NIMBYs Prove People Can Make A Difference. PublicWatchdog wants to give a big bark-out to those St. Mary’s Episcopal neighbors who showed us that NIMBYs can make a positive difference when they organize and actually fight for their neighborhood.
Led by Phil Donohue, Dan Knight and Gary Beckner, among others, those St. Mary’s NIMBYs defeated the Park Ridge Ministerial Association’s semi-secret, heavy-handed attempt to jam a PADS homeless shelter down the neighbors’ throats and into St. Mary’s basement. We score it: NIMBYs – 1, Shameless PRMA – 0.
But the PRMA didn’t miss a beat, bringing in prominent local attorney (and big-time Frimark friend and contributor) Jack “Mr. Insider” Owens from the bullpen as its “closer” and announcing that it’s moving the PADS shelter to St. Paul of the Cross. And because PRMA’s members seem to believe they’re acting by Divine Right, they continue to insist that our zoning laws are only for the suckers who actually pay taxes – a position the City is inexplicably encouraging by sending City Atty. Buzz Hill, hat in hand and head bowed, to beg PRMA to follow the City’s zoning laws.
Looks like yet another example of the spineless rolling over for the shameless…and selling out their constituents in the process. Score this one: Shameless PRMA – 1, Spineless City – 0.
The Puppetry Of Ald. Wsol. This past Monday night’s City Council meeting featured the familiar sight of our City Council retreating into closed session to discuss the purchase of yet another possible site for the big new cop shop Mayor Howard “Let’s Make A Deal” Frimark and his Alderpuppets seem hell-bent on building. Which means we also got to see and hear the equally familiar protests of Ald. Dave Schmidt (1st Ward), the only City official who’s not a card-carrying member of the Culture of Secrecy.
As usual, Schmidt was right on target with his objections that unless and until the Council makes some concrete decisions on whether to build a new cop shop, how big it should be, where is the best place to put it, and how we’re going to pay for it, buying land for it – any land, not just what’s owned by a Frimark buddy like Bill Napleton – is an exercise in stupidity. And if you don’t believe him, look no further than the City’s purchase of 229 S. Courtland in 2006 for approximately $660,000.
But it was more than a little disappointing to see 7th Ward Ald. Frank Wsol, a self-proclaimed fiscal conservative, act like an alderpuppet in full by leading the charge to closed session while claiming (with a straight face!) that those secret discussions could end up saving the taxpayers money. Yeah, right.
Somebody needs to remind Wsol that the City can exercise its eminent domain power to buy virtually any piece of property it needs by condemning it and paying its fair market value, so there’s no need for secrecy. Unless, of course, Mayor Frimark insists on paying more – like he wanted to do a few months ago with 720 Garden, another one of his many cop shop sites.
More, Bigger Condos On The Way? The City Council’s Procedures and Regulations Committee took another big step toward adding more taller buildings – and greater population density – to an increasingly crowded Uptown when it voted 2-1 to recommend a larger R-5 zoning district last Tuesday (June 3) night.
Committee chair and Mayor Frimark Alderpuppet Jim Allegretti, along with fellow Alderpuppet Tom Carey (6th Ward), thwarted attempts by Ald. Dave Schmidt (1st Ward) to send the matter back to the Planning & Zoning Commission to study Schmidt’s plan to limit the R-5 status only to what is now the Uptown B-4 district rather than letting it expand by approximately 75% beyond that area, primarily on the west end of Uptown where (it is rumored) some “lucky” investors are waiting for their ships to come in.
We hear that Allegretti provided some perversely humorous moments with his seeming lack of knowledge about both the zoning code and how R-5 districts operate, which led to him and Acting Director of Community Development Carrie Davis doing their own version of Abbott and Costello’s “Who’s on First?” routine – at least when Davis wasn’t bemoaning all the work that supposedly would be needed to accommodate Schmidt’s proposal.
So unless citizens show up and speak up for retaining the current character and feel of the physical “heart” of Park Ridge, it looks like the developers and “lucky” land owners will be stacking more condos and townhouses in and around Uptown.
12 comments so far
Hurrah! for the NIMBY group!
Very disappointing performance by Alderman Wsol.
Enough with the “sky boxes” already!
Question for the group. Moving the PADS site to St. Paul does put it in a “less residential area” and in an area where cars will not be parked on the street.
Does this move in any way change anyone’s position (including the Watchdog) on a PADS site in Park Ridge?
No.
Didn’t think so
To anon. 11:01, who should I be addressing this to, PRMA,or to PADS?
Anyway, although brave and responsive, St Paul stepping forward in no way changes the minds of those opposed to a Pads in P.R. because anyone who has taken the time to look into this half baked program knows it isn’t something to support or even consider. And it has a lot less to do with the idea of reaching out to those in need and more to do about not wanting to hang our hats on a program who has a lot less to do with heping those in need and more to do with padding their own pockets, and their track records speak in volumes.
Why on earth the PRMA were so eager to join with this without really doing some solid research is beyond me. Obviously blind faith results in bad choices, and the community will be the one that pays the price. It’s really very sad when ultimatly we the people, have no say in the goings on within our community, our investment and our very own well being.
Why do we want a PADS shelter? To take the homeless already hanging around Park Ridge off the street so we don’t have to see them? Okay, but then why are we putting ourselves on the PADS shelter tour, which will make us even more of a target for homeless than we already are? The more you feed the pigeons, the more pigeons show up to get fed.
Underdog:
I know you probably won’t believe me but I do not work for or am in any associated with PADS. In fact, I had never heard of PADS prior to the recent discussions in PR. I am also not associated with PRMA. In fact, I do not even go to church.
I am just a resident of Park Ridge who read with interest that they were moving the site. My read was and is that it did not address the real issue behind this whole debate and, although a minor victory if you lived on the alley by St. Marys, would not change anyones position. I come to the blogs for information so I thought this would be a good place to confirm my thoughts on the matter by posing the question.
Your assumption is that anyone who would ask that question must be “one of them”, is in this case incorrect
To Anon@11:01, No it does not change my position.
To Anon@12:21, a PADS shelter only helps registered members, PR needy people will still be on the street. This is an important point> with PADS we ADD TO THE # OF HOMELESS PEOPLE IN TOWN!
In about 2002, Journeys from PADS to HOPE had an Outreach Program that used the ACT process (Assertive Community Treatment) where “staff members go out into the community where the most severely mentally ill homeless individuals reside; in forest preserves, libraries, shopping malls, train stations” and try to convince street people to join the PADS shelters. The Outreach Program didn’t work!
(quote from PADS 2003 brochure)
Another Republican fiscal conservative shows his true stripes. How much are we going to have to borrow for the new police station, and how long wiill it take us to pay for it, Mr.Wsol?
Anon. 12:52,
If indeed you are just an interested resident then I’m sure your feeling insulted in completely
unfunded, as all who read here knows “they are watching and listening.” it’s in their best interest. We are happy to provide them with the entertainment. Free speach and all.
Your point about people wanting to make the big bucks west of Uptown is interesting. Is the Cumberland extension plan part of that? How stupid is that idea!? And do we really need another bank at the corner of Touhy and Cumberland? I see that the placard for the notice for a zoning hearing is hidden behind some bushes instead of being front and center on the lot.
Teri, Teri, Teri,
You are of course aware that Bailey’s is a big big “Friend of Frimark”. As matter of fact they threw the election night party the day Frimark made the City Council “more efficient”. So whatever Bailey’s wants Bailey’s get.
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