The City Council will hold a special meeting on Oct. 30 to discuss Northwestern’s Rebuild Ryan Field project, including the zoning change that would allow Northwestern to host concerts at the new stadium.
According to a press release, the two orders regarding the University’s Ryan Field proposal will appear as special agendas to be presented. They will also be the only topic of discussion at the meeting, after the Planning Commission heard 13 hours of testimony during three separate meetings on the controversial NU project.
Mayor Daniel Biss’ decision to give the ordinances special work orders marks a departure from the City’s usual process of submitting items to the Planning and Development Committee before a council vote.
“To ensure that all members of the community have the opportunity to weigh in on this issue, which has generated so much interest, Mayor Biss will ask the council to suspend its rules to allow all participants in public comment to “have at least a minute and a half to express yourself,” the statement said.
On October 11, the city’s nine-member Land Planning Commission unanimously opted to recommend the stadium reconstruction proposal to the City Council, but voted 7-2 not to recommend the rezoning ordinance. Despite the ordinances forwarded to the planning and development committee, the city is not skipping any decisive steps: the city council is the final decision-making body and can vote on the ordinances regardless of the planning commission’s decision.
If any of the items are approved to be presented at the Oct. 30 meeting, it will need a final vote for action at a regular City Council meeting, likely Nov. 13.
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—Faculty Senate hears from University President Michael Schill, considers rebuilding Ryan Field
