LF_120618

LakeForestLeader.com NEWS
the lake forest leader | December 6, 2018 | 3
Lake Bluff Village Board
Village to receive 9 percent of proposed $3.4M tax levy
Stephanie Kim
Freelance Reporter
Following a brief public
hearing Monday, Nov.
26, the Lake Bluff Village
Board unanimously approved
the first reading of
a $3.4 million tax levy for
2018.
This amount is about
3 percent higher than the
2017 property tax extension,
according to finance
director Bettina
O’Connell.
The impact on a typical
$600,000 market value
home would be a $30 decrease,
she added.
“As always, the finance
committee deliberates the
amount of levy with sensitivity
to the effective increases
on homeowners,”
O’Connell said.
The board also approved
the library’s amended request
for a $964,117 tax
levy, which is $20,000
more than what was originally
presented. The 5
percent increase from last
year’s tax levy is mainly
due to upcoming capital
projects, such as the replacement
of the library’s
roof, HVAC system and
technological resources.
O’Connell noted the library
receives 2 percent
of the entire tax levy and
the village receives 9 percent,
which trustee Paul
Lemieux said was the most
important takeaway from
Monday’s public hearing.
The finance committee
will finalize its recommendations
Nov. 29 and
present them to the Village
Board for final approval
Dec. 10.
“We constantly hear
comments about the high
property tax in Lake Bluff.
And not to deny the validity
of that, but what we’re
responsible for is 9 percent,”
Lemieux said. “Collectively,
education makes
up another 64 percent. I
will say it’s interesting
to note that the county of
Lake takes a higher proportion
than we do.”
Historic Preservation
Ordinance amended
despite push back from
residents
While the public hearing
for the tax levy drew
no public comment, deliberation
on amending the
Village’s Historic Preservation
Ordinance — in
response to threatened litigation
regarding the proposed
demolition of 419
E. Prospect Ave., which
has been landmarked —
brought about harsh criti-
Round it up
A brief recap of Village Board action from Nov. 26
• The Village Board read a proclamation in recognition of the 25th season
of the Lake Bluff Farmers’ Market, which begins the second week of June.
President O’Hara heralded the market as one of the best in the area.
• Village Engineer Jeff Hansen provided an update on the fiscal year 2019
capital improvement plan, which includes 26 projects. Capital expenditures year
to date are $1,084,286 or $807,278 greater than the year-to-day expenses
from fiscal year 2018. This can be attributed to train station improvements, the
purchase of audio and video equipment in the boardroom, and non-Motor Fuel
Tax Fund paving expenses.
• Village Administrator Drew Irvin reported that 440 ComEd customers lost
electricity during the snowstorm from Nov. 25-26.
cism from several neighboring
residents.
Ed Wynn, who was the
first to speak, said the proposed
change of requiring
a demolition letter of intent
instead of an application
“guts key protections”
for homeowners and favors
developers.
Stephanie Bjork and
Jenny Barthold added the
proposed changes do not
clean up existing historic
preservation regulations,
but create a position that’s
open to abuse and corruption.
“If you’re going to adopt
this ordinance, do it,”
Wynn said. “But please,
don’t package it up as
promoting historic preservation.
It doesn’t and you
know it.”
Village President Kathleen
O’Hara strongly refuted
Wynn’s claims. She
said the proposed changes
avoid “needless litigation
and its costs by amending
the code to more accurately
match the village’s
consistent past practices
in managing demolition
departments and landmark
applications.”
The Historic Preservation
Ordinance was adopted
in 2001, as an amendment
to the Lake Bluff
Municipal Code, to provide
a set of regulations
for the designation and
protection of landmarks in
the village.
Since then, the ordinance
has been amended
several times.
“The village administrator
has stated during public
meetings on more than
one occasion that the staff
would bring clarifications
to the historic preservation
regulations, and that is exactly
what this ordinance
is trying to clean up,”
O’Hara said.
Village Attorney Peter
Join us Monday
Friedman agreed, pointing
out the proposed changes
do not provide the village
building commission with
total discretion, but allows
for a more efficient process
that doesn’t require
an ordinance.
With regards to the demolition
letter of intent,
Friedman said it would
weed out unrealistic and
unnecessary information
currently required in the
demolition process, and
would still trigger the advisory
review period as
early as possible so that
the building could be nominated
for landmarking —
which happened for the
building at 419 E. Prospect
Ave.
“That is the maximum
amount of historic preservation
protection that is
in the code today. And the
village did that,” Friedman
said.
Despite pushback from
the public, the board unanimously
approved the first
reading of the ordinance
amending the Lake Bluff
Municipal Code regarding
historic preservation.
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