McHenry Times

City of Crystal Lake City Council met Oct. 6.

Here is the minutes provided by the council:

Call to Order

Acting Mayor Haleblian called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

Roll Call. Acting Mayor Haig Haleblian, Councilmembers Ellen Brady, Cathy Ferguson, Brett H~pkins, Cameron Hubbard, Mandy Montford and Ian Philpot were present City Clerk Nick Kachiroubas was absent. Deputy City Clerk Eric Helm was present.

Also present were City Manager Gary Mayerhofer, Deputy City Manager Eric Helm, Assistant to the City Manager Nick Hammonds, Director of Public Works and Engineering Mike Magnuson, Director of Community Development Michelle Rentz.sch, Assistant Finance Director Laura Herrig, City Engineer Abby Wilgreen, City Planner Eliz.abeth Maxwell, Fire Rescue Chief Paul DeRaedt, and Chief of Police Jim Black. City Attorney John Cowlin was also present.

Pledge of Allegiance

Quinn Barchard led the Council and the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. Acting Mayor Haleblian asked Ms. Barchard how she likes school and thanked her for her help.

Aoproval of Minutes

Councilwoman Ferguson moved to approve the minutes of the September 15, 2020 Regular City Council Meeting. Councilman Hubbard seconded the motion. On roll call, all present voted yes. Motion passed.

Accounts Payable

Councilwoman Ferguson moved to approve the Accounts Payable in the amount of $1,899,589.36. Councilman Hubbard seconded the motion. On roll call, all present voted yes. Motion passed.

Public Presentation

Acting Mayor Haleblian said he had watched past Council meetings and transcribed how Mayor Shepley would run the meetings. He said would try his best to run the meeting as Mayor Shepley did.

Acting Mayor Haleblian asked if anyone in the audience wished to speak on matters of general public interest or concern not included in the regular agenda, advising they would be given an opportunity to speak when the agenda item was considered.

Jim Heisler owner of Heisler' s Bootery at 50 N. Williams Street, showed the Acting Mayor and City Council a photo of the intersection of Williams Street and Brink Street from outsi~e hi~ st~re. Mr. Heisler spoke in opposition to installation of poles at the intersection for decorative lighting downtown.

Acting Mayor Haleblian asked staff about the poles. Director of Public Works and Engineering Mike Magnuson explained that in the past, the City has installed a "skyline" of lights for the holiday season strung between buildings across Williams Street. This had caused problems in windy and icy conditions. As such, it is proposed to install two poles near the intersection to mount the lights on that could be removed after the holiday season. He said cafe lights may be used across the intersection, and sightline and other issues are being looked at.

No one else wished to speak. Acting Mayor Haleblian closed the Public Presentation portion of the meeting.

Acting Mayor's Report

Acting Mayor Haleblian said he and Economic Development Manager Heather Maieritsch had visited several local businesses to congratulate them on Business Anniversaries. He said they were at Joe's Barbershop at 8:00 a.m. and it was packed. He read a thank you note to the City from the owner of the shop, Jack McArdle.

City Council Reports

Councilman Philpot encouraged people to wear masks if you are not able to social distance.

Consent Agenda

Councilwoman Brady moved to approve a Consent Agenda adding Items 10, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, and 20. Councilwoman Ferguson seconded the motion.

Acting Mayor Haleblian asked if anyone wished to speak on the Consent Agenda. No one wished to speak. On roll call, all present voted yes. Motion passed.

10. Approved the Special Event for the Ms. Bossy Boots Pumpkin Carving Contest from October 22, 2020 through October 25, 2020, pursuant to the recommended staff conditions.

11. Approved the 2020 Festival of Lights Parade Special Event to be held on Friday, November 27, 2020, as requested, subject to the staff conditions and a waiver of the Police Department chargebackfees ($1,837.50).

12. Approved the Planning and Zoning Commission recommendation and adopted an Ordinance granting the Rezoning to M-L PUD at 110 W. Woodstock Street.

13. Adopted an Ordinance amending Chapter 248 and Chapter 329 of the City Code, regarding Liquor Licenses.

17. Awarded the contract for the Wastewater Treatment Plant #2 Grit Wash~r Unit Replacement Project to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder, Vulcan Indusr:ies Inc., and adopted a Resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a contract with Vulcan Industries Inc. in the submitted bid amounts with a 10% contingency for unforeseen expenses and approve warranted completion date extensions.

18. Awarded the contract for maintenance and rehabilitation work on Well #8 to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder, Great Lakes Water Resources, and adopted a Resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a contract with Great Lakes Water Resources in the submitted bid amounts with a 10% contingency for unforeseen expenses and approve warranted completion date extensions.

19. Award the contract for sewer lining services to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, Visu-Sewer Inc., and to adopted a Resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a contract with Visu-Sewer Inc. in the submitted bid amounts with a 10% contingency for unforeseen expenses and to approve warranted completion date extensions.

20. Approved the reappointments of Brian Fowler and Peter Ajfrunti to the Economic Development Committee for terms ending on September 30, 2023.

Diana Kenney, Director of Downtown Crystal Lake/Main Street, thanked the Acting Mayor and City Council for the approval for the Drive-Thru Festival of Lights Parade on Friday, November 27, 2020. She said the Downtown is excited for the holiday season and the organization has developed a way to have the Santa House safely this season. Acting Mayor Haleblian thanked Ms. Kenney for her creativity.

Bob Guss, owner of Ms. Bossy Boots thanked the Acting Mayor and City Council for the approval of "Pumpkins on Parade" which will be held Downtown from October 22-25, 2020. He explained that the people will carve pumpkins at home and they will be displayed Downtown. He said there is no cost to participate except for purchasing pumpkins, and said the community seems excited about the event.

14. Ordinance Amending Articles 2, 4, 5, 9, and 10 and Appendix sections A-400, A-600 and A-1600 for text changes to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Councilwoman Ferguson had a question regarding Recovery Homes vs. Support Homes. She said there is a difference, with one type providing clinical treatment and needing a license to bill Medicare and insurance.

Councilwoman Ferguson said the types currently in Crystal Lake are support homes that do not provide clinical treatment, so there is no licensure. She said the change is a clarification to help avoid confusion about what is happening at these locations. Recovery Homes are a separate category than what is being discussed.

City Planner Elizabeth Maxwell thanked Councilwoman Ferguson for the clarification, and explained there was a packet for each Councilmember, which outlines the proposed changes, different than what was in the Council packet She said a term was added for a Recovery Residence, the umbrella term used by the State for locations whei:e medic~ treatment would not be completed. Recovery Home, which would need to be licensed, is also included should such a business approach the City. This would require a Special Use in a residential zoning district

Acting Mayor Haleblian asked if we have residences in the City now. Ms. Maxwell stated there are three sober living homes currently in the City (not providing medical treatment) and there have been no issues.

Acting Mayor Haleblian asked if there was anyone in the public who wished to comment. No one wished to speak.

Councilwoman Brady moved to approve the Planning and Zoning Commission recommendation and adopt an Ordinance amending the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) text, with the modification discussed. Councilwoman Ferguson seconded the motion. On roll call, all present voted yes. Motion passed.

15. Overview of the McHenry County Division of Transportation Ackman Road Feasibility Study- Discussion Only City Engineer Abby Wilgreen provided the Acting Mayor and City Council with an overview of the McHenry County Division of Transportation Ackman Road Feasibility Study. The study area runs from Haligus Road to Randall Road, with the portion between Huntley Road to Randall Road being within the City of Crystal Lake.

Ms. Wilgreen stated the goal of the Feasibility Study is to gather feedback from the community stakeholders including residents and municipalities for potential improvements. A meeting was held last spring regarding the project and a virtual meeting was held today which provided stakeholders more improvement alternatives for consideration. She said she would provide feedback from the City to McHenry County, with the deadline being October 23, 2020.

Ms. Wilgreen said the goal of the project is to address safety concerns (turning conflicts) on Ackman Road at Huntley and Swanson Roads and Red Tail Drive, upgrade intersections, provide bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, enhance ADA accessibility and improve drainage and pavement conditions. She provided an overview of current traffic conditions at Golf Course Road and Ack.man Road and installation of a pedestrian crossing beacon and median at Amberwood Drive to help people cross to the park and schools to the south.

The project is divided into three sections, with two being discussed tonight - the intersections of Ackman Road with Huntley Road and Swanson Road and Red Tail Drive and the intersections of Ackman Road with Golf Course Road, Westport Ridge, and Randall Road.

There are different options available: 1) Do nothing, safety concerns remain, intersections do not function efficiently 2) Install traditional traffic signals, but traffic movements will still back up, waiting for green lights on certain legs and there could be an increase in rear end collisions.

Councilwoman Ferguson asked if the number of accidents is used in determining if a s!gnal is warranted. Ms. Wilgreen said accidents do come into play, but the traffic volume ts the main factor, with the criteria being met on Ackman Road for signals when including future traffic.

Councilwoman Brady asked about the distance between signals. Ms. Wilgreen said the distance is close, and the County has said traffic signals would work, but are not preferred for this reason. The signals would have to be timed to keep traffic moving.

Councilwoman Brady said the intersections are way too close for signals, especially Red Tail Drive and Swanson Road. Ms. Wilgreen agreed.

The third option is to install traditional roundabouts at each intersection. Ms. Wilgreen said roundabouts are safer than traditional signals, with fewer rear-end collisions. Traffic moves slower through roundabouts but the intersections will function better, with the Huntley Road intersection working very well. Residents would have to adjust to them and they also need a bigger footprint so there are more environmental factors that could come into play at each intersection.

Councilwoman Brady asked if Huntley Road had the most traffic. Ms. Wilgreen said she was not sure, but she would think Huntley and Swanson Roads would have about the same amount and more traffic than Red Tail Drive.

Acting Mayor Haig Haleblian asked which alternative, traffic signals or roundabouts cost more, or if they are similar. Ms. Wilgreen said they are similar overall and there are not the long-tenn maintenance costs with roundabouts as there are with signals. She said roundabout costs could be $300,000 to $1 million depending on the size and if turn lanes need to be added. Traffic signals would cost about $350,000 to $500,000. McHenry County has indicated right tum lanes will need to be added at some locations which would add to the cost.

Ms. Wilgreen said costs have not been detennined at this point, but will be figured out at a later date. She said McHenry County wanted input from stakeholders solely based on what would work best in the corridor.

Councilwoman Ferguson said she has been through several roundabouts in close proximity on Route 23 and it is horrifying. She said obviously the speed would have to be reduced on Ackman, but she has serious concerns.

Acting Mayor Haleblian asked Police Chief Jim Black what his experience has been on Ackman Road. Chief Black said most of the call volume and accidents are at Randall Road and Ackman Road. He said if there were to be signals installed at Huntley Road and Red Tail Drive and a stop sign remained at Swanson Road, vehicles sitting on Swanson Road would never get on to Ackman Road due to the proximity of the intersections.

Ms. Wilgreen said the fourth and fifth option are similar. These would relocate Swanson Road to align with Red Tail Drive and Huntley Road would remain. One option would be to install a traffic signal at both intersections and the other option would be roundabouts. There would be environmental impacts and property acquisition would be required.

Councilwoman Ferguson asked if the homeowner who is directly across from Huntley Road would have access. Ms. Wilgreen said the homeowner would have access with the roundabout or traffic signal.

Ms. Wilgreen said staff would not recommend options 1-3, due to proximity of the intersections, but would recommend option 5 with roundabouts. She asked if the Acting Mayor and City Collllcil had any questions or comments.

Councilwoman Brady said realignment would be make sense if it were financially feasible.

Acting Mayor Haleblian asked ifthere was funding available for the project. Ms. Wilgreen said as they move forward through the process they will apply for grants. She said the County mentioned work may be completed in segments as well.

Acting Mayor Haleblian asked when the meeting was. Ms. Wilgreen said the meeting was earlier today but it was recorded and will be posted online by Friday. Staff will provide the link to councilmembers.

Councilmembers Philpot, Brady, Ferguson, Hopkins said they would support option 5.

Councilman Hubbard said he supports option 5 as well, but asked if this would take longer to finish the project due to property acquisition. Ms. Wilgreen said property acquisition would be required for turn lanes with traffic signals and also for roundabouts. She said this would not make a difference time-wise.

Councilman Hubbard said option 5 would be best, but he was also fine with option 3, the roundabouts without roadway alignment.

Councilwoman Montford said option 5 makes sense. She asked Ms. Wilgreen about the pedestrian and bicycle enhancements, if they are possible with roundabouts and if there is a true need in the corridor. Ms. Wilgreen said she assumed there was a large amount of public comment in the spring requesting enhancements. Residents living in the area would like to access parks, but there is no means to do so west of Huntley Road. She said the County discussed including a means to cross Ackman Road, whether that be a tunnel or a bridge with this project but it has yet to be determined. She said the City could provide feedback to the County on this issue. She said it is too dangerous to ride on Ackman Road and that pedestrian and bicycle accommodations are now included in projects like these.

Councilwoman Montford said she was glad there will be improvements at Westport Ridge, as she drives this frequently and left-hand turns are dangerous.

Acting Mayor Haleblian said his wish list would include a tunnel connecting a bike path from Ackman Road to Huntley Road.

Councilwoman Montford and Acting Mayor Haleblian said they would favor option 5 as well for the segment including Huntley and Swanson Roads and Red Tail Drive.

Ms. Wilgreen provided an overview of options for the segment of the project including Golf Course Road, Westport Ridge, and Randall Road There are two options for this segment. Randall Road will remain as it currently is. Golf Course Road currently has a traffic signal and Westport Ridge has stop signs. Current traffic volumes at Westport Ridge warrant a traffic signal.

The first option would be installation of traffic signals at Golf Course Road and Westport Ridge with right and left turn lanes. The second option would be installation of roundabouts at these locations. Ms. Wilgreen said the roundabout would function very well at Westport Ridge, and better than a traffic signal at Golf Course Road. Staff would recommend roundabouts at these locations to improve capacity.

Councilwoman Brady added to Councilwoman Montford's point, and said the bike or multi-use path at Golf Course Road does not line up with the intersection and needs to be re-aligned.

Acting Mayor Haleblian asked how a multi-use path would work with the installation of roundabouts. Ms. Wilgreen said pedestrians and bicyclists would cross before a roundabout, not in the center of one. Users would cross one lane of traffic, wait in a median, and then cross the other lane of traffic. She said there is always a center refuge island. It is safer for pedestrians to cross with roundabouts because they are only crossing one lane of traffic, where at traffic signals, pedestrians are crossing both lanes of traffic in both directions.

Councilwoman Ferguson said education would be necessary, as people don't always follow the rules when crossing.

Councilwoman Brady said money and time have been invested in the bike lane installation on Golf Course Road and the path is heavily used. She said it is important that people have a safe way to cross Ackman at this location.

Councilman Hubbard asked if there is an option to install a roundabout at one intersection and a traffic signal at the other. Ms. Wilgreen said the City can provide this feedback to the County and they would run an engineering feasibility study to see if this is a viable option.

Councilwoman Montford agreed with Councilman Hubbard, saying there already is a signal at the Golf Course intersection, with the cost already incurred for the signal there. She said moving the path to the intersection makes sense.

Councilwoman Montford said turning off Westport Ridge onto Ackman Road is horrible.

Councilwoman Brady agreed and said she thinks Westport Ridge picks up a lot of traffic from the area as a means to get out to Ackman Road. She asked if Westport Ridge is a collector street. Ms. Wilgreen said no. Traffic patterns have changed in the area though and a lot more cars in the neighborhoods are forced to use Westport Ridge. She said Golf Course Road is a north-south collector.

Councilwoman Brady asked about improvements to the intersection of Golf Course and Miller Road. Ms. Wilgreen said that intersection is in the City limits and staff will look at ways to improve this location. She said there may be sightline issues.

Ms. Wilgreen asked if there were additional questions. She said staff will provide comments to the County and will also provide the link to the project website to the City Council as well.

Councilwoman Brady asked about plans for Randall Road. She asked if the intersection of Randall Road and Village Road was still planned to be a continuous green-t intersection. She asked if improvements on Randall Road to Ackman Road, not including the intersection, would be the last phase of this work. Ms. Wilgreen said yes, but she did not have a timeframe for the work. She said she thought the green-t intersection was still planned, but was not sure if the County had funding for the work. She said will confirm with the County when the project is anticipated and what final improvements will be.

16. Update for the Transit Oriented Development

City Planner Elizabeth Maxwell provided the City Council with an overview of the Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Plan around the Crystal Lake and Pingree Road Metra Stations. She said the City was fortunate to be awarded an RTA Technical Assistance Grant for the project. The grant allows the City to work with an award-winning consultant Houseal Lavigne, for around $30,000. Houseal Lavigne is well-known across the country, and is working with Fish Transportation Group on the project.

Ms. Maxwell said the City is in Phase 2 of the project. She said the TOD plan will serve as a framework for staff to guide appropriate future development in the area of the City's two train stations with acceptable densities and product style to support the market Elements such as upgrades to bike paths and sidewalks and appropriate development densities to support the train stations will be included.

The City has developed a stakeholder group made up of members of the community with a varied background including a homebuilder, a bike advocate, a McDOT representative and a Downtown representative in addition to the RT A, Metra and PACE representatives. Several stakeholder meetings have been held and the City reached out to the public through social media, the City Newsletter and website to receive as much feedback as possible. The consultant has also developed a website where people can provide feedback regarding problem areas or unique features that need to be highlighted. The feedback will be incorporated into the plan.

Ms. Maxwell said the consultant is analyzing existing conditions and developing a market analysis for future expectations. It is anticipated development products will change post COVID, and she said the market analysis will be a great tool to help staff determine if development types are appropriate when meeting wlth developers.

Eight sites were provided to the consultant, who will provide future renderings for three sites to show different densities, amenities, etc. Ms. Maxwell said the City will be able to use the renderings when meeting with developers.

She said the plan will be presented to the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council for feedback on renderings, goals, and objectives to make sure targets are met. Once the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council have reviewed the plan, it will be finalized and then public meetings will be held, and the plan adopted.

Ms. Maxwell said there is another stakeholder meeting on October 13, 2020 to review existing conditions and site selection, and a Zoom visioning workshop on October 27, 2020 for community feedback. She said the link to the workshop will be provided to the City Council.

Ms. Maxwell asked if there were any questions about the plan.

Councilwoman Montford asked who owns the eight sites. Ms. Maxwell said they are privately-owned. Home State Bank owns three sites, Ormsby owns one, the City owns one and Metra owns one. She said as they are privately owned, there will be less control over what can be done on the sites, but at least the City will have an example to show them.

Councilwoman Montford asked if once completed, the plan will be marketed for redevelopment in the City. Ms. Maxwell said yes. She said staff has taken a very active approach, and is already marketing sites with renderings the City has from other consultants, with an example being the Crystal Lake Avenue and Main Street property. The renderings will be helpful for the City to illustrate what can be done on various properties.

Councilwoman Ferguson asked about the "points or credits" given to developers who build near the train stations. Ms. Maxwell said she thought these are tax credits through the Illinois Housing and Development Authority (IHDA). She said this is a program run by the State and there are developments in this area that have taken advantage of this program.

Councilwoman Ferguson said she wanted to be sure the City has met its affordable housing requirement. Ms. Maxwell said the City has met the requirement.

Councilman Philpot said he is happy the City received the grant and excited to see what the plan looks like.

Councilwoman Brady said she is looking forward to it as well.

Councilman Hopkins and Councilman Hubbard thanked Ms. Maxwell and said they are also excited.

Councilwoman Montford said she is excited about the plan as well and asked if there are affordable housing requirements in terms of cost of housing or boundaries. Ms. Maxwell said no, but the City would definitely want to take advantage of transit, and used a senior housing as an example.

Councilwoman Montford said she sees a need for more affordable housing in general and asked if the City could push for more overall affordable housing. Ms. Maxwell said yes, and there are tax credits available as well and density bonuses in the City Code. She said the City would encourage it, and she would envision developments that offered a combination of affordable housing and other options.

Councilman Hopkins asked what criteria was used to detennine the eight sites. Ms. Maxwell said several sites were under-utilized. She said sites were looked at that had the opportunity to be better than they are right now. This does not mean that a property owner would sell to a developer.

Acting Mayor Haleblian said he looks forward to the plan.

Council Inquiries and Reouests

Councilwoman Brady asked if the City would be issuing guidelines for Halloween or if it is up to residents to determine if they will be trick-or-treating. City Manager Gary Mayerhofer said suggested hours have been set from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. for people who wish to participate in trick-or-treating on Halloween and information has been posted on social media, website and newsletter.

He said the City has asked residents who would like to participate to have porch lights on and tum them off if they do not want trick-or-treaters. The Police Deparbnent has also developed signs residents can post. Trick-or-treaters are asked to follow social distancing and other guidelines.

Councilwoman Ferguson asked about truck or treat. Mr. Mayerhofer said the City is not participating.

Adjourn to Executive Session for the purpose of discussing matters of vending and probable litigation and the sale. purchase or lease of real property

Councilman Hopkins moved to adjourn to Executive Session at 8:11 p.m. Councilwoman Brady seconded the motion. On roll call, all present voted yes. Motion passed.

Reconvene in Regular Session

Councilman Philpot moved to reconvene in Regular Session at 8:50 p.m. Councilman Hopkins seconded the motion. On roll call, all present voted yes. Motion passed.

Adjourn

There being no further business, Councilwoman Ferguson moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:53 p.m. Cowicilwoman Brady seconded the motion. On voice vote, all present voted yes. Motion passed.

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