PROTECTING WRIGLEYVILLE RESIDENTS

June 25, 1987

Chicago Tribune

ALDERMAN PROPOSES PARKING PERMITS NEAR WRIGLEY

Manuel Galvan and James Strong.

An ordinance to limit parking near Wrigley Field to people withresidential permits was introduced Wednesday in the Chicago City Council byAld. Helen Shiller (46th).

``For 10 years, people in this area of our ward have been asking forrelief from the severe parking problems they face as a result of Cubs baseball games,`` Shiller said. ``There is very little off-street parking available in the area for people attending Cubs games, consequently it is virtuallyimpossible for the residents to find parking spaces on the days of thegames.``

Her proposal was sent to the council`s Committee on Traffic Control. Sheis seeking a public hearing on the ordinance to be held in her ward, which is north and east of the ballpark.

The proposal would affect only Shiller`s 46th Ward, but it drew immediate opposition from Ald. Bernard Hansen (44th).

Hansen, whose ward is south of Shiller`s and includes Wrigley Field, requested a traffic study last year from the Department of Public Works on the issue of residential parking permits.

The study found that although residential permits work around Comiskey Park, ``there are significantly more commercial activities adjacent to Wrigley Field.`` In addition, ``reasonably priced, accessible off-street parking lots . . . do not exist in the Wrigley Field area,`` the study concluded.

In other action, the council approved, as expected, an ordinance barring private clubs and institutions from maintaining sexually discriminatory membership policies.

Under the new code, a club or ``place of accommodation`` with more than 400 members that provides regular meal service and receives payments or subsidies from outside sources for trade and business functions must accept members of both sexes.

The measure will take effect 30 days after its passage but would allow clubs up to 180 days to make any needed alterations of facilities to accommodate membership by men and women.

Supporters of the ordinance, sponsored by Ald. David Orr (49th) and Ald. Edwin Eisendrath (43d), said prestigious clubs, such as the Union League Club and the Tavern Club, often have been used as meeting places to determine policies and study problems to the exclusion of women participants.

While the council acted on the private-club ordinance, it deferred action on a dozen amendments to the city`s ethics ordinance, set to go into effect next week. Ald. Eugene Sawyer (6th), chairman of the Rules Committee, voted to defer the package, and he was joined by Ald. Lawrence Bloom (5th).

`We`re passing copies out to everyone,`` said Sawyer, who favors the measures. The measures set out requirements for financial disclosure statements to be filed by city officials and restrictions on the accepting of gifts.

The move prevented opposition aldermen from blocking the proposal and allowed enough time for another council meeting to pass the amendments before the July 1 effective date. The next meeting was set for June 30.

Also Wednesday, Mayor Harold Washington made three recommendations for board appointments so the council could schedule hearings on them. They were Paul Brady to the Chicago Housing Authority board, to replace Letitia Nevill; Jake Greene to the Chicago City Colleges board, to replace Arthur Velasquez; and Raymond Broady to succeed Ken Groggs on the Building Board of Appeals.