LAKEFRONT REVOLT IN ROGERS PARK

Alderman Joe Moore may have just killed his political career. Summary: A privately owned school, just a few yards from the lake on a quiet cul de sac in Rogers Park, is scheduled to be demolished at any moment. We don't know when. It could happen Monday, it could happen weeks from now. The demolition, sanctioned by Moore, violates at least two city rules, including the Lakefront Protection Ordinance. Even Moore's previously most faithful followers are very upset. At a meeting this morning, many of his most loyal supporters were upset with him for selling out the interests of the lakefront for a few dollars more. There is strong resistance. Moore's challenger in the April 2007 run off election, Don Gordon, plans to deliver a formal challenge to the City of Chicago on Monday morning. He and others hope to at least delay, if not stop, the demolition. STAY TUNED. ADDENDUM: Don Gordon sent this email out to dozens of local residents on Friday evening, March 7: Just to emphasize the irony in all of this, our Alderman serves on the... Committee on Historical Landmark Preservation(The Committee on Historical Landmark Preservation shall have jurisdiction over designation, maintenance and preservation of historical and architectural landmarks. The Committee shall work in cooperation with those public and private organizations similarly engaged.) Chairman: Anthony Beale Vice-Chairmen: Vi Daley Members: Flores, Dowell, Preckwinkle, Foulkes, Thompson, Rugai, Brookins, Colon, Doherty, M. Smith, Moore, Stone How many buildings can we lose before Rogers Park's history is forever lost to the bulldozers of developers given passes by our elected officials? The rush to demolish historical buildings, landmarks or otherwise, puts our cultural heritage at stake and benefits no one but those few who profit by their destruction. One more tidbit here regarding the North Shore School... The letter that went out from Alderman Moore's office last year for the meeting on the school is as follows (my underlining): From: "Joe Moore" <ward49@... Date: Sat, 07 Jul 2007 05:26:42 +1000 Subject: Community Meeting Announcement Wednesday, July 11th, 7 p.m. 49th Ward Service Office, 7356 N. Greenview RE: 1217 W. Chase (site of the former North Shore School) Parking lot (no zoning relief required) Swanette Triem and her architect will present plans to demolish the former North Shore School building at 1217 W. Chase and construct a landscaped parking lot for use of the residents who live in her apartment building immediately to the west of the property. The lot is zoned RT-4. Parking lots are permitted under residential zoning classifications. North Shore School closed last year, and no other school has expressed an interest in the site. The Chicago Landmarks Commission reports the building is not architecturally significant and is not included on any protected building list. The provisions of the Lakefront Protection Ordinance do not apply since no new building is being constructed. Very truly yours, Joe Moore I'm not sure where he's getting that interpretation, but the ordinance (my underlining again) specifies in Section 16-4-150 (Approval Required - Exemptions)... It shall be unlawful for any physical change, whether temporary or permanent, public or private, to be undertaken... within the Lake Michigan and Chicago Lakefront Protection District... without first having secured the approval therefore from the Chicago Plan Commission as provided in Sections 16-4-100 through 16-4-140... The approval mentioned in 16-4-100 through 16-4-140 requires the completion of a 13 page application submitted to the Chicago Plan Commission, who in turn posts notice of a public hearing on the matter. Failing this, the recourse that the City has is detailed in Section 16-4-170 (Penalties Not Exclusive)... Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 160-40-160 hereof, in the event any structure or building, landfill, excavation, impoundment, mining or drilling has been undertaken in violation of this chapter, the City of Chicago may institute appropriate legal equitable proceedings to prevent the completion or maintenance of said unlawful undertaking. By the way, the "exemptions" listed in 16-4-150 which are exlcuded from seeking CPC approval are: 1. improvements adopted prior to the effective date of the ordinance 2. accessory buildings 3. repairs and rehabilitation which do not exceed 50 percent of the total cost of the replacement of the existing structure 4. additions which do not increase the site coverage or the height of the structure 5. residential structures containing not more than 3 dwelling units Demolition and parking lots are not exemptions. Don RELATED: Don Gordon Is Angry (3/9/08) Where's the Approval to Demolish North Shore School? What do we value? Here again, we face the destruction of a ...