Staff

The Planning and Zoning Division Office Lines:

Zoning Office: 847-448-8155

Planning Office: 847-448-8231

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.

MANAGER, PLANNING & ZONING DIVISION: Dennis Marino 847-448-8674
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY: Bobbie Newman, 847-448-8231

FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATOR, CDBG: Teresa Borja, 847-448-8689
GRANTS ADMINISTRATOR/CDBG: Sarah Flax, 847-448-8684
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COORDINATOR: Carlos Ruiz, 847-448-8687
HOUSING PLANNER: Mary Ellen Poole, 859-7889

NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNER: Susan Guderley, 847-448-8675
NSP2 COORDINATOR: Jolene Saul, NSP2 Coordinator 847-448-8166

NSP2 ASSISTANT: 847-448-8699
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 Manager 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, the NSP2 Program and consolidated planning. He provides staff support to the Plan Commission, Housing & Community Development Act Committee, the Housing Committee, the Zoning Committee of the Plan Commission and the Zoning Board of Appeals.

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: 847-448-8674, dmarino@cityofevanston.org

 

Housing & Grants Administrator

The Housing & Grants 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.  She supervises the NSP2 Specialist and the Housing Planner and the Financial Analyst/Federal Grants Compliance.

Sarah Flax: 847-448-8684, sflax@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 & Homelessness Commission and conducts research on housing issues.

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

NSP2 (Neighborhood Stabilization Program) Coordinator:

Jolene Saul: 847-448-8166 jsaul@cityofevanston.org

NSP2 Assistant:

Leslie Windmon: 847-448-8699 lwindmon@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

Zoning Officer

The Zoning Officer reviews various applications. The Zoning Officer also analyses business and food licenses applications, along with zoning analysis and building permit applications as needed. Finally, the Zoning Officer is available to the public to provide zoning consultation on projects ranging from residential additions to multi-use developments.

Martin Travis: 847-448-8155, mtravis@cityofevanston.org

Executive Secretary

The Executive Secretary works directly with the Manager of 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: 847-448-8231, bnewman@cityofevanston.org
 

Financial Analyst/Federal Grants Compliance (CDBG)

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