Story posted Thursday, June 25, 2009
Move Ahead On Electric Cars
By CRAIG ADAMS Journal & Topics Reporter
Wheeling trustees on Monday, June 22 asked village staff to continue preparation of an ordinance allowing neighborhood electric vehicles.
"The direction was pretty solid, 5–2, to go forward," said Village Manager Mark Rooney. Staff will investigate state and county restrictions on the vehicles to help craft a village law.
The vehicles are not golf carts, although they are similar. They can travel up to about 25 mph and must have safety features such as windshields, safety belts, and lights similar to other vehicles on the road.
Existing laws prohibit use of the vehicles on any county or state road. They can only cross county or state roads at stoplights, severely limiting the range of anyone using one.
"There are IDOT (Illinois Dept. of Transportation) issues to try to overcome so the ordinance doesn't have to be completely restrictive," Rooney said. "How viable will it be? Not very." With the current rules, the vehicles have "pockets" in which they can travel.
However, Rooney said the state has begun to consider easing its restrictions. If that occurred and drivers could use or cross other streets, the vehicles would be able to go farther.
Rooney added the police department would perform a review of all village streets and provide recommendations for permitted use of the vehicles. The proposal will come back before the board in August.
The board also looked at, and continued, a special use permit and site plan for a tavern with live music at 322 N. Milwaukee Ave.
The Wheeling Plan Commission voted 3–3 on the plan for Mark's House of Rock 'N Roll at the meeting on Thursday, June 11.
"They (the trustees) wanted to get a more thorough police report on that," Rooney explained. The Plan Commission heard residents' concerns about noise at the proposed tavern. The site has been closed for about 18 months. It was previously called Hangouts; before that, it was named Hotshots.
The proposal returns to the board on June 29.
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