Will County Gazette

City of Lockport Committee of the Whole met May 1.

Here are the minutes provided by the committee:

REGULAR MEETING of the Committee of the Whole of the City of Lockport, Illinois was held on Wednesday, May 1, 2024 in the Board Room, 3rd Floor, of the Central Square Building, 222 E. Ninth Street, Lockport, Illinois. Mayor Steve Streit called the Meeting to order at 7:27 pm.

ROLL CALL

PRESENT: Mayor, Steve Streit

Alderman, Jonathan Pugh

Alderman, Patrick McDonald

Alderman, JR Gillogly

Alderwoman, Christine Bergbower

Alderman, Darren Deskin

Alderwoman, Joann Bartelsen

Alderwoman, Renee Saban

ABSENT: NONE

ALSO PRESENT: City Administrator, Ben Benson

City Attorney, Sonni Choi Williams

City Clerk, Kathy Gentile

Finance Director, Lisa Heglund

Chief of Police, Richard Harang

Director of Public Works and Engineering, Brian Lovering Director of Community & Economic Development, Lance Thies PRESS: Cathy Wilker, LCTV

ITEMS RECOMMENDED TO BE PLACED ON THE AGENDA FOR CONSENT OR ACTION AT THE NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED CITY COUNCIL MEETING

CA-1. 5-Year Extension of the License Agreement with Midwest SOARRING Foundation for the Use of the Metra Station from 2025 to October 15, 2030

City Administrator, Ben Benson, presented the Staff report to extend the license agreement.

Discussion among the Council about the length of the extension. Council discussed whether to limit the term to October 15, 2027 which is the original term that SOARRING had requested. Council agreed to have the extension end in 2030.

DIRECTION: Add to the Consent Agenda for the May 15 City Council Meeting

CD-1. Text Amendment to the City's Zoning Ordinance: Senior, Assisted Living as a Use Classification; Attached Residential within the C-2T Transitional Community Commercial; Vertical Mixed Use in C-3; and Spelling Correction to Personal Services

Director of Community & Economic Development, Lance Thies, presented the Staff report. Staff proposes the Inclusion of “Dwelling units, attached single-family” as a permitted use in the C-2T table. In addition, staff sees value in allowing the C-2T district as transitions between our highway commercial (C-3) and Community Commercial (C-2) areas along 9th Street/159th Street and, similarly, in the areas surrounding commercial nodes highlighted in our Route 171 plan. Rather than rezone to R-3 for the townhomes, rezoning to C-2T would allow for the townhomes but preserve the ability to shift to commercial if the market changes or would also allow for vertical mixed use if applied to other areas of the site in the future.

DIRECTION: Add to the Consent Agenda for the May 15 City Council Meeting

CD-2. Amendment to the City's Development Code Section 153.50.135 Increasing the Grading Plan Review Permit Fees

Director of Community & Economic Development, Lance Thies, presented the Staff report.

Discussion among the Council ensued regarding the permit fees. Overall Staff increased fees by 25%.

DIRECTION: Add to the Consent Agenda for the May 15 City Council Meeting

CD-3. Special Use Permit for a Planned Development for One (Infill) Building with Five Townhome Units for a Property Located at 25 Charles St./PZC Case #2024-004

Director of Community & Economic Development, Lance Thies, presented the Staff report.

The parcel is currently vacant and the site has been vacant for some time. The planned development is for 5 townhomes. Recommendation to approve Special Use Permit and Preliminary and Final Development Plans with Subdivision Plat for townhome development. The Special Use Permit is required for the planned development.

DIRECTION: Add to the Consent Agenda for the May 15 City Council Meeting

PD-1. Amending Chapters 38 and 70 of the Lockport Code of Ordinances to Add the Offense of Unlawful Use of Mobile Telephones

Chief of Police, Richard Harang, presented the Staff Report. In 2019 the State of Illinois passed a law related to the unlawful use of mobile telephones. Proposing that the City of Lockport approve ordinances to add the offense of unlawful use of mobile telephones to help enforce the law. City Attorney Sonni Choi Williams recommended that this item should be an Action Item to cover house-keeping clean up revisions and ensure that we do not have any gaps on the ordinances.

DIRECTION: Add as an Action Item to the Agenda for the May 15 City Council Meeting

PW-1. Division Street Wastewater Treatment Plant Non-Potable Water System Construction Engineering Services Proposal from Baxter & Woodman, Inc. in a Not-to-Exceed Amount of $49,230.00

Director of Public Works, Brian Lovering, presented the Staff Report.

Alderman Pugh asked if there is a way that the City can provide an update on City construction projects. The City’s site also links to the Illinois 7 site, for more details.

DIRECTION: Add to the Consent Agenda for the May 15 City Council Meeting

PW-2. Accept Quote for Replacement of Exterior Double Doors at City Hall from Wunderlich Doors, Inc. in the Amount of $33,824.80

Director of Public Works, Brian Lovering, presented the Staff Report.

DIRECTION: Add to the Consent Agenda for the May 15 City Council Meeting

NEW BUSINESS

1. Deskin – back in 2019 the City discussed how to manage cannabis. On April 10, Senate bill was introduced to address some of the psycho-active, synthetic products. Recommending that Council conduct some research for legal review and get educated, in preparation for a presentation later this year, then decide on what action the Council may want to take.

ADJOURNMENT

MOTION BY BARTELSEN, SECONDED BY GILLOGLY TO ADJOURN THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING at 8:04 PM. VOICE VOTE ON THE MOTION.

AYES –MCDONALD, PUGH, GILLOGLY, BERGBOWER, DESKIN, BARTELSEN, SABAN

NAY - NONE

ABSENT – NONE

ABSTAIN – NONE

7 AYES, 0 NAY, 0 ABSENT, 0 ABSTAIN, 1 VACANT – MOTION CARRIED

https://lockport.granicus.com/DocumentViewer.php?file=lockport_f8139b2ae5243d3d183607163bbe2195.pdf&view=1