Library Board's Response to Comprehensive Plan

February 22, 2004

The Glenview Library Board of Trustees has serious concerns with the proposed location and size of a new library in the draft Glenview 2004 Comprehensive Plan. The proposed site does not meet the minimum requirements that the Library Board set out for a new facility.

The parking proposed in the Plan for a new library will be woefully inadequate. The library currently has 91 parking spaces and by far the most common complaint from village residents is the lack of available parking. The draft plan shows about 90 parking spaces - the same amount of parking as the library has now. In addition, the library would have to share the parking with adjacent retail establishments leading to a net reduction in the amount of available library parking. This is unacceptable to the Library Board.

The Library anticipates it would need approximately 225 parking spaces with a new building. The Library does not see a way to provide that amount of parking in the space available.

The Library Board also has concerns with the lack of flexibility with the site. The present site has the same problem. Since the Library moved into its own building in 1955, there has been an expansion about every 18 years in 1968, 1986, and we are considering one now in 2004. It would be imprudent to build a new facility without anticipating an expansion during the next 20 years.

Finally, the Library Board is concerned with the cost of the site. The proposed location is one of 15 possible locations in Glenview the Library Board considered. The proposed location would be the most expensive to acquire.

The Draft Comprehensive Plan proposes placing a new library in a location with inadequate parking, no room to expand, and at a site that would be the most expensive to acquire. We, the Library Board, the Planning Commission, and the Village Board, will be doing the residents and the taxpayers of Glenview an extreme disservice if we adopt this component of the 2004 Comprehensive Plan.