Commission recommends approval for Ravinia School parking amendment at 763 Dean Avenue

The Highland Park Plan and Design Commission voted on Oct. 30 to recommend approval of a planned-development amendment for Ravinia School at 763 Dean Avenue that would add on-site parking and landscaping.

Senior planner Carl Berhoff told the commission the amendment would add parking along the south property line and elsewhere on the site; the applicant described a proposal for 16 spaces total, including ten angled spaces along Roger Williams Avenue and three additional spaces near the south playground area. Staff said one requested variation eliminates a required landscape island for a southern vehicular use area, and that forestry comments have been resolved.

Michael Lubberfeld, who identified himself as superintendent of schools, District 112, said the school reopened in August and additional staff and programming increased on-site personnel beyond the original assumptions. He said the district will use permeable pavers and expects construction of the south lot to take about three weeks; he described the change as an attempt to maximize on-site parking and reduce pressure on neighbors. “We’ve agreed to restrict the school district 112 parking to no more than 5 vehicles [on Baldwin Avenue],” Lubberfeld said, describing an operational agreement with neighbors.

Parents and neighbors raised safety concerns about the proximity of the three south-side spaces to areas where children congregate at arrival time and urged safeguards: one parent suggested preserving a key tree in a landscape island, another urged clearer separation between play areas and vehicular movements, and a resident asked whether staff parking could be routed to the nearby Metro East commuter lot. The applicant said the three immediate south spaces would be reserved for food-service personnel and would be signed, and noted the district already uses medallions/placards and works with its director of safety and the school resource officer on enforcement.

Commissioners and the applicant discussed possible mitigations — signage, bollards/fencing where appropriate, and operational changes such as adjusting playground access times — and the applicant confirmed some bollards and fencing are already present. A commissioner moved to adopt findings and recommend approval of the amendment; the motion carried on a roll-call vote and the commission recommended the amendment for city council action.

Next steps: the commission’s recommendation and the record will be forwarded to the city council for final action; construction phasing and operational agreements are expected to be implemented by the district if council approves the amendment.