An eleventh-hour amendment to add eight parking spots to River Forest School District 90’s Roosevelt Exterior Plan may not be enough to persuade River Forest’s Development Review Board to recommend the plan to the Village Board.
“I know it’s a compromise, but I don’t really see it as a functional one,” said review board member Mary Ann Fishman.
The review board delayed a vote on the revised plan until after village fire officials have an opportunity to look it over. A vote on the plan as expected in a hearing 7:30 p.m. Feb. 19, at Willard Elementary School, 1250 Ashland Ave. This will be the sixth hearing date for an issue that originally was scheduled for two, with all other village projects remaining in limbo until the review board makes a recommendation.
The plan’s controversy hinges upon District 90’s proposal to eliminate or reduce parking in a lot to the north of Roosevelt Middle School — a small, often-crowded lot that borders the River Forest Public Library and is often used by library patrons.
The review board has the option of approving the Roosevelt Exterior Plan as-is, recommending the plan except for the parking plan, or rejecting the entire plan.
“We’re the ones who are going to impose our conditions and recommendations and send them to the village, and if the School Board doesn’t like it, they might not get what they want,” said Development Review Board Chairman Frank Martin as members of his board shared their thoughts on the plan.
None of the review board members appeared to buy assertions made by District 90 officials and consultants that the plan to reduce public parking in the middle school’s north parking lot could be offset by the addition of eight spaces in a parking lot on Lathrop Avenue. Saved for teacher parking during the school day, those spaces on the east end of the Lathrop lot would replace previously planned landscaping.
Nine spots on the west side of the Lathrop lot would be available for public parking.
But Martin suggested the north lot remain dual use and that the Lathrop lot be used for teacher parking only. Several of his review board colleagues appeared intrigued by the possibility.
“I don’t know that the teachers are going to have to walk any farther,” he said.
None of the review board members also appeared persuaded by District 90’s assertions that a reduction in parking spaces or access was necessary for student, staff and visitor safety.
“You can have all these beautiful plans but I betcha these kids will cross through anyway unless you’ve got guards,” Martin said.
Of great concern to review board members was testimony from residents that reducing spaces in the north lot would push cars onto Lathrop and surrounding streets, causing more congestion there.
“I think we’re exacerbating the traffic issue by pushing that many more cars out onto the streets,” said review board member John Griffin. “You’re just kind of pushing the peas around the plate.”
Several review board members also appeared persuaded by the River Forest Public Library’s testimony that having fewer spots available to patrons during school hours would reduce visits, especially by families with young children.
“I don’t think this does the library any good. You have a lot of seniors in town who are opposed to it, and I think they have a point,” Griffin said.
Parking on the block isn’t an easy puzzle to solve, review board member Dennis McMahon said.
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“I think this is the worst-planned block in the western suburbs,” he said. “It gives us so few alternatives to deal with the issues it creates.”