Story posted Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Plan Commission Chair Silver Resigns
"It is now January of 2010. Like Oprah Winfrey, I have had a successful run, and I feel that after 25 years it's time to retire from the plan commission," wrote Glenview Plan Commission Chair Howard Silver in his letter of resignation to Village President Kerry Cummings dated Monday, Jan. 4.
Silver's last meeting on the plan commission was yesterday, Tuesday, Jan. 26. Silver was appointed to the Plan Commission in 1985 by then Village President Tom Smith. Eight years ago Silver was appointed chair of the Plan Commission.
Silver told the Journal, "Twenty-five years just felt like a good time to go out on top." He called his work on the commission "a labor of love."
In his years on the Plan Commission, Silver estimated he attended about 550 commission meetings hearing about 2,200 cases under five different village presidents.
In addition to those regular commission meetings, Silver served on several commissions formed when the Glenview Naval Air Station closed and The Glen was developed as well as downtown development committees and others.
Silver said he would focus more of his attention on his growing real estate management business, also located in Glenview, and his involvement with the Glenview Rotary Sunrise organization.
"The development of The Glen was an incredible experience," said Silver.
Silver was intimately involved with the planning and layout of The Glen as it is today from the time President Bill Clinton first announced the Air Station's closing. He equated the experience to laying out a city.
Silver has seen a change in developers appearing before the Plan Commission. Far more rare are the "antagonistic developers" who come in demanding their plans be accepted with out question.
"We learned to say no," said Silver. Now most developers are more aware of the Plan Commission's expectations and incorporate those into their plans before making their first presentation.
With the exception of a few large projects and plots of land, most developments coming to the village are smaller "fill in" developments, unlike The Glen.
History has played a part in the look of the village. Silver said that though there is room for various styles of architecture in the village, "history has an effect" such as the look of the relatively new Bank of America branch at Lake Avenue and Waukegan Road.
People were always Silver's largest concern.
"I've always put myself in the shoes of the residents," said Silver. "We never put revenue over desirability."
Cummings said she is searching for a new candidate to sit on the Plan Commission and is considering who might make the best chair.
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