[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6219217,"mediaKeyId","3623490-1081634307775c2132651731ecaccefa","parentId",3623490,"title","Lake Bluff approves engineering steps, moves forward with Green Bay Road reconstruction and Scranton viaduct phase 1 bidding","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",693737,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3623490-1081634307775c2132651731ecaccefa&start=693&end=693","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3623490-1081634307775c2132651731ecaccefa/thumbnail_693737.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6219217/Lake-Bluff/Lake-County/Illinois/Lake-Bluff-approves-engineering-steps-moves-forward-with-Green-Bay-Road-reconstruction-and-Scranton-viaduct-phase-1-bidding","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6219217-c7838c880288dea2f04babdf825e65ab/orig.mp4?Expires=1771125462&Signature=goI1UrM-KElsG4tNK2a1RcsBsOTBNk4PGPP6T1oPssdlymy3uAIUQj5MwR14RTBHt0smKYeTOI~KEh~U8emSbo9TDhNkMBnBthWufC~B4O9ELFmpvwURoExwXHZt5OA7Naw~~pxp-Wr72vA-1CPudaGcdABRA1K~Eakf8TwsnHVM9m2O7QmzJcCHM6~nmCBdTLUi2sEL3qFHY7DLCnueto65MP1WzS4gbc5u8E4PzGRV4AxRE2WBkwf5hCF2RXFHNI~6R1B3UO6fLY5GTg2Y2u9P3iROTcjC2evdNcsL8ulwZ-GIbMOKrQIpdvmRvvYBsqFBzyyGXGZ6WufzIufLPg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Village of Lake Bluff, IL","date","2025-06-03T04:26:56.68Z","article","The Village of Lake Bluff on May 28 approved agreements with engineering firm Baxter & Woodman to complete final design work for the Green Bay Road reconstruction project and moved to advertise bids for the project’s phase 1 later this month.

Village staff said prior design work helped the village secure a Surface Transportation Program Shared‑Use grant that will pay 80% of eligible construction costs for part of the project; staff provided an overall project estimate of $3,900,000 and reported a village share of approximately $1,300,000 for the eligible portion. The board approved a time‑and‑materials proposal for final engineering services for the road portion not to exceed $87,200 and approved a separate engineering fee for the bridge portion not to exceed $68,039.

Staff said the village plans to advertise the phase‑1 contract for public bids in June, award the work in July and start construction later in 2025; work will continue into 2026. Village staff also reported ongoing coordination with Lake Forest for school bus routing and mutual‑aid arrangements for public safety while portions of Green Bay Road and a bridge are under construction.

On a related item, trustees approved an intergovernmental agreement with the Lake County Stormwater Management Commission that formalizes partial funding from a state stormwater capital program routed through Lake County. Staff said the IGA makes the partial funding available so the village can proceed with bidding and award; trustees were advised construction could begin late summer and continue through winter with additional restoration work in spring and summer 2026.

Village staff emphasized that the bridge‑related work had required extended historic‑preservation coordination with the state and the village had adjusted phasing: the road work will be done first, followed by the bridge once certain approvals are finalized.

Trustees recorded unanimous aye votes on the engineering agreements and the IGA. No construction contract was awarded at the May 28 meeting; trustees authorized staff to proceed with bidding and final contract award procedures per the village procurement process.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","LBVB May 28, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Trustees approved professional engineering contracts for final design, set a summer bid schedule for a $3.9 million phase and approved an intergovernmental agreement to secure partial funding from the Lake County Stormwater Management Commission.","taxTitle","Lake Bluff, Lake County, Illinois","taxId",70473,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6219221,"Lake Bluff trustees defer village display/flag policy after heated debate; committee meeting ordered",4316,2608000,6924000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3623490-1081634307775c2132651731ecaccefa&start=2608&end=6924","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3623490-1081634307775c2132651731ecaccefa/thumbnail_2608000.jpg","/articles/6219221/Lake-Bluff/Lake-County/Illinois/Lake-Bluff-trustees-defer-village-displayflag-policy-after-heated-debate-committee-meeting-ordered","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6219221-5d0e6b0d12270ce2b2628ce2f9bc0212/orig.mp4?Expires=1771125462&Signature=PYRbm5paGz7Lf2g~Ni6jsxtGpQW7B254fFpa1BrURPalncK88Qt3RnPHeMyJkfeGywMT-vqyuiFQ8jBLo-K4-33HWIp1DSX2OoBCVJnIwOUtE96~VKvJMIUbJ0p8bgoP7l3oXAk2wRQ7wJnhlx3q313x0WtY3RpNaFOLUlHxrwRDJsQIX75SkjUhyDkEFLW-IGgmkMgMAJEgRkOadw1YZYg9B6z6vPF6OSWt6LI0qOKG77UVUNY3GG8J0DFPjhX0O8-czAJaQC-pBSCJjG~pPst5lvfG8mIVRiJd497M5N54e-poVFPptMlDD5KUgxbYwYRfit3yUiOkSl6DVhFzGg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Trustees for the Village of Lake Bluff on May 28 declined to adopt a new policy that would authorize certain nationally recognized heritage and cultural displays on village property, instead directing staff to organize a committee-of-the‑whole meeting to continue the discussion.

The proposed policy would have listed a set of recognitions — including Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Jewish American Heritage Month, LGBTQ Pride Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, Native American Heritage Month and Disability Employment Awareness Month — and would have authorized holiday displays and other local civic displays subject to village approval.

The board’s discussion turned into a wide-ranging debate over inclusivity, government speech and practical implementation. Trustee Raffy raised concerns that a preset list could be exclusive, while Trustee Suzanne (identified in the meeting as a trustee) and others said they wanted broader community input before using village flagpoles for non‑government displays. Village President Regis Charlot urged action to show the community’s support for vulnerable residents: “If it takes a stupid flag on top of a flagpole … to say, you are welcome here, that’s all it takes,” he said.

Resident David Grama asked the board to hold the three primary flagpoles — Village Hall, the Public Safety Building and the War Memorial Village Green — for exclusive display of the American flag and suggested alternative locations (for example, downtown light poles and the gazebo) for community‑group displays.

Other trustees noted constitutional and administrative constraints. Village legal counsel explained that because flags flown by a municipal government constitute government speech, the village has discretion to select commemorations that reflect municipal priorities; the board also discussed how to draft language to avoid inadvertently excluding future groups and noted that holiday decorations and longstanding displays (for example, a Christmas tree and menorah at the gazebo) were not intended to be banned by the draft.

After extended remarks by trustees and public commenters, the board took a roll‑call vote on a motion that the staff organize a committee‑of‑the‑whole for further discussion. The clerk recorded: Trustee Freid — Aye; Trustee Hatch — Nay; Trustee Rappins — Nay; Trustee Reiter — Nay; Trustee El Shumaz — Nay; Trustee Fisher — Aye. Following the vote staff confirmed they would schedule a committee‑of‑the‑whole meeting to continue work on the policy.

No new village signage or flag display was authorized at the May 28 meeting; final policy language and any implementation steps remain under consideration pending further public input and trustee deliberation.","After more than two hours of debate and public comment on whether the village should permit culturally focused flags on municipal property, trustees voted to send the proposed policy back to a committee-of-the‑whole for further public outreach and drafting refinements.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6219226,"Lake Bluff trustees delay vote on proposed 570 Evanston Avenue multifamily plan after neighbor objections",911,505000,1416000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3623490-1081634307775c2132651731ecaccefa&start=505&end=1416","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3623490-1081634307775c2132651731ecaccefa/thumbnail_505000.jpg","/articles/6219226/Lake-Bluff/Lake-County/Illinois/Lake-Bluff-trustees-delay-vote-on-proposed-570-Evanston-Avenue-multifamily-plan-after-neighbor-objections","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6219226-814b1d1519cd992044280907f83892e6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771125462&Signature=UIypUC-mqGQxDD5MBDFtZG~IPsNgqbxs9-Oa6d4r8NKF0wr2I1Z3v68~dtyZOzsR50sYUGbPFF0XpYoSomaR1rZziWFhl3UokPcCmD5QQU10nkQYIz728uHKAMZCHAGu4Dw1BJiVvgBvR4HEZ0JnyL7z6q7QhJwHwZnhryafRmvcP0KBbrMens9zerNf71VrD0vI8XCj3PHGZFwVLjqnFq8~EKTugP4PskrZ2UtCiNPCLcv0bTP4Ikqd-jzu5KZtTrlRdlNUDRxway9wYmYbbWiG8getDDpakfrzdktOfe~N8jpazAwU-MLNd8kxLl~RY58skjFF6o4mtz8QM7RQzg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Trustees for the Village of Lake Bluff on May 28 removed consideration of a zoning variation and development concept for 570 Evanston Avenue from the consent agenda and agreed to continue the item to the board’s next regular meeting.

The item drew an extended public comment from a nearby homeowner who said earlier representations and the village’s zoning map led her to expect the lot would remain single-family. “I have lived here for 12 years,” said Jean Nimi Mills, who lives at 580 Evanston. “We were told it would be a very long, arduous process to change zoning … and that it would be unlikely to happen given the mature trees that are on that lot and the fact that it is not in the Central Business District.”

Mills said she and neighbors support more multifamily housing in Lake Bluff generally but oppose development on this lot at three stories; she described privacy, driveway placement and traffic concerns and said she has undertaken nearly $1 million in renovations to her home in reliance on the existing zoning. “My master bedroom and my master bathroom will overlook this condominium,” Mills said. She also said a petition circulated by the project team had inaccurately described the proposal’s height.

Tom Dobbins, the project architect, told the board his clients have worked through multiple public hearings and modifications and won unanimous favorable recommendations from the Plan Commission and the Architectural Board of Review. “We have worked incredibly hard to have as little impact on Jean’s property as possible,” Dobbins said, listing setbacks, preservation of large evergreens and efforts to avoid removing oak trees. He described a driveway location that he said is necessary to the project layout and disputed claims about the petition’s intent.

Board members discussed whether to hold a substantive hearing at the May 28 meeting or allow more time for outreach. The board president said the application was not on the agenda for formal action at the meeting and invited the applicant and neighbors to return for a more focused conversation. Trustees agreed to remove item 11 from the consent agenda and resume discussion at the next regular meeting, currently set for June 9.

The board did not vote on zoning relief or approve any ordinance or variation at the May 28 meeting; no formal motion to grant zoning relief passed. Trustees said they want additional neighborhood input and more time to review updated materials before taking a final vote.

Background: The application seeks development concept plan approval and preliminary zoning variations for a planned mixed‑use or multifamily development on a lot that surrounding neighbors said is currently shown in the village documents as single‑family or open space. The applicant previously presented to the Plan Commission and ABR and has modified plans in response to comments.

The board opened the floor to further comment and asked the applicant and neighbors to return for the next session so trustees could have a fuller, focused discussion.","Trustees removed the planned approval for 570 Evanston Avenue from the consent agenda and continued consideration to the next regular meeting after a nearby homeowner and the project architect presented competing views about building height, driveway placement and community notice.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Lake Bluff approves engineering steps, moves forward with Green Bay Road reconstruction and Scranton viaduct phase 1 bidding

Lake Bluff trustees defer village display/flag policy after heated debate; committee meeting ordered

Lake Bluff trustees delay vote on proposed 570 Evanston Avenue multifamily plan after neighbor objections