Trustee Hopefuls Talk About Downtown

Six candidates are seeking three seats on the Lake Zurich village board.

Candidates running for the three 4-year terms include:

Julie Gyarmaty: 51, incumbent, Lake Zurich, high school teacher.

Thomas A. Bondi: 48, incumbent, Lake Zurich, attorney for United Airlines of Elk Grove Township.

Carol A. Coleman: 49, incumbent, Lake Zurich, homemaker.

Suzanne K. Branding: 60, Lake Zurich, proprietor of bed and breakfast.

Thomas M. Poynton: 60, Lake Zurich, self-employed sales and marketing consultant.

James L. Johnson: 71, Lake Zurich, retired public school teacher, principal.

The Daily Herald asked candidates to share their views on pertinent issues concerning the village with readers. Their answers to our questionnaire follow. They have been edited to correct spelling and capitalization mistakes.

Q. Should the village have used the threat of eminent domain to acquire private property that was later sold to developers for redevelopment?

Branding: The Lake Zurich TIF district is not blighted but considered a conservation area. That means if the conservation area in the TIF is not renovated, it could become blighted. The threat and use of eminent domain in this situation is an abuse of the eminent domain power. When eminent domain is used, the playing field between the government body and the property own becomes very uneven. Consequently, other property owners stop privately investing in their property because they are uncertain of the future of their property. The village never should have used eminent domain to acquire private property that was later sold to developers.

Poynton: No. The village’s use of eminent domain was both wrong. Look at the first use of eminent domain, Dave’s Gas Station. The village had to have that property and it is currently just sitting there … a grassed lot that is providing overflow parking for a restaurant. Eminent domain has been counterproductive to the redevelopment needs of the community. From the start, the downtown area was not blighted. Rather, it was deemed a Conservation Area, in which blight might develop. Instead of providing the necessary assistance to prevent blight, the village essentially determined that the only cure bulldoze and rebuild. The village’s unnecessary actions resulted in a powerful disincentive for property owners to invest in revitalization and ultimately hastened the decline of downtown properties, as property owners were forced to defend themselves against the deep pockets of the village. In the five years since creation of the downtown TIF district, there are only two completed projects both by private owners who and invested their own money in the community with top notch renovation projects. I have supported leveraging opportunities of the TIF and to engage owners to revitalize their properties instead of condemning them and to rebuild where needed.

Johnson: I would not file or threaten eminent domain to take someone’s property so that a developer could make a profit. It forces individuals to spend their money to protect their own property, and taxpayer’s money is being used to take homes and business away from other taxpayers.

Gyarmaty: I believe that eminent domain was used appropriately in the case of the redevelopment of downtown. For a project of this magnitude to move forward it is necessary to make difficult decisions. The use of eminent domain was considered very seriously and thoroughly. The residents and previous boards had expressed a desire to redevelop downtown for many years. Without the use of eminent domain, the project would have been on the verge of dying as had happened many times previously. Eminent domain was used as sparingly as possible and only property being used as rental property was acquired by this means.

Bondi: This was an extremely difficult decision and it was only made because we knew we had made very fair offers to the owners, felt we had to make these decisions for the good of the whole village and knew we were carrying out the will of the vast majority of the residents. Residents had been asking for decades to clean up and improve the near slum conditions that existed downtown. Most importantly none of these properties were owner occupied homes. All five parcels were commercial or owned by land speculators holding out for a higher price. We knew that some people who live near downtown, like our opposition, would not want any development near them, but, this was a decision we felt had to be made for the good of the entire community, not just them. Unfortunately, sometimes the best decisions are not easy.

Coleman: Overall, the property owners affected by eminent domain did not reinvest in their properties, which brought down their property values. The downtown became deteriorated, rents stagnated, and the tax base eroded. Historically, developers do not take on these types of projects without community support. Residents’ opinions were sought after, and after many public discussions, the majority wanted a fresh, new start for the downtown area. The village did their best in negotiating fair market values for the properties involved.

Q. What should the village board and administration do about finding tenants for long vacant lots along Route 12 such as the K- Mart and Frank’s Nursery parcels?

Branding: This is a difficult situation because we are dealing with private property and the owners of these properties seem in no hurry to fill their spaces. One explanation for the situation is that rents are still being paid to the owners of the properties so nothing can really be done. One possible consideration is having an economic or business coordinator as part of the village staff that tries to work with the businesses, chamber of commerce, rental groups and other people in the local and larger business community. This position could serve as a network coordinator, clearing house, information coordinator and general go-to person in the business area.

Poynton: Each community should have its own image or plan for its future in terms of jobs and businesses that the local residents desire. Often that image has not been formally discussed or documented. It is important that village government find out what the residents want or feel is missing that can be added. I suggest that it is time to create a new position in local government. That position could be called director of economic development. It’s prime function would be to find tenants for those long vacant lots along Route 12, such as K-Mart and Frank’s Nursery parcels as well as the former sites of Big Lots and Bay Furniture. Among other responsibilities for the position: determine what the residents want; work closely with the large property managers to coordinate efforts; develop a closer working relationship with neighbors to attract desirable businesses to the area; consult and work closely with the Lake Zurich Chamber of Commerce.

Johnson: The village needs to task someone with the specific job of overseeing economic development on these and other vacant properties in the village. The community’s needs for a full range of business should be evaluated. Then literature and presentations about Lake Zurich, the town that welcomes and supports business, should begin. Specifically, an auto dealership or hotel facility would be a good fit for that property.

Gyarmaty: These properties are privately owned. It is the board’s hope that the owner’s of the vacant properties will find tenants for properties available for lease or will sell the properties to desirable businesses. When businesses make inquiries to the village we encourage them to consider all available properties. The Frank’s Nursery parcel is currently under consideration for redevelopment including a much needed hotel. While the village could consider tax incentives to attract businesses to these properties, it is our hope that the natural cycles of business will turn and that these properties will sell when the owners price them properly. The best thing that the village government can do is to continue to make Lake Zurich a desirable place to live by continuing to keep taxes in line, upgrade downtown, and develop vacant properties in a manner that will create a synergy for other desirable businesses to locate in Lake Zurich.

Bondi: We already have a great proposal moving forward at Frank’s. It includes a small hotel and replacement of the Frank’s building. We need to create convenient, attractive, pleasant and secure areas where people enjoy shopping. We need to work with developers and landlords to attract the right businesses and the right mix of businesses and then seek out retailers for these properties. K-Mart, Frank’s and Bay Furniture were all chains that closed up and road construction probably slowed the opening of new stores. Now, last November after construction completion, Lake Zurich’s sales taxes increased 5.4 percent. Closing and opening of stores is a part of competition. Wal-Mart moves in, but K-Mart closes. Bay Furniture closes but Wickes opens. A store front near Dominick’s is vacated because Timothy Grant Jewelers moves down the street into a larger location. We are doing all the right things to keep retail in Lake Zurich healthy.

Coleman: Keep in mind that these properties are privately owned. When interested parties approach the village, we are more than happy to act as a liaison between the owner and interested party. Currently, we are looking at a proposal for the Frank’s Nursery parcel. By bringing high quality projects into the village, it causes owners of other vacant properties to actively seek out quality projects that would benefit everyone.

(c) 2007 Daily Herald; Arlington Heights, Ill.. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.