Board Takes Closer Look at Movies, Downtown

Consensus building and compromise both for commercial filming and the future of the Northwest Quadrant of the Village’s downtown was the major outgrowth of today’s meeting of the Village Board of Trustees.

Mayor Harriet Rosenthal and the Trustees listened to strong opinions from residents on both issues and discussed key points among themselves before asking Village staff to refine regulations on commercial filming and the Plan Commission to further develop ideas for the northwest part of Deerfield’s downtown.

Balance Sought on Commercial Filming Regulations

After tabling a proposed ordinance on commercial filming July 15, the Board discussed the divergent needs of different groups of citizens and asked Andrew Lichterman, the assistant to the Village Manager, to have the final version of the law reflect that.

“We need to understand in what cases there needs to be a limit. If it does not cause a disruption, it’s not a problem,” Rosenthal said. “We have some consensus on (length of) notice (to neighbors) and hours.” Filming would have the same time restrictions a contruction.

There is a wider variation of opinion on the number of times residents can have filming on their property and how many days the project can last. The ordinance as it stands limits a person to no more than two four-day shoots a year.

Village Manager Kent Street promised some variety for the Board to consider. “We’ll come up with different ways to look at it,” he said. He expects an ordinance to be ready for a vote in September.

Plan Commission to Consider Northwest Quadrant

After 18 months of study with consultants and stakeholders in the area bounded by Waukegan Road on the east, Deerfield Road on the south, Hazel Avenue on the north and the railroad tracks on the west—the Northwest Quadrant of downtown—the Board asked the Plan Commission to further hone the project.

The current proposal calls for extensive landscaping in the parking lots around Village Hall, the First Presbyterian Church and the Jewett Park Community Center which will reduce parking spaces and automobile access through those lots.

In its current state, the plan drew objections from representatives of the church and Chuck Malk, the owner and developer of Deerfield Square.

“This arrangement will not be accepted by the church,” Ray Craig, a member of both the church and Northwest Quadrant Task Force said. “Elements of the plan should be pared down.” Malk wants more retail development in the area.

Changes from the Plan Commission are expected. “It’s going to the Plan Commission for a lot more discussion and compromise,” Trustee Robert Benton said.

BYOB Gets Closer

A proposal to allow diners to bring their own wine to Deerfield restaurants got its first reading today. The Board plans a vote on the ordinance August 19.

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