Staff

The Planning and Zoning Division Office Lines:

Zoning Office: 847-866-2930

Planning Office: 847-866-2928

The Planning and Zoning Division Staff Direct Lines:

The Planning and Zoning Division now has direct lines to better serve you. Please note the new phone numbers.

ASST DIRECTOR FOR PLANNING & ZONING: Dennis Marino 847-866-2928
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT ASSISTANT: Peter Sellke, 847-448-8699
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY: Bobbie Newman, 847-866-2928
FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATOR, CDBG: Teresa Borja, 847-448-8689
GENERAL PLANNER: Craig Sklenar, 847-448-8683
GRANTS ADMINISTRATOR/CDBG: Sarah Flax, 847-448-8684
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COORDINATOR: Carlos Ruiz, 847-448-8687
NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNER: Susan Guderley, 847-448-8675
NSP2 COORDINATOR: Jolene Saul, NSP2 Coordinator 847-448-8166
ZONING OFFICER : Martin Travis, 847-448-8155
ZONING PLANNER: Melissa Klotz, 847-448-8153
 

Assistant Director, Planning and Zoning Division of Community & Economic Development Department

The Planning Division Director coordinates the day to day functioning of the Planning Division. Also, he serves as an Assistant Director of the Community Development Department, which includes the zoning, building, housing rehabilitation and inspection services divisions. Within the Planning Division, he is currently responsible for projects that include downtown planning and development, neighborhood revitalization, economic development, housing development, industrial retention, and consolidated planning. He provides staff support to the Economic Development Committee, Plan Commission, and TIF Joint Review Boards.

Electric service reliability is another focus of his scope of work, which includes franchise negotiations, monitoring of reliability and staffing the Energy Commission and the Technical Review Group.

Dennis Marino: 847-866-2928, dmarino@cityofevanston.org

 

CDBG Administrator

The CDBG Administrator is the Evanston liaison to the federal Community Development Block Grant Program and facilitates the yearly application, review, and grant distribution process. In addition to staffing the Housing and Community Development Act Committee, she is responsible for the annual CAPER report.

Sarah Flax: 847-448-8684, sflax@cityofevanston.org
 

General Planner

The primary focus of the General Planner is to staff the Plan Commission and the comprehensive and consolidated planning processes in the division. He is responsible for coordinating the preparation of the Consolidated Plan and assists with the process.

Additionally, the General Planner is responsible for updating Evanston census and demographics and assisting the public and other planners on various projects. Daily, he helps the public understand the planning process by clarifying city ordinances, arranging development consultations and answering questions about the Evanston Comprehensive Plan.

Craig D. Sklenar, AICP: 847-448-8683, csklenar@cityofevanston.org
 

Historic Preservation Coordinator

The Historic Preservation Coordinator administers the preservation ordinance. He assists the public with applications to obtain certificate of appropriateness and provides technical design assistance to business districts and applicants to the Façade Improvement and Evanston Storefront programs. As the City staff to the Historic Preservation Commission, he manages a process that considers new local districts and comments on national register districts.

Carlos D. Ruiz: 847-448-8687, cruiz@cityofevanston.org

 

Housing Planner

The Housing Planner works with housing developers, residents, and other City staff on housing related matters. The Housing Planner manages the federal HOME program and the local Affordable Housing Fund which supports affordable housing developments and programs, including the Downpayment Assistance program. In addition, the Housing Planner manages the Condominium Disclosure Review Process, staffs the Housing Commission and conducts research on housing issues.

Mary Ellen Poole: 847-859-7889, mepoole@cityofevanston.org

 

Neighborhood Planner

The Neighborhood Planner coordinates the neighborhood planning process and facilitates public participation among interested parties. She collaborates with residents, businesses, property owners, city officials, commission staff and local institutions to help neighborhoods identify and achieve their goals.

The three neighborhood planning processes in which she has been most active include the West Evanston Neighborhood Plan, the Howard Street Revitalization Initiative, and the Chicago Avenue Corridor Study and Recommendations Report. Issues span areas as broad as public works, parks and recreation, safety, economic development, housing, community services, employment, etc.

In addition, the Neighborhood Planner staffs the Neighborhood Planning Committee of the Plan Commission and does data collection, fieldwork and analysis prior to the development of neighborhood planning recommendations and implementation strategies.

Susan Guderley: 847-448-8675 sguderley@cityofevanston.org
 

Zoning Planner

The Zoning Planner provides timely and accurate information to the public as staff to the Zoning Board of Appeals, review of various applications, and consultations with the public. For the Zoning Board of Appeals, the zoning planner reviews, coordinates, and analyses major variance and special use applications for review by the Board and answers any inquires the Board may have with regard to procedure or interpretation of the zoning ordinance. The zoning planner also analyses business and food licenses applications, along with zoning analysis and building permit applications as needed. Finally, the zoning planner is available to the public to provide zoning consultation on projects ranging from residential additions to multi-use developments.

Melissa Klotz: 847-448-8153, mklotz@cityofevanston.org
 

Executive Secretary

The Executive Secretary works directly with the Assistant Director for Planning & Zoning and the Planners to implement the functions of the Planning & Zoning Division and directs inquiries to the appropriate planner, and helps callers with general questions about meeting times and calendar items.

Bobbie Newman: 847-866-2928, bnewman@cityofevanston.org
 

Financial Administrator (CDBG)

Theresa Borja: 847-866-8689, tborja@cityofevanston.org
 

Community Development Block Grant Assistant

The Community Development Block Grant Assistant primarily helps administer the Community Development Block Grant program and assists in mapping, data analysis and research for the Planning & Zoning Division.

Peter Sellke: 847-448-8699 psellke@cityofevanston.org