Committee on Economic, Capital and Technology Development meeting, November 2, 2023
- When: Thu, Nov 2, 2023, 11:30 AM (Chicago time)
- Where: Room 201A, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 121 North LaSalle Street - Chicago, IL 60602
- Status: Scheduled & Published
- Committee: Committee on Economic, Capital and Technology Development
- Video: https://vimeo.com/showcase/8928495/video/880590809
- Transcript: full text (10,922 words, official captions)
Meeting notes
AI-written from the transcript. Speakers are inferred from cues in the recording, so treat names as estimates and check the video at the linked time.
The Committee on Economic, Capital and Technology Development, chaired by Alderperson Gilbert Villegas, held four required public hearings on special service areas. The hearings covered extending and expanding SSA 18 on North Halsted Street with a maximum rate increase from 0.55% to 0.65%, extending SSA 44 in Beverly and merging it with properties from SSA 64 along Walden Parkway, establishing SSA 61-2023 in Hyde Park to replace the expiring SSA 61, and extending SSA 69 along South Ashland Avenue in Auburn Gresham, each through tax year 2037 or for 15 years as described by planning staff. Business owners, property owners and service providers spoke mostly in support, citing cleaning, landscaping, events and facade programs, while one property owner opposed the SSA 44 expansion and tax increase and another speaker opposed SSAs generally. Alderpersons O'Shea, Yancy and Mosley spoke in support of the SSAs in their areas. The hearings were concluded without votes, and the committee briefly recessed during the day to accommodate a special City Council meeting.
Topics: special service areas, SSA 18, SSA 44, SSA 61, SSA 69, neighborhood business districts
Agenda items discussed
- 38:42 Public comment
- 45:38 Public hearing on extension, expansion and rate increase for Special Service Area 18 (North Halsted): discussed
- 55:32 Public hearing on extension and expansion of Special Service Area 44 (Beverly/Morgan Park): discussed
- 1:15:03 Public hearing on establishment of Special Service Area 61-2023 (Hyde Park): discussed
- 1:53:24 Public hearing on extension of Special Service Area 69 (Auburn Gresham, South Ashland): discussed
Alderpersons who spoke
- Gilbert Villegas (chair): Explained that the committee recessed to balance a special City Council meeting with the committee hearings. (1:34:06)
- Scott Waguespack (alderperson): Asked a property owner about the planters used in SSA 18 and described larger planters used in other SSAs in his area. (43:13)
- Matthew J. O'Shea (alderperson): Said the SSA 44 change combines two small SSAs to pool resources for Beverly small businesses and asked colleagues for support. (1:09:20)
- Desmon C. Yancy (alderperson): Said as a longtime Hyde Park resident he values the SSA's work and supports its reconstitution. (1:46:39)
- Ronnie L. Mosley (alderperson): Asked whether Rule 14 applied because he once interned at the Greater Auburn Gresham Development Corporation, and praised its SSA work. (2:11:49)