The Illinois times. (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-19??, 1960-06-13
CARVER NO. z
FEARS AIRED
At MEETING

were expressed I1udy at meet
ing attended by nearly 30 lead
ers of Northeast Champaign.
Representing Champaign at the
meeting, in Bethel AME Church,
were the City Council and City
Engineer John Kearns.
According to Kenneth Stratton,
moderator of the meeting, most of
the people expressed their desire
to the Council that the city make
no exceptions in building code reg
ulations for Northeast Champaign
One of the features of the pre-
liminary plat of the subdivision,
which caused some disagreement
among members of the City Plan
Commission, were several lots
which are less than the city's re-
quired SIS foot minimum lot front
age.
It was also pointed out that
present sewage facilities in Car
yer are somewhat insufficient at
the present time. If the new addi-
ton hooked onto Carver Park it
was the feeling that this would
only aggravate the situation.
On Traffic Flow
There was also some consterna-
ton expressed over the additional
traffic flow which Carver Drive
would be required to handle since
this street is the only exit and
entrance to the area.
Dedic ted right-of-way for
streets in the addition is only sol
feet which is 10 feet less than re-
quired under city codes.
However one councilman
thought there might be a provi-
sion that extensions of streets
need only be the same width as
the streets they extended from.
Carver Drive and Dorrie Miller
Drive, built uner old codes, are
so feet wide.
Another objection was raised
10 surrounding the Optimist Home
for Dependent Children. The
home is located at north end of
Carver Drive and if the new ad-
dition is put in as planned, it
would block any expansion pro-
gram which the home might
need.
1t was also felt that additional
playground facilities should be
planned so as to take care of
the recreational needs of addi-
6onal residents.
Several Other Items
Several other items We're dis
cusSed at the meeting, according
to Sratton.
Many of the people expressed
opposition to moving the signal
ling devices from the railroad
crossing at Poplar to the cross
ing at Fourth and Washington
which has no signalling device
at the present time.
This plan was proposed by rail-
road representatives at a hearing
before the Illinois Commerce
Commission May u. The rail-
road proposed closing off the
Poplar crossing.
This plan was objected to by
city officials at the hearing.
Another question brought up be-
fore the Council concerned the
possibility of appointing Negro
representatives to some of the
citys administrative boards.
Highest Participation
Stratton said the Champaign
Recreation Board was specifical-
ly pointed out because Douglass
Center and Douglass Park have
highest participation in organized
programs of any recreation CEN
ter in the city.
1t is felt that this would solve
n problem of lack of COM
mumcation which many people in
North Champaign feel prevents
official city bodies from knowing
the desires of the people in that
section of Champaign.
Some complaints were also reg
stered against the amount of
weeds which are growing up along
the railroad rights-of-way in the
area.
The Council was also asked
whether it would be possible for
tne city to pass fair employment
ordnance which would require
contractors working on city jobs
70 nlre according to merit.
According to Stratton, the Coun-
eli was insure whether the CITY