City of Peoria, Comprehensive Plan

Beware of how Comp Plan survey results are reported

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Suppose I told you I was taking a survey, and I wanted you to rank the following four things:

  • family
  • freedom
  • health
  • justice

Now here are the rules: You have to rank them “1,” “2,” “3,” and “4.” You can’t rank them all as “1.” You have to rank them from “1” (most important) to “4” (least important).

You may object that they’re all important, and that you can’t imagine calling any one of them “least important.” But then suppose I assured you that we just wanted to see what was most important to the survey takers so we could set budget priorities. You begrudgingly agree, figuring that I have a good reason for setting up the survey this way and will use the results responsibly.

Then suppose I published the results this way: “Items considered important to survey-takers: freedom, justice. Items not considered important to survey-takers: health, family.” Do you feel like that would be an accurate characterization of your (and the other survey-takers’) feelings about those items? Or would you feel that your feelings are a bit misrepresented?

Well, that’s how I felt when I saw how the Comprehensive Plan survey results were being reported to the city council. The survey has several lists of items that survey-takers are required to rank from most to least important. The results were printed this way in a recent communication to the council:

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN SURVEY UPDATE. As of Wednesday, February 13, 912 online surveys have been completed and the www.planpeoria.com web site has received over 1800 visits.

Some of the results of the survey so far include:

  • Three most important services
    • Public Safety
    • Public Education
    • Economic Development

  • Three services areas with the highest level of satisfaction
    • Public Safety
    • Public Health
    • Recreation, Culture, and Natural Resources

  • Who’s Responding
    • 29% from the 61614 zip code
    • 24% from the 61604 zip code
    • 19% from the 61615 zip code

  • Top choices for amenities within walking distance from your home
    • Parks
    • Grocery Stores
    • Schools

  • Amenities not considered important to have within walking distance
    • Work
    • Restaurants

  • Top items that should be required as part of all new residential development
    • Sidewalks
    • Street lighting
    • Underground utilities

  • Items not considered important as part of new residential development
    • Required design standards
    • Required landscaping
    • Required building materials

  • Top items that would make an “ideal neighborhood”
    • Safety
    • Good public infrastructure
    • Good schools
    • Resale value of homes
    • Well maintained houses and yards

  • Items not considered as important to an “idea neighborhood”
    • Proximity to retail
    • Neighborhood associations
    • High density
    • Proximity to employment

  • 36% of respondents would like to live within walking distance from downtown and the riverfront

  • Preferred type of neighborhood
    • 62% Single Family only
    • 14% Single family & duplex / townhouse
    • 2.5% Single family, duplex / townhouse, & apartments
    • 22% Mixed use; all of the above plus retail

Interesting results, which is why I printed them in full. But I take exception to the sections that state certain items are “not considered important” or even “not considered as important.” Considering that survey-takers had no choice but to mark some items as “least important” on a sliding scale, and considering that all the items on the list were important, I don’t think this accurately describes the results.

I don’t know how the final results will be presented, but if this is any indication, I shudder to think what kind of conclusions the council will draw when they see that required design standards are “not considered important” just because sidewalks and streetlights were ranked higher on a forced scale.

City Council, City of Peoria, Peoria Public Schools

Joint City Council/School Board to meet

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AgreementThere will be a joint meeting of the Peoria City Council and Peoria Board of Education on Feb. 28 at 3:00 p.m. in City Hall, room 404, to discuss “the enhancement of communities surrounding new schools.” The agenda will be:

I. Review of the committee charge.

II. Review of the committee work.

III. Presentation of “School / Neighborhood Impact Zones” concept.

IV. Discussion of School / Neighborhood Impact Zones in the context of the committee charge.

V. Consensus agreement on plan to move forward with School / Neighborhood Impact Zones as presented or as modified.

VI. Adjournment

The facilitator for the subcommittee, Bill Collier, has also provided this additional information that was distributed by the city:

TO: PEORIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS DISTRICT 150 BOARD OF EDUCATION AND ADMINISTRATION, CITY OF PEORIA MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND DEPARTMENT HEADS

FROM: BILL COLLIER, SUBCOMITTEE FACILITAOR, EDUCATION LIAISON FOR MAYOR ARDIS

DATE: FEBRUARY 21, 2008

SUBJECT: JOINT CITY COUNCIL / SCHOOL BOARD SUBCOMMITTEE – AGENDA FOR UPCOMING MEETING.

A meeting of the subcommittee on Safe Schools / Safe Neighborhoods, established last fall by District 150 Board of Education President Dr. David Gorenz will be held at 3:00 PM on February 28 in room 404 at City Hall. Some might say that they thought that the subcommittee had died and that nothing had been accomplished. As the facilitator for the committee I apologize for the length of time that has passed; however, I want to assure you that a great deal of work has been done and we are ready to meet once again.

A review of planning activities would include the following activities:

  • Based on the December meeting of the Safe Schools / Safe Neighborhood subcommittee a concept put forth by Councilman Jacob, combined with a previously discussed concept by Councilman Manning, the facilitator put together a focused proposal for discussion among those councilmen and Pat Landes of the City staff.

  • Councilman Gulley was brought into the discussion and Ms. Landes expanded her conversations to include almost all City departments.

  • A presentation was made to Dr. Gorenz, Ms. Ross and Mr. Cahill with the intent to host a subcommittee meeting based on that presentation.

  • Councilmen Jacob, Manning and Gulley along with Ms. Landes continued to meet and work on details.

  • Tri County Planning Commission Executive Director Terry Kohlbuss then entered the picture and has added much to the discussion along with his staff’s support.

  • A “draft” proposal has been developed and is still being worked on, but the time for a subcommittee meeting is right. The “draft” proposal will be the focus of the February 28 meeting.

It is difficult to inform everyone of a proposal, and at the same time not create concern as to why a particular group was informed first. I am sensitive to that concern thus I thought it might be informative if I offered a couple of comments related to the path I anticipate this proposal taking.

First, the “concept” originated in the subcommittee meeting so it was my position that it should return to the subcommittee before going forward to the City Council, School Board, other governmental bodies and the general public through the media.

Since City Council members and City staff have developed the concept into a proposal the next logical step will be for a formal City Council presentation in the near future followed by a similar presentation before the School Board. Once we reach a consensus with those two bodies, we will take the proposal/concept to the Park District, County of Peoria, neighborhood associations, social service agencies—a nearly unlimited list of potential partners.

It is my hope that all subcommittee members will be present and I would welcome all school board members, City council members as well as all relevant administrative and management team members from both bodies. In my opinion this presentation is what I call BIG. I am very impressed with the time, energy and leadership that George, Bob, Clyde, Pat and Terry have given to this project. What has been most impressive, however is their passion to support District 150 and revitalize the neighborhoods. I really believe that if the proposal is accepted and given priority Peoria will be looked at for developing a comprehensive cooperative agreement among a large and diverse number of participants.

Please free up your schedule, attend this important meeting, offer your comments-suggestions-concerns and help formalize this far reaching, long-term neighborhood revitalization/stabilization project.

Thursday February 28 3:00 PM in room 404 at City Hall.

Thank you,
Bill Collier

City of Peoria

Tracy Cross to present market study for downtown housing Feb. 26

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I heard about this from Peoria Economic Development Director Craig Hullinger during the Heart of Peoria Commission meeting. He wouldn’t give any details, but he said they asked for an honest study of the market for downtown housing, and he wasn’t sure what to expect, but that the outcome is positive. So he encouraged us to watch or listen to the presentation at the next council meeting.

Here’s the city’s press release:

Market Study for in and near downtown housing – Presentation Feb 26 at 4:00 pm at City Hall

The City of Peoria has retained the prestigious housing market research firm of Tracy Cross to assess the market for new and rehabbed housing in and near downtown Peoria. The firm will present their findings at an open meeting at the City Council Chambers of the 4th floor of City Hall at 419 Fulton Street at 4:00 pm on Tuesday, February 26, 2008. The firm will answer questions.

Anyone interested in urban redevelopment in Peoria, or in developing, building, or living in or near downtown Peoria is encouraged to attend.

Continue reading Tracy Cross to present market study for downtown housing Feb. 26 →

Bradley-Epworth UMC, The Uplands

Bradley-Epworth withdraws special use request

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Bradley-Epworth UMCNeighbors had steeled themselves for a vigorous debate on a church expansion proposal Thursday night, but the issue was defused when the church withdrew its special use request.

Bradley-Epworth United Methodist Church, 1314 W. Columbia Terrace, has been acquiring property for the past few years. They purchased 1215 N. University St., adjacent to the church, in September 2004, and in 2005 got a special use permit to house its student ministries there. Since then, the church has purchased two more homes on University (1205 and 1207) and the house at 1216 N. Elmwood, which is also adjacent to the church. They currently use the homes at 1205 and 1207 University as rental property. The Elmwood house is vacant.

The stated long-range plan was to acquire up to ten properties, leave the houses intact, but use them for ministry purposes, such as a 24-hour house of prayer, a coffee shop, etc. They would also pave the back yards of the properties to provide additional parking for the church.

Church officials recently requested a special use permit for the Elmwood property to use the house for church offices.

The church is located in the Uplands neighborhood. The Uplands Residential Association voted in favor of the church’s special use request in June 2007. However, several URA members — including several Elmwood Ave. residents — complained that they were not informed a vote was going to be taken on the special use request at that meeting. Only nine people attended the June 2007 meeting.

The issue was on the agenda again Thursday because the one of the intended uses of the property was to house guest speakers overnight in one of the bedrooms of the Elmwood house. That use was not approved at the June 2007 meeting because it wasn’t presented as part of the special use request. Church and URA officials mistakenly believed that overnight stays would not have to be specified in the special use request since the house is already zoned residential. When they found out that all uses had to be specified, URA officials brought it back to the Association for a vote.

But the vote never happened.

Jerry Jackson, Second VP of the Association and chairman of the Associations’ Zoning and Land Use Committee, read a short e-mail from Bradley-Epworth pastor Tom Eckhardt. Here’s the e-mail, reprinted in its entirety:

Jerry [Jackson] and Bernie [Goitein, URA President],

I wanted to let you know that Bradley Epworth Church is withdrawing its request to the city for special use zoning of the property at 1216 N. Elmwood. In addition, we no longer plan to use our properties currently zoned as residential for any purpose other than residential, specifically that there will be no effort on our part to put in parking for the church behind the University properties or anywhere else.

Tom Eckhardt
Pastor, Bradley Epworth Church

Jackson also stated that it was his understanding the church would be divesting themselves of the properties at 1205 and 1207 N. University, and that the church is looking for an alternative site to hold their largest worship service.

No reason for the change in plans was given.

Several Elmwood Ave. residents published an article in the neighborhood newsletter, The Uplander, outlining their concerns about the church’s recent acquisitions and expansion plans. It’s unknown whether the article’s publication prompted the church to reconsider its special use request.

After the e-mail was read, several members in attendance indicated they felt this was a positive development for the neighborhood. However, one couple that spoke at the meeting thought it was a negative, saying they were worried that the houses on University would fall into the hands of a slumlord. If that happened, they said it would negatively affect their property, since they live across the alley from those houses.

Museum Block, State Legislation

Museum may get state grant: $12 million grant passes first hurdle

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A House appropriations committee has recommended approval of a bill that would give $12 million to the Peoria Regional Museum. The bill would have to pass the full House, Senate, and get the Governor’s okay before the museum would actually get the money.

Here’s the most interesting part of the Journal Star’s article on this effort:

[Lakeview Museum CEO Jim] Richerson said the proposed Peoria project consists of two pieces: a museum with an estimated price tag of $65 million to $75 million and a Caterpillar Inc. visitors center.

$75 million? Are they expecting that construction costs are going to rise by potentially $10 million in the next year, raising the total cost of the project by more than 15%? If so, then that $12 million in state money, if it actually comes to fruition, would mostly cover the increase in costs, still leaving a potential $22 million shortfall.

The contract with the city expires, I believe, at the end of the year (I’ll have to double-check that). So the question is, will the city extend their contract again or pull the plug?

And here’s another question. “The House Appropriations Committee on Public Safety voted 13-0 for House Bill 4664, sponsored by Rep. David Leitch, R-Peoria,” the Journal Star reports. What does capital funding for a proposed museum have to do with public safety? Do these committee names have any meaning whatsoever?

City of Peoria

City of Peoria responds to accidental personal data release

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Here’s the press release in response to this story that the Journal Star broke yesterday:

Date: February 21, 2008
Released by: Alma Brown, Communications Manager, 494-8554
Subject: RELEASE OF PERSONAL DATA

The City of Peoria sincerely regrets the release of some employees’ personal information. Once this error was discovered, our Human Resources Department took immediate steps to retrieve the information released pursuant to a Freedom of Information Act request. Despite several attempts, and the recopying of the response with all personal information deleted, the documents have not been returned to the City. We continue to explore every constructive approach possible for the return of the information released in error.

The ransomware definition says that is a type of malware(malicious software that involves holding the victim’s information at ransom.

Employees who have been impacted by the release have been notified by the City of Peoria Legal Department. This notification permits employees to take any steps they believe appropriate with regard to their personal information.

Additional safeguards have been instituted to ensure that this situation does not repeat itself. The City of Peoria values all of its employees and their dedication to public service. We will remain conscientious in our efforts to provide a safe and secure working environment.

Any questions should be directed to Kimberly King, Senior Staff Attorney/Acting Human Resources Director at (309) 494-8590.

Here’s the “he-said-she-said” part of the press release: “Despite several attempts, and the recopying of the response with all personal information deleted, the documents have not been returned to the City.” The person who has the information simply filed a Freedom of Information Act request to support her claim that she should get her tuition reimbursed. The city messed up by giving her too much information. In the Journal Star article today, she says:

“I took out student loans that I expected I would be paying back with my tuition reimbursement (from the city). Now, here I am, a single mom with two kids and thousands of dollars in unpaid student loans,” she said Wednesday.

Though she never asked for the personal information, doesn’t want it and even took pains to let the city know they mistakenly released it, she hasn’t returned it yet because some of it is on the same pages with the information she needs to defend her case. That case, she adds, is stalled for some reason.

Once it’s resolved, she said she will happily return everything.

So the city says they gave her the info with all the confidential personal info redacted, but she says she doesn’t have all the info needed to defend her case. So… looks like the city is in a pickle, and they’re trying to redirect anger from their screw-up to this woman who wants to get her tuition reimbursed.

I don’t know who’s right, but I do know that it wouldn’t be an issue if the city hadn’t messed up and given out personal data. They have no one to blame but themselves.

State of Illinois

State of the State of Illinois 2008

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What did you think of Gov. Blagojevich’s State of the State address? In case you missed it, here is the text as provided by the Governor’s office:

State of the State and Fiscal Year 2009 Budget Address
Governor Rod R. Blagojevich

In a time of economic challenge, it is our challenge to offer a way forward. Times are tough. People are worried. But there are solutions. I am here to talk about the state of the state and to present a budget. But how do you talk about the state of Illinois without first talking about the state of the nation?

Today, we are a country at war. Leading economists warn of a recession, unemployment is up, more and more Americans find themselves without health care, and many families face the very real possibility of losing their homes.

In America the promise of the American Dream is a promise that is getting harder to keep. In Illinois we are guiding a ship in the midst of a storm. But, our ship of state is on the right course to navigate through that storm.

In spite of national trends, here in Illinois, we have made real progress for people. Over the last four years, we led the Midwest in job creation; we raised the minimum wage twice, more than three quarters of a million people have gotten health care, including All Kids. We are the first state in the nation to create a fund to help families keep their homes. We put a record amount of money in our public schools without raising taxes on people and, most recently, Illinois became the only state in the nation where a senior citizen can ride the bus for free.

We have made a lot of progress for people. But make no mistake about it these are tough times. And when times are tough, I believe the best way to fight for families and fight for people is to focus on strengthening the economy.

Continue reading State of the State of Illinois 2008 →

Kellar Branch, Peoria Streets

Street/bike lane compromise should be model

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According to the Journal Star, no one is calling for Howett and/or Lincoln streets to be torn out and turned into dedicated hiking/biking trails. Instead, a tinted bike lane will share the street with automobiles. No one is upset about this compromise, political candidates are not being asked to make statements about it, and no one is threatening to do a “Meigs Field operation” on the south side streets.

So the question is, why isn’t that compromise good enough for the Kellar Branch issue? It should be the model for how to share and share alike. There should be a way to share the rail corridor where feasible, and utilize tinted on-street bike lanes around whichever areas of the corridor cannot be shared due to topographical or other complications.

I hope compromises like this are being considered by the new Peoria/Peoria Heights committee.

Annexation, General News

Trending toward urban living

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Many scoff at the idea people would want to abandon suburban life for a more urban setting, but researchers are noticing a trend in just that direction. If these forecasts are true, what will the ramifications be for all those low-density developments on the fringe of town? Here’s an article from Atlantic Monthly that should give city planners and developers something to think about:

Arthur C. Nelson, director of the Metropolitan Institute at Virginia Tech, has looked carefully at trends in American demographics, construction, house prices, and consumer preferences. In 2006, using recent consumer research, housing supply data, and population growth rates, he modeled future demand for various types of housing. The results were bracing: Nelson forecasts a likely surplus of 22 million large-lot homes (houses built on a sixth of an acre or more) by 2025—that’s roughly 40 percent of the large-lot homes in existence today.

For 60 years, Americans have pushed steadily into the suburbs, transforming the landscape and (until recently) leaving cities behind. But today the pendulum is swinging back toward urban living, and there are many reasons to believe this swing will continue. As it does, many low-density suburbs and McMansion subdivisions, including some that are lovely and affluent today, may become what inner cities became in the 1960s and ’70s—slums characterized by poverty, crime, and decay.

Hat tip: Chris Setti

General News

In brief

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Just a few brief comments on things from when I was gone:

  • It looks like somebody got a new theme for his blog while I was gone over the weekend. Unlike just about every other theme change Billy has gone through, I actually like the look and feel of this one … which means it will inevitably change sometime in the next week and a half.

  • The day I left, there was a shooting at Northern Illinois University. Maybe you heard about it. The shooter, Steven Kazmierczak, did not fit the profile of the type of person who would go on a rampage, except for one thing: he did go off his SSRI medication (Prozac, in this case) just a few weeks before the incident. While I see a trend, others don’t, but maybe this year’s coming lawsuits will shed more light on the issue.

  • District 150 is looking into charter schools as if they’ve never heard of the concept before. But the fact is that the very first charter school in Illinois opened in August 1996 in Peoria. It was called Peoria Alternative Charter School and was located at 919 NE Jefferson St., in the old Greeley School building. It was a school which expelled and other troubled students could attend. According to a June 3, 1999, Journal Star article, “The charter school was managed by Youth Farm, which had Fred McAfree serve as the manager/principal.” It dissolved in 1999 after its three-year charter was allowed to lapse and it became a “Regional Safe School.” The type of charter school being considered now is different — instead of being a school for troubled students, Superintendent Ken Hinton has indicated that “a proposed math, science and technology academy could be a potential charter school candidate.”

  • The Kellar Branch is still in the news — the new Peoria-Peoria Heights committee is looking at hiring a consulting firm to determine the feasibility of a side-by-side rail-trail solution. The results need to be back by April 1. I’m not going to prejudge the outcome; ever the optimist, I still hope a win-win option will emerge.

  • The Journal Star ran an article on anonymous commenting on blogs and newspaper sites, along with a companion article that reassures us that venomous anonymous bloggers are only acting human. The answer is simple — it’s up to the owner of the site, whether that’s a blog owner or a newspaper, to monitor the comments and maintain a minimum level of civil discourse. That’s in fact what reputable blogs and newspapers already do. Problem solved.

  • Joan Krupa is running as a Republican for the 92nd Legislative District seat being vacated by Rep. Aaron Schock. I wish her luck. I sure hope she’s been convicted of shoplifting at some point in her life — it appears that increases your chances of winning these days. Speaking of which, here are two more potential Democratic candidates for the state legislature.

  • District 150 decided Monday night to let teachers and principals, not board members, decide grading appeals. Good. Although it doesn’t change the outcome of the situation that sparked this controversy, at least it will keep it from happening again. It also vindicates the teachers and administrators.