SUMMARY OF MYAC PLANNING & ZONING HEARINGS
Congrats FHFS Supporters for SHOWING UP BIG!
Overview of the June 18 Zoning Hearing:
- 150-200+ citizens showed up!
- The line to speak was long and filled mostly with Fort Sheridan homeowners, Highwood residents and experts.
- After the public comments were complete, MYAC's lawyer answered some questions as well as Dr. Dennis, the founder of MYAC.
- The board then deliberated if the MYAC submitted plan met all the rules of a rezoning request.
- The board voted 8 to 1 rejecting the proposal for rezoning!
- However, P&Z is a recommending body, NOT a final deciding body. So please attend the City Council meeting for its final decision vote on July 15, 6pm, Highwood Rec Center. JOIN US THERE!
Overview of the May 21 Zoning Hearing:
- 300-400+ citizens showed up! It was standing room only. Congratulations! Let’s be proud.
- A request for a show of hands demonstrated OVERWHELMING objection to the rezoning among attendees.
- MYAC presented their plans from 6:00pm-7:45pm. Speakers included two representatives from MYAC, founder Allan Dennis and Board Chair Martha Arroyo, and a series of paid consultants, including their law firm attorney counsel (and meeting moderator) and specialists in the areas of architecture, traffic, stormwater/drainage and land use. MYAC’s presentation is on their website if interested.
- Public Comments began at approximately 7:45pm, and were stopped at 10:30pm, yet many still wanted to speak. The meeting was adjourned to June 18 (see above for summary)
- Friends of Historic Fort Sheridan had numerous speakers addressing a range of issues including:
- Highwood is in a growth spurt! 5-6 high density projects are in development that will result in increases in population and congestion by a sizeable guestimate of +/-15% (e.g., NiteNGale and on Buffo’s lot will each be 5-6 story hi-rise mixed use buildings, 2 townhome developments in discussion, etc.)
- MYAC’s proposal carries a myriad of risks with little to no tangible benefits to the city of Highwood, nor its residents/kids, schools, library, parks, etc.
- Highwood’s Comprehensive Plan supports the 4 acres as residential in numerous areas Comprehensive Plan adopted 2013 (PDF)
- Legal Code issues and parking shortfalls were highlighted
- Engineering insights detailed shortfalls in areas of traffic, parking, use of plastic grass pavers, plus stormwater/drainage/flooding concerns
- Financial challenges facing today’s performing arts centers (locally and nationally) and waning public interest in the classical music genre were highlighted
- A resulting dependency of performance arts centers on municipal support was shown, as well as an overview of MYAC’s financial status, via Pro Publica published data
- Emergency service threats to the HP/HW area were discussed, due to Highwood’s growth surge and the increased traffic attributable to the proposed MYAC facility
THANK YOU!
- To each of you who have participated in this process in any form, we thank you.
- To all of you who have presented and spoken, we thank you! Your intelligence, thoughtful speaking points and caring shines!
- To each of you who have helped fund our efforts (yes, it's costly), we thank you and welcome more of you. Go to link below or to donate section of our website.
- It takes a village and you are the village and we are lucky to live amongst such community-minded individuals.
STAY ALERT & STAY WITH US! SHOW UP! STAND UP! SPEAK UP! Til the end.
About Friends of Historic Fort Sheridan
Friends of Historic Fort Sheridan (FHFS) is a passionate community-driven organization dedicated to preserving the integrity of Fort Sheridan’s National Historic Landmark District (NHLD) residential neighborhood, and protecting our nearby at-risk neighbors in Highwood, Highland Park and Lake Forest. We are standing firm against a proposed zoning change that threatens to commercialize a cherished national landmark designated neighborhood and residential community with an oversized, disruptive year-round tax-free entertainment venue.
Historic Preservation
Traffic and Congestion
Traffic and Congestion
As the home of a National Historic Landmark District (NHLD) designated neighborhood, Highwood and Highland Park are exceptional among cities in the US. As a former essential and active military base, Fort Sheridan represents a vital part of our nation’s heritage. Highwood, Highland Park and Lake Forest, and Fort Sheridan in particular,
As the home of a National Historic Landmark District (NHLD) designated neighborhood, Highwood and Highland Park are exceptional among cities in the US. As a former essential and active military base, Fort Sheridan represents a vital part of our nation’s heritage. Highwood, Highland Park and Lake Forest, and Fort Sheridan in particular, are also unique to have incorporated a vast array of protected open lands, now managed by the Lake County Forest Preserves.
The NHLD designation requires that Fort Sheridan’s buildings, landscaping, painting and lighting must adhere to strict policies to maintain the historical flavor and setting unique to this community, and "dramatic or negative change to [NHLDs] can impact their integrity and create cause for concern over the loss of NHLD designation ."[3]
MYAC’s proposed oversized development threatens the integrity of this historic site and undermines the essence of what makes Fort Sheridan special. FHFS is determined to protect this irreplaceable landmark and the protected open lands from a project that prioritizes commercialization over preservation.
[3] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Historic_Landmark_District#cite_note-Marshall-2]
Traffic and Congestion
Traffic and Congestion
Traffic and Congestion
Highwood is a vibrant 1-square mile town filled with restaurants, bars, businesses and several residential areas. Highwood traffic can also be congested as its main streets are single lane roads. The city is in a growth spurt with numerous high-density development plans underway, including several for downtown Highwood, plus others near t
Highwood is a vibrant 1-square mile town filled with restaurants, bars, businesses and several residential areas. Highwood traffic can also be congested as its main streets are single lane roads. The city is in a growth spurt with numerous high-density development plans underway, including several for downtown Highwood, plus others near the lake shore. These new developments will bring hundreds more residents, visitors and cars to the area causing daily increased traffic and congestion.
For the proposed MYAC entertainment venue to be financially viable, the facility will need to host frequent performances and events year-round to supplement the limited schedule needed for their student body. A 700-plus seat theatre will bring thousands of additional cars on a weekly basis to the area.
Highwood streets and neighboring streets throughout Highland Park and Lake Forest that are regularly used as access to and from Route 41 and beyond, or north/south bound. Ask any resident from these three communities -- they will agree.
No traffic study has considered the ramifications and impact of MYAC’s added traffic on all thoroughfare streets, or the potential impact on Highwood residents or its businesses, nor the impact on safety and access for essential services.
For Fort Sheridan residents, families in military housing, and military personnel at the active Philip Sheridan Reserve Center, there are only three ingress/egress points to access the Fort. This poses many inconveniences, security and safety issues, to these individuals, visitors, essential services, as well as businesses in the area.
The reality is that drivers will find many alternate ways to reach the venue and will seek nearby parking on resident streets or in neighborhood business parking lots.
Parking
Traffic and Congestion
Safety and Security
MYAC’s plan includes 271 parking spaces allotted for 728 guests. Of the proposed 271 parking spaces, 122 are open field/green space “land-banked” parking which creates drainage issues per engineer consults, and additional problems in inclement weather.
From the MYAC renderings it's hard to appreciate the size of a 271-car parking lot.
MYAC’s plan includes 271 parking spaces allotted for 728 guests. Of the proposed 271 parking spaces, 122 are open field/green space “land-banked” parking which creates drainage issues per engineer consults, and additional problems in inclement weather.
From the MYAC renderings it's hard to appreciate the size of a 271-car parking lot. Click here to see a real-world example of a similar parking lot to the one proposed.
Safety and Security
Reasonable vs. Illogical Zoning
Safety and Security
A large entertainment venue that draws hundreds or thousands of visitors weekly, with events ending late into the night, poses new risks to public health and safety of immediate and surrounding neighborhoods.
Footprint
Reasonable vs. Illogical Zoning
Reasonable vs. Illogical Zoning
The proposed 728-seat commercial entertainment venue is twice the size of Gorton Center, triple the size of the largest stage of Writer’s Theater, and slightly smaller than Skokie’s NorthShore Performing Arts Center.
Reasonable vs. Illogical Zoning
Reasonable vs. Illogical Zoning
Reasonable vs. Illogical Zoning
MYAC’s rezoning petition is focused on four (4) acres currently zoned “residential.” They seek to rezone the land “commercial” with a special use designation – as a Planned Unit Development (PUD), enabling them to insert this commercial venue into a thoughtfully planned neighborhood with National Historic Landmark District status that is
MYAC’s rezoning petition is focused on four (4) acres currently zoned “residential.” They seek to rezone the land “commercial” with a special use designation – as a Planned Unit Development (PUD), enabling them to insert this commercial venue into a thoughtfully planned neighborhood with National Historic Landmark District status that is surrounded by pristine nature preserves and the Fort Sheridan National Cemetery.
No Monetary Benefits, No Tangible Benefits
No Monetary Benefits, No Tangible Benefits
No Monetary Benefits, No Tangible Benefits
Today, the venue's proposed site is zoned “residential” and can accommodate up to 15 single family homes generating significant annual tax revenue for Highwood and its local schools/students, library, police, and infrastructure.
Rezoning to “commercial” and allowing a non-profit organization to build an entertainment venue will not genera
Today, the venue's proposed site is zoned “residential” and can accommodate up to 15 single family homes generating significant annual tax revenue for Highwood and its local schools/students, library, police, and infrastructure.
Rezoning to “commercial” and allowing a non-profit organization to build an entertainment venue will not generate income or tax revenue for Highwood. Which means, a tax-free commercial venue is lost revenue.
Tax revenue losses combined with diminished Fort Sheridan real estate values will negatively impact much-needed revenue to offset increases in demand for city services and infrastructure.
Many Questions, Unknowns & Risks
No Monetary Benefits, No Tangible Benefits
No Monetary Benefits, No Tangible Benefits
Q: Where will the money come from to build an expensive and specialized performing arts center? We don’t need another idle building sitting vacant for years in our neighborhoods.
(No funding or financial plan has been provided.)
Q: What are the chances this project is completed?
(Industry reports cite that specialty performing arts center
Q: Where will the money come from to build an expensive and specialized performing arts center? We don’t need another idle building sitting vacant for years in our neighborhoods.
(No funding or financial plan has been provided.)
Q: What are the chances this project is completed?
(Industry reports cite that specialty performing arts centers like this “acoustically perfect” planned design often run far over cost and far longer in development than planned.)
Q: What is the future of this venue as a non-profit and what will be modified to make it survive?
(Revenue trends in most sectors of the performing arts industry report a downward slide over the next 5 years – including across several distinct product lines including, but not limited to, classical and orchestral music.)
Q: Who will buy/take over this non-profit and maintain its overhead and usage frequency?
(In the not-too-distant future, there will be an inevitable change in ownership of MYAC due to owner succession plans.)
Q: How will this entertainment venue be managed and maintained?
(With no venue management experience, rentals will likely be run by a 3rd party vendor as is typical for many performance art centers (e.g., VenuWorks at North Shore Center). And if MYAC takes this on themselves, they have no experience in this area.
Q: With all these challenges, what is the likely future of this commercial entertainment venue?
See The Facts
No Monetary Benefits, No Tangible Benefits
See The Facts
Download the Fact Sheet for sharing
How You Can Help
Send A Letter NOW! It Matters!
City Managers receive and read citizen letters which are included in project review packets provided to all members of the Planning & Zoning Board. Make sure your voice is heard! The more letters the better!!!
- Send a letter to the City of Highwood expressing your objection to MYAC’s rezoning proposal.
- Request that the City of Highwood’s Planning & Zoning Commission and City Council denies MYAC’s request for a zoning change from 4 “residential” acres to “commercial.”
- Ask that your “Public Comments” (the formal/legal name for your letter) be submitted into the “Public Record” and “be forwarded to the Planning & Zoning Committee.”
- Email your letter to Highwood City Manager, Scott Coren. Also copy Mayor Charlie Pecaro and all 6 of Highwood’s City Council/Alderman. All are listed below, and a sample letter follows.
Highwood Officials
- Scott Coren - City Manager - scoren@cityofhighwood.org
- Charlie Pecaro - Mayor - cpecaro@cityofhighwood.org
- Eric Falberg - Alderman - efalberg@cityofhighwood.org
- Mike Fiore - Alderman - mfiore@cityofhighwood.org
- James Hospodarsky - Alderman - jhospodarsky@cityofhighwood.org
- James Levi - Alderman - Jlevi@cityofhighwood.org
- Andy Peterson - Alderman - apeterson@cityofhighwood.org
- M. Brad Slavin - Alderman - mbradslavin@cityofhighwood.org
- Krista Hanson - khanson@cityofhighwood.org
- Robyn Bauer - Rbauer@cityofhighwood.org
- George Markoutsas - Gmarkoutsas@cityofhighwood.org
Contribute to Friends of Historic Fort Sheridan
Help us preserve this historic treasure and the surrounding neighborhoods. The funds will be used for legal representation, subject experts, communications with community and any necessary studies. Your support will allow FHFS to fight this development and protect the Fort for generations to come.
3 Ways to Donate!
Donate via Zelle (Best option for us for no fees)
Donate via Paypal (Can use a credit card and no account sign up necessary)
Send a check to Friends Of Historic Fort Sheridan, PO Box 25, Highwood, IL 60040
