TribLocal Oak Park - 10 2 September 2010
TRIBLOCAL.COM
Local races kick off municipal election season OPRF football drops season opener to Glenbard North
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SEPTEMBER 2-8, 2010 | SPONSORED BY THE
Oak Park | River Forest | Forest Park
VOICE OF THE TOWN
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Two-flats could get easier to fix up in FP
By Nancy Gier
SPECIAL TO THE TRIBUNE
A proposed ordinance that would make it easier for owners of some two-flats to make home improvements is set to come before the Forest Park Village Board on Sept. 13. The changes affect two-flats in areas zoned for single-family residences. Forest Park is a 103-year-old community where residential growth during less-regulated eras inadvertently resulted in an uneven playing field among home owners. At issue is a time-consuming, costly three-step process that owners of some two-flats face when seeking to improve their property. According to Village Manager Tim Gillian, the issue stems from a 1998 change in zoning laws that stipulated that R1 zoning districts include only single-family residences. The problem is that many R1 neighborhoods were already home to two-flats. These two-flats, along with three-flats and coach houses, became legal, non-conforming residences under the 1998 changes. Owners of single-family homes need only go before the zoning board for a review to obtain a building permit to build a deck, for example. Residents wishing to similarly add to a legal, non-conforming two-flat must go before the zoning board not only for a review, but also must submit to a public hearing, and then a zoning board hearing, a
more complicated and costly process. “The proposed changes make it easier and streamlines the process,” Gillian explained. “While the proposed ordinance will benefit the residents, it will also benefit the community,” said Jo Ellen Charlton, planning consultant for Forest Park. “People will be able to more easily maintain their property.” The proposed changes were at least partially prompted by the current recession, Charlton said. Village officials hope that residents will more easily obtain financing and insurance when making home improvements, with the assurance that the changes are within zoning laws. According to Charlton, the village has over 3,000 residences, of which 19 percent have two units. Many two-flats located north of Madison Street are located in R2 zones and are not considered non-conforming. During building boom times, such as after World War II and more recently during the 1990s, families were able to build two-flats or convert single-family residences with no zoning restrictions. “Two-flats were permitted in large areas for many years,” Charlton said. “We don’t want to take away their rights. But these conversions created parking problems and
PLEASE SEE FIX, PAGE 3
Percy Julina Middle School math teachers Elizabeth Rogers, left, and Sharon Gunnell show students how to act when showing up for school.
TribLocal photo by Jim Jaworski
Oak Park schools look to get off on the right foot
By Jim Jaworski
TRIBLOCAL REPORTER
With Oak Park students back in school this week, District 97 teachers and officials are looking to reinforce good behavior habits to make the school year as smooth as possible. The teachers spent an hour and a half
Wednesday morning using the Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports program — referred to as PBIS by educators and students — to show students how they are expected to behave in class. Schools use the education strategy across the country. This is the second year the program is being
PLEASE SEE SCHOOLS, PAGE 4
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