Park Ridge aldermen write off $62K in tickets, OK new 7-Eleven

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Updated: March 11, 2012 8:19AM

Among actions taken by the Park Ridge City Council during a regular meeting Feb. 6, aldermen:

• approved a recommendation from Finance Director Allison Stutts to “write off” $61,654 worth of tickets for parking and non-moving violations that have been deemed uncollectible. Many of the fines cannot be collected because the contact name, address or license-plate number for the ticket is missing, Stutts said. In most cases this reportedly occurred after the tickets were sent to the company that handles citation payments for the city.

• approved a special-use permit allowing for the construction of a new 7-Eleven convenience store and gas station at the northeast corner of Higgins Road and Cumberland Avenue. An adjacent single-family home on Cumberland Avenue will be demolished, increasing the size of the site, which is currently home to a smaller 7-Eleven store and gas station.

• Approved on a first reading a map amendment to change the zoning of an office building at 111 S. Washington Ave. from R-5, multi-family residential, to B-1, retail and office. A final vote is expected Feb. 20.

The zoning change is required in order for new dental offices to open inside the existing building, the city said. The property, once zoned for office use, had been rezoned for multi-family buildings in 2007 when a condominium development was proposed for the area. At the Feb. 6 City Council meeting, two nearby residents objected to changing the zoning to B-1, expressing concerns that other surrounding properties would be rezoned for business uses, as well. Two vacant, former office buildings now occupy two other properties that had been part of the failed condominium plan, and Whole Foods has proposed constructing a grocery store on those sites. Emails expressing opposition to Whole Foods have been circulating among residents, but the project has not yet gone before the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission.

• approved a special-use permit for a personal-services establishment to open on the ground floor of 147 Vine Ave. The owner of the long-vacant building, once home to Brickton Art Center, is looking to rent half of the space to a hair salon.

• approved on a first reading the rezoning of Resurrection Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, 1001 N. Greenwood Ave., from R-2, single-family residential, to R-4, multi-family residential. The rezoning is necessary as nursing homes are allowed as permitted uses in an R-4 district, according to the city. A final vote is expected Feb. 20. The nursing facility is also looking to construct a new vestibule on the northeast side of the building.

• approved quarterly payments of $24,750 to Center of Concern, $2,970 to Maine Center for Mental Health and $3,168 to Meals on Wheels. Fifth Ward Alderman Dan Knight voted against the motion and 1st Ward Alderman Joe Sweeney was not present for the vote.

• authorized the city to enter into a contract with Resource Management Associates for fire-lieutenant and battalion-chief promotional testing at a cost of $12,534.

• authorized three-year software-licensing with Microsoft/CDW Government, Inc., at a cost of $62,176.

• authorized Leyden Township to provide additional mosquito abatement within the area of Park Ridge that is located in Leyden Township, should additional sprays be required. Normally abatement takes place four times a year, according to the city. If additional mosquito abatement is needed the city will be required to pay $636 in 2012 and $656 in 2013.