Urbana Development and Deans

A future development of townhomes from Monday's Urbana City Council meeting got a mention today. More specific information from the meeting agenda supplementals here. (full meeting information here with specific video for these resolutions 017 and 018 here). From the News-Gazette's coverage of the Urbana City Council meeting:

Urbana council OKs code tweaks for development in northwest
The city council approved some code tweaks that pave the way for a new townhome-style development.

The decision changes zoning and city comprehensive plan designations for 12 parcels on the northwest side of Urbana.

Aaron Ammons, one of two aldermen to vote against the measure, represents the ward where the townhomes are being pitched. He said they wouldn’t be an option for families looking for affordable housing.

“This is a residential area where families live currently,” Ammons said. “A development of this sort that doesn’t consider actual people living in this area is problematic for me.”

Some council members were torn over the decision.

“I want families to afford to live in any property but we can’t discriminate against students,” Maryalice Wu said. “(Students) have a right to good housing that’s different and not a 10-story high rise.”

Alderman Dennis Roberts asked Doornbos to reimagine his design plan with the council’s suggestions and concerns in mind.

“I think it’s important to bring this (development) into the public and make it into a community where property taxes can support city infrastructure services,” Roberts said. “It is an issue with a balance between affordability and a handsome development. It’d be good if you made some of this really truly family-oriented rather than apartment/ student-oriented.”

And from the Urbana School Board meeting. Full article here (link will be updated):

Ditching deans would be bad idea, board told
At the Urbana School Board meeting there were concerns about a plan to eliminate dean positions without seeking more public and staff input. There was also concern that new positions would be filled by uncertified staff.
Ditching deans would be bad idea, board told
Tuesday night’s Urbana school board meeting was standing-room-only, as members of the public and district employees came to discuss a controversial plan proposed by district officials earlier this week.

Educators told board members they felt blind-sided when, during a staff meeting Monday, it was announced that the district plans to eliminate its deans at Urbana High School, as well as overhaul the district’s disciplinary system.
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Among other items, the board also has been asked to consider approving $560,000 worth of working cash projects at the March 13 board meeting. These projects include a pool pack HVAC system for the aquatic center, as well as a gym floor replacement at the high school and the resurfacing of the athletic complex’s track. Action items the board approved Tuesday included the renewal of the district’s print shop management and operational services contract at the district’s current rate of $8,859 per month, as well as entering a five-year lease with RK Dixon to get new copier equipment across the district at a rate of $7,210 per month.