Winter Newsletter - January, 2026
The Southeast Evanston Association is an Illinois non-profit corporation. We remain committed to maintaining our advocacy for the shared values that define our neighborhood.
SEA Annual Membership Drive
If you haven’t renewed your SEA membership yet, we hope you’ll consider doing so.
We are currently working with the City Council and staff on zoning, pedestrian safety, lakefront protection, and historic preservation matters.
Please renew your membership here:
https://www.southeastevanston.org/membership
If you are not sure of your renewal status, please get in touch with us at: info@southeastevanston.org
Votes Being Taken By The City Council On January 26th
Envision Evanston 2045 (EE 2045) – Evanston’s 20 Year Comprehensive Plan
On January 26th, a vote will be taken by the City Council to adopt the draft of the EE 2045 plan. SEA has some significant concerns around several of the points in the plan. We are heavily focused on a few zoning matters:
Ø Advocating for maintaining single-family zoning. The current EE 2045 plan calls for abolishing single-family zoning and allowing for up to 4 housing units to be allowed on residential lots.
Ø Advocating for height limitations for tall buildings on Chicago Avenue and throughout downtown Evanston.
Also at the January 26th City Council Meeting, a vote will be taken on another proposed ordinance: Short Term Rentals - https://evanstonroundtable.com/2026/01/13/vacation-rental-ordinance-moves-forward-with-a-few-proposed-changes/
The ordinance would:
Allow for a maximum of 144 short-term rentals city wide, under the conditions
Evanston has 14,400 long-term rental units. The maximum number of short-term rental units is based on the 1:100 ratio to total number of long-term rental units. As housing units rise, the number of short-term rentals will rise as well.
Allow for a maximum of 25% of a building to be short-term rentals, but no more than 6 units, which ever is less
Require 600 feet between short-term rental locations
Require property managers to be located within a 3-mile radius of any short-term rental location
Main/Forest Pedestrian Alliance
A group of 3rd Ward residents have become concerned about pedestrian safety, especially in the area near Lincoln School. The area is a dense neighborhood, with many pedestrians – dog walkers, people walking to the trains and the beach, people taking their children to school. At the same time, commuters driving south are routed through this neighborhood, creating a toxic mix. The stretch of Main Street between Forest and Sheridan is also quite dangerous, with southbound motorists racing to the light at Sheridan Road. In 2023, an elderly man was struck by a car and killed.
A proposal was put together in cooperation with Traffic Engineering to:
Ø Put a raised intersection at the corner of Main and Forest
Ø Put a raised crosswalk at Main and Michigan Avenue
Ø Install lighting that will shine directly down on the sidewalk in both these dangerous spots
This is an ambitious proposal, but, if implemented, can be a model for the rest of the 3rd Ward and the city.
Parking
Council Member, Shawn Iles recently worked with the City to remove the short-term parking space areas in front of the former Starbucks space on Main Street. By removing the short-term designation, other businesses such as Kuni’s, Oceanique and Lucky Platter will benefit.
Lakefront Protection Ordinance (LPO) – Update
Council Member Clare Kelly and 3rd ward resident and Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioner, Cam Davis, have been drafting a LPO, which has been shared on the city website. 3rd Ward Council Member Shawn Iles has also been involved in this effort. SEA has been working with CM Kelly to make improvements to the draft, specifically citing more clarifications about the consequences of either the City or Northwestern University ignoring the Ordinance.
City News
Evanston $7,000,000 PRO Housing Grant – Is this driving the EE 2045 policies on increased housing units?
Ø Our Position - While HUD does not mandate a single prescribed zoning outcome, material deregulatory zoning and process reforms are central to being competitive for PRO Housing funds. In practical terms, jurisdictions that did not commit to removing zoning “barriers” were not competitive for these awards. This helps explain why many residents accurately perceive Envision Evanston 2045 and the zoning rewrite as a foregone conclusion: the City had already aligned itself with a federal framework that strongly favors those outcomes before public engagement intensified. Thus, we are seeing the Envision Evanston 2045 Plan include
· A goal of increasing the population by 10,000
· Abolishing single-family zoning
· A reduction in parking space requirements for new apartment and condominium buildings
NU To Bring Chicago Stars Soccer Team to Ryan Field With A 5 Year Lease?
Chicago Stars and stadium opponents building campaigns around team’s ask to play at Ryan Field. The Most Livable City Association will petition to force supermajority vote requirement at City Council, says org’s president.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/13/chicago-stars-soccer-evanston-play-ryan-field/
Let your council member know your thoughts on allowing more use of Ryan Field by professional sports teams. You can reach council members at these email addresses: dbiss@cityofevanston.org, ckelly@cityofevanston.org, mrodgers@cityofevanston.org, siles@cityofevanston.org, kharris@cityofevanston.org, parielledavis@cityofevanston.org, jnieuwsma@cityofevanston.org, bburns@cityofevanston.org, tsuffredin@cityofevanston.org, jgeracaris@cityofevanston.org
SEA Block By Block (Party)
The SEA would love to attend your summer block party to help better understand the needs of our member base and neighborhoods. You can apply for a permit at
APPLICATION: Block Party Application(Printable) or Block Party Application (Online)
Let us know if we can attend and chat with you and your neighbors! Please contact Board Member Steve Test to invite him to join you.
SEA Board:
John Kennedy –President
Sheila Sullivan – Vice President
Mimi Roeder – Secretary
Martha Ash – Treasurer
Board Members:
Linda Damashek, John Storey-Williamson, Steve Test, Marcus Thimm, John Walsh, Emily Williams Guthrie (non-voting), and Laurie Zoloth,
The Southeast Evanston Association (SEA), Inc., an Illinois non-profit corporation- EIN No 36-3986627
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Click Here to review the SEA Annual Meeting Presentation from Assistant City Engineer Chris Sous on the Chicago Avenue Multimodal Corridor Improvement Plan- October 28,2025
Annual Meeting Minutes- October 28, 2025
SEA Members in attendance –
John Kennedy, Martha Ash, Mimi Roeder, Fred Ash, Sheila Sullivan, James Kirk, Helen Hilken, Dia Walsh, John Walsh, Thomas Judge, Susan Sobczak, Debbie Mara Evans, Kelley Hughes-Liao, Shirley Dugdale, Zafiro Papastratakos, Andrea Liss, John Storey-Williamson, Josh Bowes Carlson, 3rd Ward City Of Evanston Council Member Shawn Iles, Steve Test
Guests- Chris Sous and Lara Biggs from the City of Evanston Department of Engineering
The annual meeting of the Southeast Evanston Association was held on Tuesday, October 28th at the Firehouse Grill, second floor.
Ø 7:03 PM – Call to order
o John Kennedy provided an overview of the organization’s activities this past year and future objectives. John noted that Josh Bowes Carlson led the organization to inoculate trees against Dutch Elm Disease, as well has organized candidate forums during the local 2025 election. Josh kept the SEA organization moving even through CO-VID. John gave Josh the gift of a book about the history of Evanston.
o John described the mission of the organization (see below*). We have resumed monthly board meetings. We are looking at the infrastructure in our organization including the website and communications, membership levels and discerning issues on the horizon. John would like to have a better understanding of member views. Zoning codes will be at the forefront of city discussions in the future.
Questions and Comments:
o A question was asked about stabilizing the lakefront erosion; what is the plan to keep erosion at bay? It appears to have stalled out due to lack of funds. A lake front protection ordinance is being worked on by Council Member Clare Kelly. Erosion plan funds were applied for during COVID through FEMA, but those funds are no longer available. The city also applied for a grant for Sheridan Road to upgrade the area to keep erosion at bay, as well as at Greenwood Avenue at the lake. Assistant City Engineer, Chris Sous, also applied for a state grant feasibility study at Sheridan Road near the Calvary Cemetery. The public was involved in the lake front stabilization plan. The city is now in the midst of implementing that plan. The city is also working to improve the native habitat plantings with the Parks and Recreation Department.
o Balance of programming vs. passive use of lakefront; it seems that the balance is being lost. At what point is the lakefront too commercialized and overused for events and concerts?
o CM Kelly was asked by Sheila Sullivan (SEA Vice President) to share the lakefront ordinance draft document and says she will make it available to the SEA; Sheila Sullivan plans to follow up with Council Member Kelly to make sure the SEA can see it before it is made fully public.
o Lakefront management and development is worth keeping our eyes on.
o The Parks and Open Space Master Plan was passed in 2024 and is available for viewing on the city website here.
o What is SEA’s role in involving itself in areas outside of our boundaries? We use our mission statement as our guide.
*SEA Guiding Mission Statements
SEA and its Board aim to fulfill these essential tenets of our bylaws with the help of our members:
· Preserve the essentially residential character of Southeast Evanston through developing citizen participation in the processes of city zoning and planning.
· Maintain and improve practices and regulations affecting Evanston land use.
· Aid in the solution of community problems and encourage informed citizen participation in community affairs.
· Foster research, education and study of various aspects of legislation directly affecting our community.
· Provide a clearinghouse for information on community affairs.
· Actively monitoring development along the lakefront, as well as events and uses that are scheduled and requested. We believe in an active, healthy and vibrant lakefront, that allows people to freely enjoy nature without overcrowding or misuse.
We welcome thoughts, concerns and efforts to collaborate with our organization. Our email address is info@southeastevanston.org.
Ø John Kennedy - Presentation of Proposed Slate:
o John Kennedy – Interim President since June 2025.
o Sheila Sullivan – Vice President
o Mimi Roeder – Secretary - 1st term ending in October 2027
o Martha Ash – Treasurer - 1st term ending in October 2027
o John Walsh – Board Member
o Marcus Thimm – Board Member
o Laurie Zoloth – Board Member
o John Storey-Williamson – Board Member
o Linda Damashek – Board Member
o Steve Test – Board Member
o Emily Williams Guthrie – Board Member (non-voting)
Ø Motion – Josh Bowes Carlson moved to adopt the slate as presented. John Walsh, 2nd.
Motion passed in a unanimous voice vote
Meeting adjourned at 7:45PM
Presentation by City Staff
· There was a short presentation by Chris Sous, Assistant City Engineer. City Engineer, Lara Biggs, was also present. The city staff person spoke to the current plans for the rebuilding of the Chicago Avenue Corridor and the addition of a protected bike lane.
· Click here for the complete presentation.
October 21, 2025
To: Members of Southeast Evanston Association
Fr: SEA Board
Re: Annual Meeting Agenda and Request for Nominations
Our Mission
· Preserve the essentially residential character of Southeast Evanston through developing citizen participation in the processes of city zoning and planning.
· Maintain and improve practices and regulations affecting Evanston land use.
· Aid in the solution of community problems and encourage informed citizen participation in community affairs.
· Foster research, education and study of various aspects of legislation directly affecting our community.
· Provide a clearinghouse for information on community affairs.
· Encourage community activities in the Southeast Evanston area.
Annual Meeting
The annual meeting of the Southeast Evanston Association will be held on Tuesday October the 28th at the Firehouse Grill, second floor.
· Note: Nominations to the Board need to be sent in ahead of the meeting to be considered. Use this Link to nominate a resident or member.
· Doors open at 6:30 PM. Appetizers will be served. Drinks are available. You may also purchase dinner and dine during the proceedings.
· 7:00 PM - Meeting starts
o John Kennedy will provide an overview of the organizations activities this past year and future objectives.
·
Presentation of Proposed Slate:
o John Kennedy – Interim President since June 2025.
o Sheila Sullivan – Vice President
o Mimi Roeder – Secretary - 1st term ending in October 2027
o Martha Ash – Treasurer - 1st term ending in October 2027
o John Walsh – Board Member
o Marcus Thimm – Board Member
o Laurie Zoloth – Board Member
o John Storey-Williamson – Board Member
o Linda Damashek – Board Member
o Steve Test – Board Member
o Emily Williams Guthrie – Board Member (non-voting)
· Election of Board Members and officers
Presentation by City Staff
· We are expecting a short presentation by a City of Evanston staff person on the current plans for the rebuilding of the Chicago Avenue Corridor and the addition of a protected bike lane.
Sincerely,
John Kennedy – Interim President on behalf of the SEA Board:
Mimi Roeder, Martha Ash, John Walsh, Zafiro Papastratakos, Marcus Thimm, Laurie Zoloth,
John Storey-Williamson, Emily Williams Guthrie, Linda Damashek, Steve Test
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We welcome thoughts, concerns and efforts to collaborate with our organization. Our email address is info@southeastevanston.org.
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City of Evanston Helpful Tools and Information -
City Council Email list:
dbiss@cityofevanston.org, ckelly@cityofevanston.org, mrodgers@cityofevanston.org, siles@cityofevanston.org, kharris@cityofevanston.org, parielledavis@cityofevanston.org, jnieuwsma@cityofevanston.org, bburns@cityofevanston.org, tsuffredin@cityofevanston.org, jgeracaris@cityofevanston.org
City Portal with up to date information
https://cityofevanston.civicweb.net/Portal/Default.aspx
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Lakefront
Stewardship
It’s the gem of Evanston that belongs to everyone. Let’s protect and preserve it.
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Zoning
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Evanston
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Preservation
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See what we’re doing to preserve the historic nature of Evanston.
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