baxter & Woodman who have the history that would benefit the City in sewer and water operations. Lieder thought it would warrant us to begin to go to bids for road work to get other people involved. The Council agreed. Regarding legal consultations some Aldermen felt in the future the City should consider a full-time City Attorney to handle all of the Court and legal matters. However, no changes should be changed at the present time. The next discussion item was staff involvement, roll of staff, roll of Aldermen, communication with staff, organizational chart/job descriptions. Discussion was held on the matter in which complaints are filed and the way they are handled. Some Aldermen felt a full-time city administrator should be considered so as to have one person in charge on a day to day basis to coordinate operations. Others felt the department heads should be given more authority to make their own decisions and then be held responsible for those actions. It was pointed out that all complaints should be made to City Hall and then handled through the appropriate department head. The Aldermen should only get involved if the complaintant does not get effective resolution of their request. In summary it was decided to have the Personnel Committee meet to discuss and clarify the roll of the department heads, review their job descriptions and then give them the authority to make decisions. It was also agreed to have the Personnel Committee discuss the possiblity of hiring a city administrator in the near future. It was also suggested that the staff meet on a weekly basis to coordinate city operations until such time as a city administrator might be hired. Alderman Bolger left the meeting at 10:05 p.m. The next discussion item was attitude and policy on future growth which included quality of life issues, standards for development and annexation procedures. Concerning the quality of life issue it was the consensus that the Aldermen were satisfied with what the City has done in the past but were concerned that there may be too much multi -family zoning allowed in the City. They felt the City was on the right track with the recent addition of more commercial and business park developments in the City. Tuesday, May 30, 1989 Page 3 Concerning the standards for development - it was felt that as new subdivisions come in the City should constantly improve the standards for development. Also when changes are made in building ownership or occupancy, the Building & Zoning Department should continue checking them for life/safety standards and require remodeling to meet those standards. On annexation procedures, the Aldermen suggested that the staff review all annexation agreements and then meet with the City Council to discuss the project before they go to a public annexation hearing. These meetings with the Council could be held in Committee Meeting or at Committee Meetings of the Whole formats. Motion by Smith, seconded by McClatchey, to adjourn. Voting Aye: Donahue, Lieder, Teta, Smith, McClatchey, Patterson, Serritella. Voting Nay: None. Absent: Bolger. Motion carried. Meeting adiourned at 10:20 P-M.