Village of Northbrook Board of Trustees met Oct. 22.
Here is the minutes provided by the board:
1. ROLL CALL
| Attendee Name | Title | Status | Arrived |
| Sandra Frum | Village President | Present | |
| Kathryn Ciesla | Trustee | Present | |
| Bob Israel | Trustee | Present | |
| Muriel Collison | Trustee | Present | |
| Jason Han | Trustee | Present | |
| Heather Ross | Trustee | Present | |
| Johannah Hebl | Trustee | Present |
3. MINUTES APPROVAL
Board of Trustees - Regular Meeting - Sep 24, 2019 7:30 PM
RESULT: ACCEPTED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Jason Han, Trustee
SECONDER: Muriel Collison, Trustee
AYES: Frum, Ciesla, Israel, Collison, Han, Ross, Hebl
4. PUBLIC COMMENT TIME
Ing Wong, 2688 Lisa Court, Northbrook wanted to know if a decision will be given at the end of tonight’s meeting. President Frum responded that the Board cannot tell her now what the results are going to be, but she anticipates that the Board will make a decision tonight.
Gung Jo, Northbrook resident stated that in the area he resides, the east side of Northbrook, there are no public parks or recreational areas and would like the Board to consider this in their future plans. President Frum responded that the Board has nothing to do with parks, that is a totally separate body, the Park District handles this.
5. MANAGER'S REPORT
A. Introduction of Sustainable Fellow
This year’s budget included the Village’s participation in the Metro Mayor’s Caucus GRC Program; this program pairs individuals with a passion and background in sustainability with communities seeking to advance their sustainability efforts. We have now hired our Sustainability Fellow, Charmaine John.
6. WARRANT LIST
A. Review and Approval of Payments to be Made
rustee Ciesla Moved for the approval of Class A and B Warrants for September 16, 2019 through September 30, 2019 totaling $1,299,773.47 and October 1, 2019 through October 15, 2019 totaling $2,595,221.09. Frontage Deposit Refunds dated September 29, 2019 for $13,900.00 and Frontage Deposit Refunds dated October 14, 2019 for $20,900.00. Seconded. All in favor by roll call vote.
RESULT: ADOPTED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Kathryn Ciesla, Trustee
SECONDER: Bob Israel, Trustee
AYES: Frum, Ciesla, Israel, Collison, Han, Ross, Hebl
B. Review of Frontage Deposit List Dated September 29, 2019
RESULT: ADOPTED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Kathryn Ciesla, Trustee
SECONDER: Bob Israel, Trustee
AYES: Frum, Ciesla, Israel, Collison, Han, Ross, Hebl
C. Review and Approval of Payments to be Made
RESULT: ADOPTED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Kathryn Ciesla, Trustee
SECONDER: Bob Israel, Trustee
AYES: Frum, Ciesla, Israel, Collison, Han, Ross, Hebl
D. Review of Frontage Deposit List Dated October 14, 2019
RESULT: ADOPTED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Kathryn Ciesla, Trustee
SECONDER: Bob Israel, Trustee
AYES: Frum, Ciesla, Israel, Collison, Han, Ross, Hebl
7. PRESIDENT'S REPORT
A. PROCLAMATION:
World Polio Day
October 24th – World Polio Day – only two countries left that still have polio, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
B. Board Appointments
Kathryn Ciesla and Bob Israel to the Board of Local Improvements.
Jo Jo Hebl to be on the Emergency Telephone Systems Board.
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Muriel Collison, Trustee
SECONDER: Jason Han, Trustee
AYES: Frum, Ciesla, Israel, Collison, Han, Ross, Hebl
C. PROCLAMATION:
National UNICEF Collection Day
Proclamation for Unicef – Collection Day, October 31st
D. Green Moment
Marilyn Fish, Representative from Go Green gave a presentation on trees and their importance
for climate change.
8. CONSENT AGENDA
RESULT: ADOPTED [6 TO 0]
MOVER: Kathryn Ciesla, Trustee
SECONDER: Bob Israel, Trustee
AYES: Ciesla, Israel, Collison, Han, Ross, Hebl
ABSTAIN: Frum
A. RESOLUTION NO. 2019-133
A Resolution Approving an Agreement for HVAC Maintenance Services with Sherman Mechanical,
Inc. of Cary, Illinois
B. RESOLUTION NO. 2019-134
A Resolution Authorizing A Budget Amendment for the Private Property Drainage Cost Share
Program
C. RESOLUTION NO. 2019-135
A Resolution Authorizing the Purchase of Parkway Trees for the 2019 Fall Planting Program through the Suburban Tree Consortium
D. RESOLUTION NO. 2019-136
A Resolution Authorizing Renewal of an Agreement with Steiner Power Systems of Elk Grove Village, Illinois for Emergency Generator Maintenance and Repair Services
E. RESOLUTION NO. 2019-137
A Resolution Authorizing an Agreement with The Garland Company of Cleveland, Ohio for Replacement of the Terrace Roof at the Village Hall
F. RESOLUTION NO. 2019-138
A Resolution Approving an Agreement with Cargill Incorporated Salt Division of North Olmsted, Ohio for the Purchase of Rock Salt for the 2019/20 Winter Season and a Budget Amendment to Provide Sufficient Funds for the Purchase
G. RESOLUTION NO. 2019-139
A Resolution Approving the Purchase of End Point Protection Software from Nexum Inc.
H. RESOLUTION NO. 2019-140
A Resolution Approving the Renewal of Annual Software Support with ImageTrend Inc.
I. RESOLUTION NO. 2019-141
A Resolution Adopting the 2019 Cook County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan
J. RESOLUTION NO. 2019-147
A Resolutions Authorizing the Purchase of Dive Rescue Communications Equipment From Dive Right In Scuba-Psd
K. RESOLUTION NO. 2019-142
A Resolution Authorizing the Purchase of Board Room Chairs
L. RESOLUTION NO. 2019-143
A Resolution Approving a Final Plat of Subdivision (Northbrook Court Shopping Center – Docket No. PCD-19-14)
M. ORDINANCE NO. 2019-69
Ordinance Authorizing the Issuance of General Obligation Bonds, Series 2019 of the Village of Northbrook, Illinois
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Nothing to report.
9. FINANCE
None
10. PUBLIC WORKS
None
11. PLANNING/ZONING
A. ORDINANCE NO. 2019-70
An Ordinance Amending the Northbrook Zoning Code (1988) Regarding Cannabis Business Establishments
Attorney Elrod explained that this meeting of the legislative body of the Village of Northbrook is to consider a legislative action in the form of an Ordinance amending the Zoning Code. What this meeting is not, is a discussion or debate on the merits or demerits of the possession or use of recreational cannabis in the Village of Northbrook; that issue has already been legislated by the State of Illinois. Effective January 1, 2020, adult use of recreational cannabis will be lawful throughout the State of Illinois, including within the Village of Northbrook. The issue for tonight is a zoning matter and concerns the zoning regulations applicable to the retail sale of recreational cannabis in Northbrook. Those regulations can include a complete prohibition of the retail sale of recreational cannabis in the Village of Northbrook. This is not a discussion of a specific dispensary or a specific location. If zoning regulations are adopted by the Village Board, then any entity desiring to operate a retail dispensary for recreational cannabis at any approved location in the Village will still have to go through a separate zoning application and public hearing process. This is not a public hearing, rather this is a public meeting of the Village of Northbrook Board of Trustees. At a public hearing, the public is invited to speak, bring experts, make presentations, ask questions, to engage in debate, to address and cross examine witnesses. At a public meeting, the public is invited only to attend and observe the deliberations by the elected Board of Trustees. A zoning code amendment does require a public hearing, but this Village already held that public hearing pursuant to public notice by the Village’s Plan Commission as is required by the Village’s zoning code. President Frum and the Board will allow all those that are here tonight speak.
Tom Poupard reported that the Plan Commission held two public hearings on this matter and made their recommendations on October 1st. These recommendations are listed in the Board packet and can also be found online. The Plan Commission held their first hearing on August 20th and there were not many members of the public that attended the first hearing. The Plan Commission considered allowing dispensaries only within the commercial districts, of which there are five. After discussing this, they decided to exclude the C1 District, which is a unique zoning district in the downtown area along Shermer Road. There was also a review of approaches used in other communities and a discussion of how to treat medical cannabis dispensaries in light of the proposed recreational dispensary amendments. The second public hearing was held on September 17th and that was very well attended. Prior to the meeting, there was a petition submitted, an "Opt Out" petition. There were many signatures on that petition and a lot of citizens spoke both for and against it. The Plan Commission focused on allowing dispensaries by special permit in the C2-C5 Districts. The Commission wants a specific prohibition on any onsite consumption of any cannabis products, which would include the building as well as the parking lot. The Plan Commission recommended hours of operation that are more restrictive than the state law and suggested, 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. There was a lot of discussion about separation distances between different uses. Ultimately, they settled on a dispensary had to be separated by at least 500 feet from any school or daycare center in the Village or anywhere in the area. The Commission decided that medical cannabis facilities would be allowed in the O4 District but not recreational. Medical would also be allowed in the commercial district by special permit. The same special permit standards would apply to both. The Commission suggested that Cultivation Centers (Craft Growers) would only be allowed in I1 and I2 Districts, not appropriate in the ICS District. These businesses would not be allowed to have overstock sales.
President Frum then allowed public comments.
Katie Dahlia, Northbrook resident feels that Northbrook should be a progressive town and look towards the future and vote "yes" for this.
Jason Zhio, Northbrook resident, stated that he knows several high schoolers who went into the local vape shop who are under the age of 18, and no one stopped them from making purchases there. Even with restrictions, kids will find ways to bypass them and buy the items they want anyway. Even though marijuana will have stricter restrictions kids will find a way. If marijuana becomes available for retail in Northbrook, it will likely become a top consumed substance and will be open for widespread use by high schoolers. Marijuana facilities will ruin the reputation of Northbrook.
Tracy Liang, Northbrook, stated that just because the state legalized marijuana, Northbrook does not have to be in such a rush to have a facility located here. Today's marijuana is stronger than in years past and more addictive and needs extra caution. Current technology is not capable of determining if a driver is under the influence of marijuana. Traffic congestion and accidents will occur if this facility is opened at Dundee and Skokie.
Harry Den, resident and business owner in Northbrook, spoke against the opening of a marijuana store in Northbrook. The reason he moved here was for the school district. He questioned what would happen to the schools’ ranking if a marijuana store is opened here.
Ying Wong, Northbrook resident for nine years, asked the Board of Trustees not to rush into a decision. Do we have enough resources, police force, fire fighters and other public services to serve this dispensary? Can we handle the potential crime and community safety? Marijuana use by drivers is associated with significantly increased crash risks. Marijuana is a cash business and it will lure more crime in our neighborhoods.
Jia Wang, Northbrook resident for eight years, stated that he is disappointed that the voices from the general public have not been fully considered. He does not understand why a medical marijuana facility has a distance of 1,000 feet from a school or daycare and recreational will have a distance of 500 feet. To allow marijuana facilities within walking distance from our schools and our parks is unacceptable and should be voted on by the public.
Haitao Bi, Northbrook resident, stated that legalized marijuana in other states has not stamped out the black market sales of marijuana as previously expected. In California, elicit marijuana sales are projected to outpace legal pot sales in 2019 by a significant margin. In the United States, high tax rates are driving consumers to purchase black market marijuana. Urged the Board of Trustees to delay their decision to allow the opening of a retail marijuana store in Northbrook.
Gang Zhao, Northbrook resident, stated he would like to see Northbrook stay a nice safe neighborhood. Please consider the value of properties in Northbrook. He feels the public should have the opportunity to vote on this controversial issue.
Sheryl Zeideman, Northbrook, stated that years ago the Village had an opportunity to open a medical marijuana facility and they chose not to do that. We need to look at why. What is the message that we want to portray to anyone coming into Northbrook? The Plan Commission voted to have the hours for a cannabis facility 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and the liquor stores in town don't open until 10:00 a.m.
Andy Paticha, Northbrook resident, stated that he has been a long-time resident of Northbrook and he has seen the opportunities that have gone past us to generate tax dollars. This is a legal business. People are going to use this product, they are using it now. The question is where they are going to buy it from. He is in favor of a dispensary being located in Northbrook.
Jiner Lin Northbrook resident, stated that on behalf of his kids, he is asking that the Board 'Opt Out" of the marijuana dispensary to protect the children of Northbrook. Studies have shown that the easier access to marijuana, the more local use, especially for teenagers. The percentage of teenagers using marijuana since legalization has jumped from 20% to 40%. The number of teenagers sent to the emergency room with THC identified has more than tripled since legalization in Colorado. For the future of our kids, we need to stop this.
Daniel Behr, a Northbrook resident since 1996, stated that government should not be promoting or facilitating the access to non-medical marijuana to alter minds, especially teenagers and adults younger than 25 because the brain in still developing. This is just bad public policy. Kids are going to do it anyway is not a valid argument. Why make it easy?
Kathleen Zhou, Northbrook resident stated that bad friends can influence a good teenager. Why should we have the biggest marijuana store in Illinois? How can teens resist temptation when their friends think it is cool and will now be so easily accessible? She does not want people, when they think of Northbrook, to think about marijuana.
Connie Zhou, Northbrook resident and business owner in Northbrook, stated that she was disappointed to learn that this meeting was just about zoning. She thought it was a meeting to decide whether we were going to opt in or opt out. In Chicago's downtown, the magnificent mile, the best area in Chicago forbid cannabis sales, why did they do that? They wanted to keep the downtown area family friendly. Northbrook is doing so well financially we don't need this tax revenue from this type of business. Keep Northbrook family friendly. We should only allow medical cannabis for now and not consider recreational marijuana facilities until Chicago's downtown decides to do so.
Tong Chen, Northbrook resident for over twenty years, does not want a marijuana dispensary in Northbrook. She feels that the Plan Commissions regulations are a little loose. The distance limit from schools and daycare, 500 feet is too short. The operational hours, 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. she feels is too long, it should be 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. before it becomes dark. There should be a limit on the actual size of the dispensary. The distance limitation should also include parks, sports centers, and residential areas. We should not allow cannabis products to be sold, i.e., vaping products or products containing 30% or higher THC levels. The cannabis products need to have warning labels and warning signs need to be posted inside the store.
Youmin Xing, Northbrook resident for 19 years, stated that she is against a recreational cannabis facility opening in Northbrook. Northbrook is a family-oriented community. We cannot have Northbrook linked to this big cannabis center. The National Safety Council is urging employers to forbid workers in safety sensitive jobs from using cannabis, even when they are off the clock. U.S. Department of Transportation bars workers from using marijuana, studies show that it will impair driving. There is already a lot of traffic in Northbrook and incompetent drivers will impact road safety. The fact that cannabis is an all cash business can only increase the crime rate.
Lan Chen, Northbrook resident, stated that her stance is to wait and see when it comes to recreational marijuana. The pros are the potential for tax revenue, the chance for new business opportunities. The cons, more crime near dispensaries, greater police force expenses.
Patty Satkieincs, Northbrook resident stated she has teenagers and worries about them every day with the all the peer pressure and worries about the impact and implications of this marijuana store.
Hattie Stamer, Northbrook resident, stated that five years ago her and her husband decided to raise their children in Northbrook due to the family friendly environment, safety, and the great school district that Northbrook offers. She does not want her children to have easy direct access to marijuana. Having this type of business will attract the wrong crowd to our neighborhood. For those people who need marijuana for medical purposes, there are medical marijuana businesses available.
Joel Shapiro, Northbrook resident for almost 30 years and raised his family here. Everyone here tonight has said that Northbrook is a great place with great schools and facilities and one reason we have this is because we have a strong tax base. We have recently faced some real challenges with the retail market as have many other communities. We need to find additional sources of revenue and this is an additional source of revenue. The proposed location is in a unique spot. While it is part of the gateway, it is also away from a lot of the core residential and core business areas. It is surrounded by primarily office buildings.
Jessica Wayne, Northbrook resident for 8 years, believes strongly that we should opt out of having a marijuana business in Northbrook. We should act as a mirror for our children. We should behave in a way that reflects what we want for our community and our children. Making marijuana easily accessible in our community is not the message that we want to convey to our children about our values. If we do, they will think that using it is just fine. In fact, it is not. Legal does not mean harmless. Only 20% of high school students now view marijuana use as harmful, which is a 58% increase over twenty years. Legalization has created a greater acceptance in our society.
Lise Schleicher, Northbrook resident and business owner for 22 years, stated opting out of cannabis will not keep it out of our children's hands. Opting out will not keep cannabis off our streets, all it will do is guarantee that Northbrook will not receive any of the tax dollars generated from this proposed facility. She encouraged the Board to vote yes on this.
Sanford Schleicher, Northbrook resident, former Eagle Scout, Eagle Scout Master and father of two Eagle Scouts, stated cannabis exists in our community and adding a dispensary is not going to change that. If people are afraid of the black markets, how do you think your kids are getting it now? The people who have the biggest influence on their children as to whether they are going to use marijuana, cigarettes or alcohol is parents. It is the parent’s responsibility, not the Village Board.
David Telisman, Northbrook resident, gave facts on teen usage of cannabis. Federal reports show that teen cannabis is still down. According to an annual report by the Federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the number of US teenagers that say they use marijuana continued its downward trend in 2018. States with adult use laws saw an 8% decrease in teen usage and 9% decrease in teens being frequent users. When you limit access to cannabis, the black market thrives. He hopes the Board decides to opt in.
Brad Hartman, Northbrook resident, stated that he is in favor of access to dispensaries and puzzled as to why we are looking for more restrictions on this as compared to alcohol, which is a much more dangerous drug.
David Kirschenbaum, Northbrook resident for twenty-eight years, stated that if people don’t buy their marijuana in Northbrook they will buy it someplace else and that town will benefit from the tax revenue. If the proposed site on Dundee and Skokie is not approved, you only have to drive one mile south and buy it there. By not approving this you are not keeping marijuana out of Northbrook.
Board of Trustees took a five minute break.
Daniel Fay, Northbrook resident, stated that he is at this meeting tonight for kids, 8 years and 12 months old, they can’t speak up. The dispensary is bad for the people of Northbrook, bad for the economy, bad for property values. By opting in, we are giving up our children’s future; the only thing we lose by opting out is revenue and that can be easily replaced in other places. He is strongly urging the Board to opt out.
Eric Chue, Northbrook resident, stated that he grew up in Chicago and the reason he chose to live in Northbrook was for the great schools and great community. If this were occurring when he was picking a place to live, he would not have chosen Northbrook. He chose Northbrook because the values here align with his own thoughts and values. He is asking the Board to consider not the revenue but the people who live here.
Shengwen Yuan, Northbrook resident, stated he is concerned about the reputation of Northbrook and does not want it associated with marijuana. What kind of image does it gives its people? Marijuana use does not have the same effect on adults as it would on teens, adults do not fall for peer pressure and are not easily persuaded to do things, whereas teens are greatly influenced by what they see and what their peers are doing. Asking the Board of Trustees to consider this when making their decision.
Chenggang Mei, Northbrook resident, stated that Northbrook does not have financial pressure; we don’t need this type of business to generate tax revenue. From what he understands, once these facilities are established, the Village will not have any jurisdiction over them. Why take this risk? He strongly urges the Board to cast their votes responsibly.
Patrick Chu, Northbrook resident stated that he is in opposition of the marijuana site because there is a large amount of usage in high schools, just look at vaping and e-cigs. We need to look at how this facility may influence future generations and families.
Wei Li, Northbrook resident, came tonight to urge the Board of Trustees to reject the recommendations from the Plan Commission and opt out of the recreational marijuana business. Look at the world today; here in the U.S. we have an opioid crisis and a large vaping problem. Why open another door where kids can easily get access to another potentially harmful substance? This business is not worth the tax revenue.
Christopher Lay, Northbrook resident, doesn’t feel a 500-foot distance limit is far enough from a school. If keeping marijuana out of Northbrook can save even a few kids from using it, it’s worth it, it’s worth opting out. Northbrook voted against a Wal-Mart which would have brought in lots of tax revenue, so to use the tax revenue argument to opt in, is not an argument at all.
Hinfang Liang Northbrook resident, stated that she is very health conscious and read how marijuana can lead to addiction, one in six children and one in ten for adults. It can cause brain health issues. We need to take a wait and see approach and not rush to make a decision.
Xiaolan Jiang, Northbrook resident for fifteen years, stated that if the Board decides to approve this dispensary, it will be the second largest dispensary in Illinois. Is this a good image for Northbrook? Is this in the best interest of Northbrook residents? Why do we need to make money from marijuana and then use the money for drug prevention? Can a dollar value be placed on the negative effects to our young people?
Zhang Peng, Northbrook resident, stated that he has heard people say that marijuana is safer than alcohol, he is not so sure. Marijuana is much easier to conceal and abuse. When you go into a store to buy wine, you come out with bottles and people see it. If you buy marijuana, a large dose of highly concentrated marijuana can be put into a very small pill which makes it much easier to conceal it. Often THC is put into candy, cookies, gum, etc. making it go unnoticed by anyone. You can’t smell this, but you can get high and drive under the influence going undetected by police. Another Northbrook resident urged the Board to be extremely cautious when making their decision. Your decision could potentially change the nature of this community. She is raising her family in Northbrook for the great schools and safe neighborhood, and she is really concerned about how this could change the area.
Qiumei Xu, resident, stated that high school teenagers at GBN are currently using drugs, how is this possible when it’s supposed to be a drug free school? These kids are getting their drugs from the black market, so why are we making it more convenient for them to obtain drugs. By opening a legal facility, we are sending a message to our youth that using marijuana is no big deal.
Apnil Zhu, Northbrook resident, stated that she works in a hospital for over twenty years and has observed the number of people using marijuana. She is shocked that the Board would consider opening a shop like this.
Felicity Dzianott, Northbrook resident for 16 years, stated that just because this is legal doesn’t mean it’s necessarily a healthy thing to do. We chose not to have Costco and Wal-Mart here; maybe we don’t need a dispensary here either.
Lan Ma, Northbrook resident, attended a meeting recently regarding alcohol and the sale to minors. There was a store that had five violations this year. The owner of the store checked ID’s but they were shown fake ID’s. When police stopped the minor outside the store, they did not find any ID on the minor. The store owner was lying. So, even though there is a legal age of 21, how can we assume that the sale of marijuana will be any different? Also, the distance from a school is too low. Please think it over before jumping to a decision to open this proposed facility.
Yuqin Guy, Northbrook resident for over eleven years, stated that everyone here came out tonight to speak, even though they have other obligations at home, to voice their opinions on why Northbrook should not have a dispensary. Because this is an all cash business, it will lure a lot of criminals.
Anping Cheng, Northbrook resident for about fourteen years, stated that he is a scientist and his company has never released a product without ensuring its safety to human beings. Please reconsider opting in.
Lauren Hoffer, Northbrook resident, stated that he is retired from the wine and spirits industry. There are rules to be followed, who can be sold these items. It is up to the parents to make sure their children follow rules, not the police, the Village Commissioners or Trustees. There are about fifteen full service liquor stores in Northbrook and three major grocery chains that sell beer, wine and spirits along with gas stations. According to statistics, alcohol contributes to 35% of violent crimes in America. Many colleges have a zero tolerance for marijuana but not for alcohol. Marijuana provides adults with a less harmful recreational alternative. Marijuana isn’t linked to violent or psychotic behavior. It does not increase aggressive or anti-social behavior. The new Greenhouse dispensary will bring Northbrook $750,000 annually in new tax money.
Dongning Li, Northbrook resident, stated that there is a huge risk related to marijuana and if there is damage, the damage could last for generations. It will be our kids and their kids. Please think about this before you make a decision that will affect our future.
Sean McWilliams, Northbrook resident for twenty years and a family practice physician, stated that there is no doubt that accessibility increases availability which creates opportunity. The young people will have easier access now that it's legal in Illinois. But, if it's further away, you have a subset of people that will not opt to use it. Just because it is legal in Illinois does not make it a smart decision for our young people to use it.
Inna Nekorystnova, Northbrook resident, agrees with the previous speakers and let's not listen to non-medical people stating that marijuana can cure every disease in the world. We do not want this in Northbrook at all. No zone is good for recreational marijuana especially with a confusing name, Greenhouse being right next to the Botanical Gardens. Once this dispensary opens, we have no control over what products they sell, candy, brownies, fruit chews, etc.
Julie Schauer with Parent's Opposed to Pot, a national organization, stated that most teenagers in this country have been told that marijuana is harmless and safer than alcohol. Two people working for our national group are refugees from Colorado, they are parents of teens who had to move their families to another state to get away from the pot. It is so bad, you don't hear half the story. On our website, potpot.org we have more than fifty testimonies from parents and former users of marijuana telling their testimony of damage. It is much more dangerous than tobacco and alcohol. The addiction comes less than a year. In 2017, children five and under, 82 of them, had a marijuana poisoning from marijuana gummies. If you give this marijuana industry one inch, they will take 5,000 miles.
Nina Liu, Child Psychologist working at Northshore University Medical Group, spoke about how marijuana impacts the adolescent developing brain. Currently, there are over 100,000 Americans using marijuana, among them 50% are adolescent. Our children's brains become adult size at the teenage years, however their developmental function is not finished until age 25. Marijuana can change the brain's structure, which is already being confirmed by imagining studies. It can cause psychosis it opens the door for schizophrenia. It can decrease the secretion of the growth hormone, it can decrease the production of sperm in boys. It can cause depression, anxiety, memory problems and concentration problems. Adolescent brains can be driven by peer pressure and curiosity. She strongly recommends considering the adolescent brain when the Board decides to make any decision.
Lydia St. John, lives in the town to the north, stated that she feels that this is about money and it really should be about something that we can never put a price on, reputation and our children. Northbrook has a long history of caring about its reputation and that needs to be considered when deciding. Ms. St. John shared a story from a friend who lives in Colorado, who told her that her daughter is in her second round of rehab due to marijuana use. Please vote no.
Karen Citow, Glencoe resident and a Northbrook business owner, stated that there are no plans for Glencoe to open a marijuana facility as was stated by one of the Greenhouse representatives. She has worked with addicts for the past thirty years and the marijuana seen in these dispensaries is not the same marijuana we remember from thirty years ago. It is highly potent, young children become addicted very quickly, it becomes a gateway drug. There is an opportunity here to send a message to our children, as parents and as a community, to show them that drugs are dangerous.
Aaron Werner, a Long Grove resident, Addiction Specialist and Licensed Psychologist, and Director of Addiction Services at Linden Oaks Behavioral Health. He stated that he came tonight to strongly urge the Board to choose to protect the residents and opt out of marijuana sales. The data from legalized states is usually mischaracterized by those who have a financial or political interest in marijuana. Do you want to use Northbrook as a petri dish for drug policy, designed to enrich addiction profiteers? Do you want to see Northbrook become a marijuana hub? Do you want to see if your decision increases marijuana usage in your schools, public intoxication in commercial areas, traffic accidents on your roads? What is the money worth to you?
Di Yang, resident of Buffalo Grove, stated at the last meeting there were more people against a marijuana facility than for it and the Board went ahead and approved it. Will our voices really be heard or is this a game or show? Please listen to your heart before deciding.
Luxi Du, Northbrook resident, commented the biggest benefit to bringing a cannabis facility to Northbrook is the revenue that will benefit the residents, which equates to about $23.00 a year per resident. For $23.00 a year, should we take this risk? We will have the largest facility around that will attract 600 customers per day and they may not all be in their right mind. Is it worth the risk?
Wei Zhang, Northbrook resident and business owner, stated that she was also representing her friends who could not attend the meeting. Tonight, there are about 200 people in attendance that represent clinical psychologists, scientists, physicians, business owners, religious leaders and most importantly, concerned parents. For young adults who live near medical marijuana dispensaries, the usage of marijuana has been significantly more and used more often. It's ok that the state legalized it but, we don't have to have the store here in Northbrook.
Stephanie, a Northbrook resident, stated that she did her research before moving to Northbrook and found that it had good schools and a good community. Please do not open a marijuana store in this town.
Mengwei Liu, Glenview resident, stated that she came tonight because she loves Northbrook and often comes here. Fighting drugs is a battle for everybody. It feels like this is a surrender, if you can't beat it, join it. Don't surrender, keep fighting.
Ruslan Dnimi Pastor of the Northbrook 7th Avenue Church, stated that he grew up in the former Soviet Union and, in some areas up to 65% of the population smoked cigarettes on a regular basis, smoking was everywhere. As kids, we had easy access to cigarettes. Why did children smoke at an early age? Because it was accessible and available. Many people will now try marijuana because it is accessible and available. Bad fruit will bear bad fruit, just give things enough time.
Wei Chen, resident of Wilmette, stated that his son is a junior in high school and he doesn't want him to be anywhere close to any marijuana store. Compare tax money with the health of the residents. He is a licensed real estate broker in the state of Illinois and has gotten many people homes in Northbrook. Now he'll have to give it a second thought if this marijuana facility goes forward.
Kevin Chang, a Pastor, told a story of a person who passed out while driving after eating a cookie from his friend. This cookie was laced with marijuana.
Ziwe Ren stated that after two days of not closing his garage door, he received notice from a Northbrook police officer that he should be more diligent about closing his garage door. The job of the Northbrook Village Board is to make the Village better, not to introduce something you have to control. He is worried about will happen to this neighborhood. If police are concerned now that he left his garage door open, how will it be once a marijuana facility is close by?
Board of Trustees took a five minute break.
President Frum asked for Board comments on the proposed amendment.
Trustee Collison thanked everyone for coming out tonight. If she votes opposite of what many of the people here tonight want, it does not mean that she didn't take into consideration the emails and comments when making her decision. She is not comfortable passing on control and regulation and a stream of revenue to a neighboring community, when the Village is going to be burdened with any negative impacts that may come with legalization of recreational cannabis. We may have increased traffic, impaired driving, traffic accidents, psychotic episodes, potential burdens on police and fire, but we are going to have those regardless if we have a dispensary or not. It will be purchased up the street in Deerfield, a short car ride away. She is much more comfortable imposing local protections on how, when and where cannabis can be sold in the Village. The ICDC was in favor of this and she gives weight to their opinions. She supports the Plan Commission’s recommendations. Not putting a dispensary in this town will not make the problems go away. In Deerfield, there was a survey of high school students and it said that 70% of the students already smoke marijuana. She is suggesting that the Village form a collaborative partnership with the schools and parents and use a percentage of the tax revenue from the sale of cannabis for anti-drug, alcohol and vaping campaigns in our schools. She will be voting in favor of having the dispensary in Northbrook.
Trustee Ciesla echoed what Trustee Collison said and thanked everyone for coming and those who contacted her independently, sent emails and sent letters. In the Cook County Referendum, Northbrook voted 66% to 34% in favor of the legalization of marijuana and the sales. Communities in Lake County do not have the benefit of the results of such a referendum, but we do. She feels that there should be more consistency with the liquor code in the way the Village regulated marijuana. The hours should be consistent, between 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., the distance, the 500 feet, she would propose 250 feet. She is not interested in contemplating marijuana sales in the Village Green Overlay District. She would like to eliminate this entirely and put applicants on notice that the Village will not permit marijuana sales in our downtown.
Trustee Israel stated he recently attended his 40th high school reunion. Forty years ago, marijuana was illegal and readily available. The State has made this legal and it’s already available. We have the opportunity to take what was once a clandestine exchange and shine daylight on it. This allows adults to participate and reduces the risk from additives, the transactions, robberies, etc. Marijuana is not a gateway drug. He supports this proposal.
Trustee Han stated that he heard a lot of fear in the room tonight and that fear is real, it is based on something that is valid. There is a cost to cannabis but compared to alcohol and nicotine, he doesn't believe it does the harm to society that we have been told by the government for years. He has always been in favor of legalizing marijuana. There are many things out there that people can become addicted to. Addiction is a symptom of loss of hope, isolation, and loneliness. He will be voting in favor of having dispensaries in Northbrook.
Trustee Ross thanked everyone for sharing their thoughts and feelings. She echoes her fellow Trustees that spoke before and like Trustee Han, has been a supporter of legalizing marijuana. With respect to ruining the reputation of the Village, unfortunately the teenagers are using marijuana along with adults in our community and she sees Northbrook as a progressive, inclusive and welcoming community that doesn't categorize people. She doesn't believe that allowing a facility here will weaken our reputation. In terms of crime, you can find a study that goes almost either way, but she did point out that a recent study she found which is reputable, which was entitled, The Cannabis Effect on Crime a Time Series Analysis of Crime in Colorado and Washington State. They did a long term analytical study and found no significant long-term effects of recreational cannabis laws or the initiation of retail sales on crime rates in either of those states. She has more fear of not having our own community have the opportunity to regulate. She doesn't have a problem with Trustee Ciesla's recommendation. She recommends that the Village increase the hours of operation for adults who work late shifts. She will be voting in favor.
Trustee Hebl appreciates everyone that came forward tonight. She does support Trustee Ciesla's recommendation. She is willing to look at a more conservative approach than 100 feet at this time, something closer to 250 feet. She also agrees with the prohibition in the Downtown Overlay District. She agrees with Trustee Collison regarding having control.
President Frum thanked everyone for coming and the emails received.
Trustee Collision moved, seconded by Trustee Israel to approve the Ordinance as drafted. Trustee Ciesla moved, seconded by Trustee Hebl to amend the Ordinance as drafted to prohibit location of medical use and recreational cannabis dispensaries in the Village Green Overlay District. On voice vote, Trustee Ciesla, Ross, Hebl and President Frum voted Yes, Trustees Israel, Collison and Han voted no. The amendment passed.
Trustee Ciesla moved, seconded by Trustee Ross to amend the hours of operation from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. On voice vote, Trustee Ciesla, Israel, Han, Hebl and Ross voted Yes, Trustee Collison voted no. The amendment passed.
Trustee Ciesla moved, seconded by Trustee Hebl to change the distance requirement for medical cannabis and adult use cannabis from the 500 feet in relation to day cares and schools to 250 feet.
On voice vote, Trustee Ciesla, Han, Hebl and Ross voted Yes, Trustees Israel and Collison voted no. The amendment passed.
RESULT: ADOPTED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Muriel Collison, Trustee
SECONDER: Bob Israel, Trustee
AYES: Frum, Ciesla, Israel, Collison, Han, Ross, Hebl
B. PRELIMINARY REVIEW - ZONING & DEVELOPMENT
APPLICATIONS
12. COMMUNITY
None.
13. LEGISLATION AND COMMUNICATION
None
14. PUBLIC SAFETY
None
15. REMARKS FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER
None
16. ADJOURN
Trustee Israel moved, seconded by Trustee Hebl to adjourn at 11:40 p.m. On voice vote, all were in favor.
http://northbrookil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=15&ID=1449&Inline=True
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