Category Archives: City of Peoria

City of Peoria, Peoria Public Schools

Final school siting forum tonight at Glen Oak School

Tonight is the final Woodruff High School Attendance Area School Site Selection forum. It will be held at Glen Oak Primary School, 809 E. Frye Ave., at 7:00 p.m.

Alert blogger Brad Carter commented on another post:

I wasn’t sure where to post this, but tonight is the final forum for the Woodruff feeder school and in the latest school board meeting it was stated that city representatives would be in attendance. Also, the board seemed to feel as the city would be willing to contribute financially.

The board is right. In the proposed 2008 city budget, there is money set aside to potentially help District 150 — if they build a school in the East Bluff.

There’s a Capital Improvement Project request for $344,000 titled “Park to Support School in the East Bluff.” The description of the project is, “These funds are being requested to purchase and develop park-like property in the East Bluff to support a school.” The reason/justification is:

The City of Peoria sold property in Southtown that was designated for open space under a grant from Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Funds from selling this property with the IDNR grant designation must now be used for purchasing property within another location. The location must be open space to be used as a park and must be approved by IDNR for the conversion. Since these are restricted funds, the area they are to be used in is somewhat limited. Using these funds for a park-like setting to support a school in the East Bluff would be an ideal use of these funds. Final approval of the project would rest with IDNR.

In other words, the request is saying, “we’ll spend $344,000 to create a park-like setting if the school board builds a school in the East Bluff. Otherwise, we’ll find another way to use the money that doesn’t directly benefit the school district.” It’s also interesting to note that this is less than the $500,000 that was offered last year for property acquisition if the school district would build a replacement school on the site of the current Glen Oak School instead of adjacent to the park. I know Third District Councilman Bob Manning is planning to speak tonight, so perhaps he will mention this funding in his remarks.

Also planning to speak is Beth Akeson, Vice Chair of the Heart of Peoria Commission. And at the first forum, Roberta Parks spoke on behalf of the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce and said the school board should consider sites that have “better spin-off potential” or potential for economic development around the new school, both residential and commercial. She said at that time the chamber didn’t have a specific site they recommended, but may have one by the last meeting, so I would expect to hear a presentation from the chamber as well.

I expect this to be the best attended, most vocal, and longest meeting of the four forums.

City Council, City of Peoria

Oct. 23 council agenda portends another protracted meeting

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Last week, the council meeting lasted six hours, starting on Tuesday and ending on Wednesday. That’s probably not going to happen this coming Tuesday (Lord willing), but if the agenda is any indication, it’s still going to be a relatively long meeting. Here’s the agenda for Tuesday night’s council meeting:

Continue reading Oct. 23 council agenda portends another protracted meeting →

City of Peoria, Heart of Peoria Plan

Capital dollars for the Heart of Peoria

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Although the Heart of Peoria Commission is currently slated to receive no funding in the city’s proposed 2008 capital budget, that doesn’t mean the Heart of Peoria area is getting no funding for projects.

City Manager Randy Oliver sent me this breakdown of the funding that is currently proposed:

The Heart of Peoria area is proposed to receive a significant amount of the City’s proposed 2008 CIP non-discretionary resources. The major initiatives are:

  • Sheridan Road Triangle – $285,000
  • Warehouse District Infrastructure (Roads) – $1,000,000
  • Wisconsin Business Improvement District – $100,000
  • ML King Opportunity Acquisition – $100,000
  • Main Street Traffic Study – $35,000
  • Downtown Improvements – $200,000
  • Water Street – Hamilton to Washington – $1,000,000 (total funding $2 million balance from the State)
  • Center University of Illinois Medical School Campus – $2,000,000

This does not include Sidewalks in Need of Repair (SINR) or Special Assessment projects.

Although all these projects are in the HOP area, they are not all “Heart of Peoria Plan” projects. The U of I Medical School campus, for example, has nothing to do with the HOP Plan.

A significant amount of money is being put toward the Warehouse District, however, and that’s a good thing. Development of this project, though, is largely dependent on getting IDOT to go along with the vision and allow the city to make the kinds of street improvements needed to make it a viable mixed-use area. As Gary Sandberg recently pointed out, no one is going to want to live down there as long as the traffic is hostile to pedestrians.

I’m not sure what some of these projects are. Even after looking at the proposed budget on the city’s website, I can’t figure out what the $200,000 in “downtown improvements” is set aside to provide. I may have just missed the explanatory document requesting this funding — the budget is over 300 pages and it’s easy to overlook things.

UPDATE: Here’s what Mr. Oliver had to say about the “Downtown Improvements” funds:

Theses funds are a continuation of the funding for improvements to Water Street behind the Museum/CAT from a prior year project. A CIP sheet should have been included.

These improvements are required to be completed under a Development Agreement when the Museum/CAT Experience is completed. The improvement provides for a continuation of the street scape, diagonal parking on the Museum side of the block and elevating the street above the 100 year flood plain.

City Council, City of Peoria

City Council budget session minutes released

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Did you miss the special City Council meeting on Monday where they discussed the proposed 2008 budget? Here is the meat of the official minutes from that meeting, which were released today (they’re long, so click on the “Read the rest of this entry” link below to see the whole thing):

City Manager Randy Oliver provided the City Council with an overview of the 2008 Preliminary Budget. He discussed 2008 projected revenues and property tax base (EAV) growth from 2000 through what was estimated for 2007. He pointed out that out of every tax dollar, the City’s share was only 11%, with 9% going to the Park District, 10% going to the County, 59% going to the School Districts, and 11% going to other. He further discussed sales tax revenues from 2003 to 2008, which included local revenues and from the State revenues. He also discussed projected 2008 operating expenditures with 30% for the Police Department, 22% for the Fire Department, 21% for Public Works, and the remaining split between the other smaller departments. He explained the Operating Budget and the amount of increases over the last four years. He closed by discussing the General Fund – Fund Balance and the amounts of increases from 2000 to 2006.

Continue reading City Council budget session minutes released →

City of Peoria, HOPC

Preliminary capital budget includes $0 for Heart of Peoria Commission

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Unless the council asks staff to put it back in, the Heart of Peoria Commission will receive none of the $145,000 it requested from the 2008 capital budget.

Plans were to use the money to bring in a transportation expert to help the city develop a comprehensive transportation policy for the Heart of Peoria area (the process would include all stakeholders through the use of charrettes), a comprehensive marketing strategy for the Heart of Peoria Area with materials to raise awareness of the opportunities that exist for residential and commercial investment, and grant writing to get more non-city funding for projects.

Earlier this year, the mayor suggested changing the Heart of Peoria Commission from a city commission to a private advocacy group similar to Peoria City Beautiful. After further negotiation, a compromise was reached where HOPC would remain a city commission, but would meet less frequently (six times per year instead of twelve).

The council accepted the commission’s work plan, except for the capital budget items because they needed to go through the budget process with all other projects. We’re now in that process, and HOPC’s requested funding is not in the budget recommendation from city staff. Since the budget is currently balanced, a council member who wants to see HOPC’s funding restored will have to find an equal amount of money to cut elsewhere.

City Council, City of Peoria

Council goes till the Midnight Hour

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In honor of all the citizens who waited till the midnight hour to address the council, let’s all sing together this classic Wilson Pickett song:

Tonight made me nostalgic for the councils of yore when Bud Grieves was mayor and the council meetings would go late into the night every week.

Tonight’s council meeting ended officially at 12:15 a.m. Wednesday, October 10. And Jonathan Ahl had to be awakened to sign off.

City Council, City of Peoria

Abud gets compromise, but not the one he wanted

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The City Council voted 9-2 7-2 with two abstentions (Jacob and Sandberg) Tuesday to relax one of the conditions on Adams Supermarket owner Ahmad Abud’s liquor license. But instead of granting Abud’s request to only require an off-duty police officer from 8 p.m. to midnight, the City Council went with the Police Chief’s recommendation to require an officer from 5 p.m. to midnight. Still, this is two and a half hours less than the original 2:30 to midnight requirement.

But councilman Clyde Gulley said if Abud didn’t get everything he wanted, he would recommend to Abud that he close his grocery store and leave town. That’s the spirit. Way to retain business, Gulley. Who else have you encouraged to flee your district because they didn’t get everything they wanted from the city?

City Council, City of Peoria, Form-Based Code, Heart of Peoria Plan

Council votes down Sheridan Road/Heart of Peoria improvements

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UPDATE/CORRECTION 10/11/07: Below, I mistakenly cited the City of Peoria operating budget. In fact, the money in question was $200,000 from the capital budget set aside in 2007 for design and engineering of the Sheridan Loucks Triangle specifically and exclusively. $200,000 per year from 2007 to 2011 was requested, but only $200,000 in 2007 was funded. Sorry for the confusion, and thanks to my friend at the city who wishes to remain anonymous for pointing out my error.

In the 2007 City of Peoria budget (pp. 128-129), money was set aside for economic development. Here’s where some of that money was designated to go (emphasis mine):

2. Community Revitalization Activity – Activity cost $238,529

This program is responsible for undertaking projects which promote downtown Peoria and adjacent areas, including the Riverfront and residential neighborhoods, as an attractive location for working, living, and entertainment. Specific activities, to be undertaken, within the next five years, include:

  • Create and implement residential enterprise zone.
  • Identify and execute initiatives to revitalize the Warehouse District and Southern Gateway.
  • Finalize redevelopment plans for the former Sears block to create a cultural and entertainment destination for the Region.
  • Identify and redevelop blighted/contaminated property.
  • Continue revitalization initiatives in Council-directed areas (Sheridan Loucks, Prospect Road, Renaissance Park).
  • Undertake and complete public infrastructures improvements to support business and industry.

So, at tonight’s council meeting, Councilwoman Barbara Van Auken brought forth a motion to spend some of that money to enter into a contract with the Farnsworth Group, Inc. “for the DESIGN of the SHERIDAN TRIANGLE BUSINESS DISTRICT ENHANCEMENT from McCLURE AVENUE to HANSSLER PLACE, in an Amount Not to Exceed $183,750.00.” This is in the Sheridan Road form district that was created by the council back in May of this year.

In order for form districts to be successful, there are two things that need to take place. First, there needs to be a form-based code — a pre-planned area that provides a consistent and predictable development pattern. That’s the private investment side of the equation. Second, improvements need to be made to the streets and sidewalks in order to make it an attractive area both for redevelopment by investors and patronage by potential customers. That’s the public investment side of the equation.

Sheridan Master PlanPlans for improving the intersection and streetscape in this area were developed during a charrette hosted by Farrell-Madden Associates. You can see the results of that charrette by clicking on the picture to the right. You’ll notice the pictures show wider sidewalks, street trees, intersection changes, etc. The next step is to develop a project plan “splitting the area into logical phases for construction” with estimates and specifications for each phase. That’s what Councilwoman Van Auken asked for this evening.

But the council voted it down 6-5. Ardis, Turner, Gulley, Jacob, Montelongo, and Spears Spain voted against it. Van Auken, Sandberg, Manning, Spain Spears, and Nichting voted for it.

Why? I’m certain I don’t know. It appears they voted it down because it’s too close to the next budget cycle. Councilman Clyde Gulley kept talking about the Griswold Improvement Project — for which there is $0 in the 2007 budget — that the council voted against funding earlier this year because it would have been a budget amendment. He somehow thinks the two projects are analogous, and since the council voted down his street improvement project, he’s going to vote against everyone else’s. Other council members said we need to set priorities before spending that much money — as if they didn’t already set the priorities for 2007 in the 2007 budget.

So now, evidently the money set aside for improving the Heart of Peoria area this year will not get spent.

City Council, City of Peoria, Peoria Journal Star

$5.5 million bathrooms

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The Journal Star’s editorial today is dedicated to criticizing Councilwoman Van Auken and her remark that the city should sell the Gateway building because “Government should not own buildings or property except for government use.” Granted, that wasn’t the best argument she could have given, and the editors of the Journal Star have fun dissecting her logic.

But what the editors don’t do is give any good reason for keeping the Gateway building. Here’s the best they can come up with:

And we’d add that, in fact, Gateway does serve a civic purpose: That building and its restrooms were built for the benefit of the public, specifically visitors at riverfront events.

The Gateway Building is a convention and banquet facility. The only way the public gets any benefit out of it is if they rent it from the Peoria Park District for somewhere between $600 and $1,500. The public is not under-served for convention and banquet space. Besides the River Station, Packard Plaza, the Pere Marquette, and a host of other private places to rent, there’s always the gigantic expansion of the Civic Center. How much more tax-subsidized banquet space do we need?

The only things the “visitors at riverfront events” really “benefit” from for free are the public restrooms. So the question is, don’t you think $5.5 million is kind of a steep price for public restrooms? I think so. I bet if they could sell the building, they could use a small fraction of the proceeds to build some really sweet public restrooms elsewhere along the riverfront.

City Council, City of Peoria

Zoning Commission may meet at 6 p.m. in 2008

2 Comments

The Zoning Commission currently meets the first Thursday of each month at 1:00 p.m. The Ad Hoc Committee on Commissions determined that this may not be the most convenient time for property owners to come down to City Hall and express concerns regarding a zoning change that would affect their property, and recommended the hold at least some of their meetings in the evening. The Zoning Commission voted to keep everything status quo.

So now the Planning and Growth Director and a couple of council members are insisting. On the agenda for tonight is a proposal that would change the meeting time from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on a one-year trial basis, just for 2008.

The city did solicit input regarding the time change from several groups, and these are the results:

Staff surveyed three groups – neighborhood associations, citizens who had received notices of CZC public hearings within the last three months, and current members of the Zoning Commission. We asked if they would be more likely to attend the 6 pm meeting and if they would be interested in serving on the CZC if it met at 6pm instead of 1 pm. The results of the survey are summarized below and included in the survey report, Attachment B.

  • Neiqhborhoods – 85 groups contacted, 16 responded (19%)
    • 13 (81%) favored evening meetings
    • 1 (6%) did not
    • 2 (13%) did not respond directly to the question
    • 3 were interested in serving on the CZC and 3 others needed more information
  • Citizens who had received notices of CZC public hearings the last three months – 253 citizens contacted, 7 responded (3%)
    • 3 (43%) favored evening meetings
    • 4 (57%) did not
    • 1 interested in serving on CZC
  • Current Zoninq Commissioners – 6 responded (100%)
    • 1 favored evenings meeting
    • 5 did not

In addition, Council Member input was sought. Three favored evening meetings, and two others provided comment or questions.

The neighborhood groups appear to have spoken loud and clear — almost 20% responded, and they were overwhelmingly in favor of the evening meeting schedule. Only 3% of those citizens who receive notices even responded, which leads me to believe that they don’t have a strong opinion one way or the other.

According to a Journal Star report, “If the City Council changes things on Tuesday, at least two members [Richard Unes and Greg Hunziker] say they will quit.” The reason? “We’d be sitting here until 9 p.m. or 10 o’clock in the evening,” Unes is reported as saying.

Well, of course I understand that sentiment; it’s not exactly the most exciting way to spend an evening. But it is only one evening per month. And frankly, they should value the time of the citizens they’re appointed to serve more than their own time — that’s why they call it “public service.” I don’t expect that argument to get them much sympathy from the council, either, since they meet at 6:15 every other Tuesday (on average).

Also, threatening to resign doesn’t carry a huge punch when you consider there’s no shortage of people willing to take their place. Since Chad Bixby resigned, the Heart of Peoria Commission has no representation on the Zoning Commission, so one or two HOP/C members need to be added, plus there are three neighborhood group members who have expressed interest.

In the absence of any good argument against changing the time, I think they should go ahead and try the 6:00 meetings for a year and see how they work.