“If you win through bad sportsmanship, that’s no real victory.” – Babe Didrikson Zaharias

 

“You’re only here for a short visit. Don’t hurry, don’t worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way.” ― Walter Hagen 

 

Announcements
(notes provided by the unconventional and unorthodox Paul Conforti)

Dues: Jack reminded everyone to make sure their dues are up to date. The new Rotary year begins with the July 7th meeting.

Visioning: Bob & Rod have set the evening of August 25th as our 1st Visioning meeting. More info to come.


Program

Ben LeRoy gave us a fascinating insight into Champaign’s zoning regulations. Ben earned a Master’s in Urban Planning and J.D. from UIUC, and is now an Associate Planner with the City of Champaign.  He is a great speaker, not quite as entertaining as Benny Lapid, who returned with a visit and almost stole the show (the old showbiz saying needs to be appended to “You never want to follow children or animal performers – OR Benny doing what Benny does”.) But Ben LeRoy held the CU Sunrisers captivated just about to the end of the time period with barely enough time to squeeze in a 78rpm version of Alive Alert Awake…

Driving around over the weekend I noticed that the huge housing structure at Green and Neil has alternating gray and white paint schemes. A purposed design enhancement possibly, but Champaign zoning law says you need to do that so your basic structure adds some level of aesthetic enhancement to this behemoth but essentially boring design.

The new student housing recently built along University Avenue (Latitude it is called) is built not as a straight wall facing a major thoroughfare, but with architectural insets, breezeways and cutouts (called articulation) and multicolored and differing exterior building materials – these are zoning requirements to enhance the look and feel of the structure to the surrounding area.

Apartments of any size may no longer have a featureless wall facing the street – the front must in some way interact with street in a way that is both inviting and blending with the neighborhood (think portico and walkway from the building front to the street rather than the all too common side entrance).

Apartments must have transparency features (windowed stairwells for example) to make them look and feel safer, as well as interact with the street view in a non-imposing way.

Apartments can no longer be built on stilts over parking unless this feature is not in view from the street, again to harmonize better with the neighborhood.

This is all part of a comprehensive zoning initiative Champaign has made in part to better respect market demands especially in the campus and downtown areas, foster greater overall creativity in urban design and to make student housing areas feel more like a neighborhood.

To follow up with Ben LeRoy contact him at ben.leroy@ci.champaign.il.us. 

 

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  June 30th July 7th July 14th July 21st
Introductions Lou Simpson Billy Stull Jeff Van Buren Cary Woolard
Invocation Darrell Hoemann Mary Hodson Phillip Holthaus Andrew Kerins
Greeters Lou Simpson Billy Stull Jeff Van Buren Cary Woolard
Paul Conforti Molly Delaney Ata Durukan Diana Dummitt
Song Leader Oktay Baran Keith Brandau Paul Conforti Molly Delaney
Notetaker Lintner Perry Penwell Hodson
Rotary Minute        
Decker Weeding LaCharite Paceleys Simpson Hodson
Next Weekend        
Decker Garden LaCharite LaCharite Van Buren Van Buren
Watering        

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UPCOMING SCHEDULE

June 30th – Pass the Gavel day and Club Awards ceremony

July 7th – Steve Carter will discuss the recommendation by the Unit 4 Facilities Committee for a new high school and other building projects

July 14th – Judy Miller, Environmental Program Manager for the Urbana Park District/Anita Purves Nature Center, will discuss their new nature playscape

July 21st – John Marlin, UIUC, will discuss prairie and woodland plantings on campus

July 28th – District Governor Kevin Yonce 

August 4th – Dr. Steve Sonka, Professor Emeritus, UIUC, will provide a presentation on food waste and prevention of postharvest loss

August 11th – TBD

August 18th – TBD