The Lake Bluff Letter - March 17, 2023

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Snowy Ravine Park. Taken by Luciana Tytenicz. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.

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Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers

The Village Board has now approved a May 15 - September 30 seasonal ban on the use of gas-powered leaf blowers. This action follows the Village's participation in a Regional Leaf Blower Working Group formed in late 2021 to study the impacts of gas-powered leaf blowers, alternative technologies and how communities could mitigate the impacts of this equipment.

To ensure a balanced and thoughtful report, the Working Group was comprised of elected officials, appointed officials (i.e. Sustainability Commission members), professional municipal staff (municipalities and park districts), and representatives of the landscape industry.

You can view the working group's final report released in December 2022 by clicking here. If you don't perform you own lawn maintenance, talk to your contractor about this new regulation.

Stormwater Utility Fee

Following more than 2 years of study and public engagement, the Village Board of Trustees has determined it is necessary to impose a stormwater utility fee upon users of the stormwater system in order to provide an effective and long-term approach to stormwater management within the Village and to provide an equitable, efficient, certain and neutral revenue stream for the construction, maintenance, operation and improvement of the stormwater system.

After including public comments received to date, the Village Board approved the first reading of a draft ordinance at the Monday, March 13 meeting. To allow time for more public comment, finalize communication plans and to hear from local institutions and commercial businesses, the Village Board will hold off on a second reading of this ordinance for a minimum of 30 days. The draft ordinance includes an effective date of July 1, 2023.

More information about the stormwater utility fee can be found on the Village's website.

Village and Community Updates

LIBRARY BOOK DROP CLOSED. In February, the access door to the drive-up book drop at the Lake Bluf Library broke. Staff are currently unable to open the access door to retrieve items. Because of this, the drive-up book drop is currently closed. For more information, click here.

LFHS DISTRICT 115 REFERENDUM. The Lake Forest Community High School District 115 Board of Education is pursuing a $105.7 million referendum on the April 4, 2023 Lake County election ballot. Join School District 115 tomorrow, March 18, 2023, for a referendum information session with Superintendent, Dr. Matthew L. Montogomery, and his team, in addition to tours led by current LFHS students and staff. The event will begin at 10:30 a.m. and will be held at Lake Forest High School (1285 N. McKinley Rd. Lake Forest, IL). For more information, click here.

WINTER PARKING REMINDER. Please move your vehicles off the street to help clear snow and ice from Lake Bluff roads. As a reminder, parking is currently prohibited on Village streets between 1 a.m. and 7 a.m. every night (November 15th-April 1th) or after a two-inch snowfall until snow removal is complete.

100 YEARS YOUNG. ‍In collarboration with the Lake Bluff History Museum, Lake Bluff School District 65 is planning a centennial celebration of the community's 1^st elected school board in 1923. To honor this occasion and to help celebrate the history of public schools in Lake Bluff, the district is asking former teachers, students, administrators, board members, and community members to email stories (written, photo, audio) about District 65 to 65stories@lb65.org.

‍Board and Committee Actions

For more information, visit the Village's meeting packets and videos page. Agendas and meeting materials are typically available the Friday before a meeting; videos within a week after the meeting; and minutes after they are approved at the next meeting of the public body. Not all meetings are recorded on video. Click here for details on how to participate remotely.

Recent Finance Committee meting (March 13, 5:30 p.m.). The Finance Committee reviewed:

• The Water Operating Budget and Rate Analysis.
• The Vehicle Equipment Replacement Fund.
• The Village Pay Plan.

Recent Village Board meeting (March 13, 7 p.m.). The Village Board:

• Amended a professional services agreement with William A. Schelhas for services relating to the recording and broadcasting of public meetings.
• Discussed the purchase and a service agreement with Flock Group, Inc. for a fixed license plate recognition (LPR) camera system (tabled to April 10, 2023).
• Authorized the execution of a 3-year contract with TGF Enterprises, Inc. for public facility landscape maintenance.
• Approved second reading of an ordinance amending the Lake Bluff Municipal Code regarding the use of gas-powered leaf blowers.
• Approved first reading of an ordinance that would ammend Title 8 of the Lake Bluff Municipal Code to impose a stormwater utility fee.
• Approved a professional engineering services agreement with Christopher B. Burke Engineering LTD (stormwater).

Recent Joint Plan Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals (PCZBA) meeting (March 15, 7 p.m.). The PCZBA:

• Recommended approval to amend the Zoning Regulations to incentivize locally landmarked properties to the Village Board.

Upcoming Sustainability and Community Enhancement Ad Hoc Committee (SEC) meeting (Tuesday, March 21, 7 p.m.).  The SEC will:

• Receive a project update from Lake Bluff Open Lands Association (LBOLA) regarding Buckthorn clearance along Route 176.
• Receive a project update from Central Lake County Joint Action Water Agency Landscape Plan Update (CLCJAWA) regarding the development of their Landscape Plan.
• Hold a high-level discussion regarding a lighting ordinance purpose statement.

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‍Email: vlb@lakebluff.org | Web: lakebluff.org | Phone: (847) 234-0774

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