Village of Glen Ellyn
Special Village Board Workshop
Downtown Strategic Plan
Monday, July 20, 2009, 6:30 p.m.
Galligan Board Room

1. Call to Order.
2. Roll Call.
3. Presentation by Downtown Advisory Committee Representatives, Town Builder Studios and Village Staff.
a. Introduction – Rinda Allison, DAC Chairperson
b. “Eras of Change” – Dan Anderson, DAC and Historical Society Member
c. Purpose of Plan – Jim Louthen, TBS President
d. Planning Process: Public Participation – Jim Louthen, TBS President
e. The Downtown Strategic Plan – Jim Louthen, TBS President
f. Downtown Advisory Committee Recommendations– Jim Louthen, TBS President
g. Next Steps – Staci Hulseberg, Planning and Development Director
4. Question, Answer and Comment Session with Village Board.
5. Question, Answer and Comment Session with General Public.
6. Adjourn.

Individuals with disabilities who plan to attend the meeting, or who have questions regarding the accessibility of the meeting or facilities, are requested to contact the Village at least 24 hours before the meeting.
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While I believe all of the residents who participated were well intentioned in offering their time and thoughts, I really do not believe that having a "greenway" through our town and removing all of the parking along the UPRR right of way is even a tiny part of the answer to our CBD problems.

I see the greenway is listed as a short term goal - number 2 after improved signage. But please, dear Village leaders, do not remove one commuter parking space until you have a new parking garage built.

The people utilizing these spots are hard-working taxpayers!! If anything, the lots provide a bit of a buffer from the tracks. Additionally, the location for the proposed parking structure is occupied by a local bank that recently completed a major addition. I can't imagine they are looking to vacate this location for a parking structure to provide a public greenway along where 180 trains (number from report) pass daily.

Below is the link to the report provided in one of the GE driveway papers.

Full Final Report

Unfortunately, I cannot be there tonight...but I would love for someone to ask one of these admittedly underpaid geniuses (I wouldn't have taken on this project for such a paltry sum) what the **** they were thinking or drinking when they came up with the great idea to lure families and their children down to one of the more lethal and dangerous rail lines in the State of Illinois in order to relax and enjoy themselves.

I have been teaching my boys for years to have respect for those tracks and stay the hell away from them. I must be an idiot.

I won't get too concerned about any of these proposed changes occurring, since it all requires a significant investment of $$$$$$.

There is just not enough of that to go around lately.

P.S. - Clamato, you are not an idiot for teaching your kids to respect the rails.

This was very funny!!

"Lots
Surface lots will be maintained on a regular basis and upgraded as needed. The visual impact of such lots
will be minimized with landscaping and special pavement designs."

quote:

Surface lots will be maintained on a regular basis and upgraded as needed. The visual impact of such lots
will be minimized with landscaping and special pavement designs."

Turf?

Lots of pretty words and pictures. While I wouldn't have chosen to spend $100 large for it, I guess it is not the worst waste of money I've heard of. Will be curious to hear what is to happen from here. Now that these visionaries have gottent this out of their systems, can we just toss these dreams in a drawer somewhere?

Does anyone seriously think there is a chance in hell of building either of these parking decks - either one N of the tracks blocking off Forest, or the other S where (I think) the bank currently is?

BTW - recently spoke with a Public Works employee who was quite amusing in their criticism of 2 of our most recent, albeit smaller scale, "improvements" - the Civic Center fountain and Volunteer Park. Described both of them as maintenance PITAs, serving little or no apparent function. Gee - who'da thunk?