HomeMy WebLinkAboutPLAN COMMISSION - 01/22/1986 - CONGREGATE SENIOR HOUSING (2) • Minutes
BIR GR0VE VILUM PLAN CGOWSSIdB
Date: Wednesday, January 22, 1986
Location: Council Chamber
Municipal Building
901 Wellington Avenue
The meeting was called to order at 8:18 p.m. by Acting Chairman
Cummins.
Members Present: Members Absent:
John GIass, Chairman None
Leah Cummins, Secretary
Clark Fulton
Fred Geinosky
George Mullen
Orrin Stangeland
David Paliganoff
Staff Present:
Tom Rettenbacher, Building Commissioner
Robin Weaver, Administrative Assistant
John Coakley, Administrative Intern
• Nancy Yiannias, Health Coordinator
Lynette Swanson, Community Service Coordinator
Others:
Approximately 26 members of the audience including:
Karen Wirth, Housing Commission Chairperson
Cathy Duoba, Housing Commission Member
Suzanne Miller, Housing Commission Member
Pat McHale, Board of Health Chairperson
Pat Bourke, Board of Health Member
Mary Paliganoff, Community Service Board Member
Ruth Guest, Community Service Board Member
Sid Miller, resident
Frank and Concetta Greco, current owners of
Huntington Square property
Judson Stone, Executive Director, Elk Grove/Schaumburg
Townships Mental Health Center
Ivan Polanski, Alexian Brothers Medical Center
Board of Trustees
Bob Lux, representing Huntington Square
Jack Schleismann, Huntington Square
Jayne Matt, Huntington Square
Michael Lerner, Huntington Square
Veronica Vady, resident of Village Grove Apartments
Nanci Vanderweel, resident
•
Plan Commission Minutes - 2 - January 22, 1986
• Congregate Senior Housing
Acting Chairman Cummins stated that this would be an informal
meeting. She requested input on the topic of congregate senior
housing.
Board of Health Chairperson, Pat McHale, raised concerns
regarding possible problems that might be created by a large
concentration of elderly people. She stated that she is not opposed
to the idea of senior congregate housing, but that guidelines were
needed. She mentioned the possibility of the Village conducting a
community impact study.
Pat Bourke, also from the Board of Health, expressed a concern
that congregate housing would have high demands on Village services
and area-wide services for senior citizens. She stated that she
is in favor of additional housing for senior citizens.
(8:30 p.m. : John Glass arrived.)
Lynette Swanson, Community Service Coordinator, stated her
concern that there would be increased demand for senior counseling
services for the elderly. She inquired about service impacts on
other communities with senior congregate housing because the
population living in the Huntington Square proposed development
would be more affluent, that perhaps they could also afford
private care if needed later. She further stressed the importance
of the management of senior congregate housing to assist in
• smoothing the possible transition if residents had to relocate
due to financial or medical reasons.
Judson Stone, Executive Director of the Elk Grove/Schaumburg
Townships Mental Health Center, stated that 25% of the senior
population will need counseling aid. He recommended that the
many and varied social service agencies should work together to
plan for the needs of senior congregate developments. The
developers should form partnerships with social service agencies,
he stated.
Jack Shepard, architech, stated that his firm has been involved
with the development of several senior congregate housing projects,
including Friendship Village in Schaumburg and Beacon Hill in
Lombard. He stated that the quality of life and services provided
makes this type of housing different than other senior citizen housing.
The average age of residents is 75 years old and 25% of these people
will need health care at some point. The average stay is 13 years.
About 5% of this 25% will not return to independent living status.
One of the most important aspects of congregate housing is the
sense of responsibility given to the residents. The residents of
this housing would not be new to the community but would mostly
come from within the Village area or be relatives of area residents.
Michael Lerner, developer for the Huntington Square proposal,
stressed the need in Elk Grove for all types of senior citizen
housing. He stressed the importance of the various amenities
offered by senior congregate housing.
• Chairman Glass stated that the text amendment would set
minimum standards for what would be necessary. The basic concept,
Plan Commission Minutes - 3 - January 22, 1986
•
Congregate Senior Rousing (continued)
however, is to create more housing for senior citizens.
Cathy Duoba, Rousing Commission member, suggested the definition
of senior congregate housing from the Orland Park draft ordinance.
Mr. Lerner and Mr. Shepherd stated that the definition was
acceptable to them. It is:
"Congregate housing facilities for the elderly are
limited for purposes of this ordinance to multiple
unit housing designed as a planned, coordinated
development that caters to the special needs of
older people who are capable of independent living
yet need certain facilities and services available
on site to compensate for declining mobility,
perception and cognition. (Typically, no continuous
on-site medical care is provided.)"
Ivan Polanski, Director of Marketing and Planning for Alexian
Brothers Medical Center, discussed the need for a community
service impact study. He stated that ABMC would offer their
experience and assist in financing this study if funding could
not be found elsewhere.
(9:50 p.m. : ten minute recess. )
• Ruth Guest, Resident Manager of the Village Grove Apartments,
stated that the minimum annual income level of $20,000 (suggested
by Mr. Lerner) would not suffice to support a senior citizen on
the proposed development. She further stated that when the Village
Grove was built, there was not as great a demand on Village services
as exists today due to the age of the residents.
Karen Wirth, Rousing Commission Chairman, expressed concern
that the Village would not be able to enforce regulations about
amenities once the congregate housing was operational.
Chairman Glass suggested the possibility of a joint meeting
with the Village Board to discuss senior congregate housing. The
Board could then decide whether or not to have an impact study
and/or establish a task force.
Nanci Vanderweel stated that when the Village Grove apartments
were built, the Village had no idea that it would fill up so
quickly. She said an impact study should be recommended by the
Plan Commission to the Village Board.
Fred Geinosky remarked that due to all of the issues and
unanswered questions involved, the Plan Commission should avoid
jumping to a decision. He suggested waiting until more research
could be done.
Mr. 'Lerner said that Coopers and Lybrand had done a study for
Huntington Square that may be of help to the Plan Commission.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:43 p.m.
• Res ctively submitted by:
M. Coakley
ms Administrative Intern