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2006-07-19 - Plan Commission - Minutes Board or Commission: ❑ Plan commission Document Type: 0 A e g nda 0 Minutes Meeting ate: 07/19/2006 Type of Meeting: ❑ Regular Meeting REGULAR MEETING BUFFALO GROVE PLAN COMMISSION July 19, 2006 Discussion of Village Comprehensive Plan Update Chairman Ottenheimer called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. in the Village Council Chambers, Buffalo Grove Municipal Building, 50 Raupp Boulevard, Buffalo Grove, Illinois. Commissioners present: Chairman Ottenheimer Ms. Kenski-Sroka Mr. Cohn Mr. Podber Mr. Stark Commissioners absent: Mr. Smith Ms. Bocek Mr. Khan Mr. Teplinsky Also present: Mr. Bruce Kahn, Village Trustee Mr. Robert Pfeil, Village Planner APPROVAL OF MINUTES Moved by Commissioner Kenski-Sroka, seconded by Commissioner Cohn to approve the minutes of the public hearing of May 3, 2006. All Commissioners were in favor of the motion and the motion passed unanimously with Commissioner Cohn abstaining. Moved by Commissioner Stark, seconded by Commissioner Kenski-Sroka to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of May 3, 2006. All Commissioners were in favor of the motion and the motion passed unanimously with Commissioner Cohn abstaining. Moved by Commissioner Stark, seconded by Commissioner Kenski-Sroka to approve the minutes of the public hearing of June 21, 2006. All Commissioners were in favor of the motion and the motion passed unanimously. Moved by Commissioner Kenski-Sroka, seconded by Commissioner Podber to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of June 21, 2006. All Commissioners were in favor of the motion and the motion passed unanimously. COMMITTEE AND LIAISON REPORTS Commissioner Podber attended the Village Board meeting on July 10, 2006. He stated there is an issue with the Emerald Ash Borer which eats ash trees. He noted approximately 35 percent of trees in Buffalo Grove are Ash trees and it may cost up to one million dollars to remove them and three million dollars to replace them. The trees need to be burned. Commissioner Podber further noted the Park District spa issue came up for a vote and passed 4 to 1. He also noted the Board agreed to get a digital copier and sign machine. DISCUSSION OF VILLAGE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Mr. Pfeil suggested that the Commission review the comments that were made at the public input meetings in June. One of the meetings covered the Dun-Lo area including Buffalo Highlands on the east side of Buffalo Grove Road as well as the Dun-Lo area on the west side of Buffalo Grove generally south of Dundee. The other meetings addressed the Lake Cook, Milwaukee area and the Prairie View area. Mr. Pfeil noted that the meeting with the Dun-Lo residents had two distinct groups. Comments from the residents of the area on the west side of the Buffalo Grove Road indicated that they are not interested in being part of the Village. Some residents of the Buffalo Highlands area on the east side of Buffalo Grove Road expressed interest in annexing to the Village primarily to get Village water and sanitary sewer. An issue that the Plan Commission will need to address is the type of land use that is appropriate for this area. Mr. Pfeil noted that the Village's 1998 Comprehensive Plan designates the area south of Dundee Road and west of Buffalo Grove Road as single-family residential. One concept that has been discussed is the area of commercial at Dundee Road and whether it should extend south as far as Parkview Terrace. The feasibility and rationale for recommending expansion of the commercial area to the south should be analyzed. Residents of the area generally commented that single-family detached is their preference for land use in the area south of the existing commercial area along Dundee Road. Some parcels in the area east of Old Buffalo Grove Road and west of Buffalo Grove Road south of Dundee road have been suggested for commercial use or some type of multi-family by some developers. Mr. Pfeil stated one of the issues in the Buffalo Highlands area concerns re-platting concepts. The existing platting arrangement for both the Buffalo Highlands and the Dun-Lo area are lots of 20,000 square feet. The Village has received inquiries from both property owners and potential developers are about replatting to allow higher density. This is a key policy issue for this area. The adjacent residential in Buffalo Grove is R-5 zoning. A policy decision will need to be made concerning the amount of new residential development that is appropriate. Commissioner Stark noted it seemed that everyone at the June meeting wanted to keep things as is and keep their psuedo rural area intact. Chairman Ottenheimer asked how that fits in with the general scheme of Buffalo Grove in general and how does it compare with current lot sizes. Mr. Pfeil said that statistically the majority of the Village is platted with R-5, R-4 and R-3 lots. R-4 lots have been allowed recently for some of the smaller infill parcels, but generally R-3 has been used for the more recent development in the northerly part of the Village. The Village has generally not allowed R-5 zoning for new developments over the past twenty years. On the other hand, the Village has relative few subdivisions with larger lots such as R-1, which requires a minimum lot area of 20,000 square feet. Chairman Ottenheimer noted that his concern is whether there would be new residential development in the Dunlo and Buffalo Highlands it remains R-1. The location seems to be more appropriate for a lot size smaller than the R-1 standard. Commissioner Stark asked if it would have to be an all or nothing on that area. Mr. Pfeil stated other concepts could be explored. Perhaps the lots proximate to Buffalo Grove Road could be somewhat smaller to allow more units, and lots farther into the interior of the subdivision could retain the current platting arrangement. Commissioner Podber asked how a change in zoning would affect existing homeowners. Mr. Pfeil noted that this is a zoning policy issue. The Village could unilaterally rezone property or wait for petitions on specific properties. Usually if an area is annexed as a neighborhood, the properties would have the same zoning. If an area is forcibly annexed, the zoning is Residential Estate. Subsequent petitions for rezoning of specific properties could be considered by the Village. If there was an annexation agreement involving all or a majority of the owners in the area, the agreement could allow zoning other than Residential Estate. Property owners within the area may have differing views on the appropriate zoning, so this issue would need to be resolved as part of the annexation. Commissioner Podber asked if anyone at the meeting had discussed multi-family. Mr. Pfeil stated that although he was not at the Dunlo meeting, he would conclude that there was strong concern about any multi-family. The Timber Court development in Arlington Heights was cited by some Dunlo residents as a type of development that they do not want in their area. Commissioner Stark stated that pretty much no one at the June meeting for Dunlo was in favor of any type of multi-family. Mr. Pfeil noted that some amount of multi-family at an appropriate density is certainly worth at least exploring particularly proximate to the commercial area and the bus lines that feed into the proximate commuter rail lines. Mr. Pfeil pointed out that the 1998 Comprehensive Plan designates the northwest corner of Lake Cook and Milwaukee just south of Linden for office development. The existing Chevy Chase area is single-family on the Village's plan, except for the tier of lots on the west side of Milwaukee. The Village has approved mixed use development on the Riverwalk North area, including three land uses: residential, hotel and office. The property at Linden, Milwaukee and Lake Cook and the Riverwalk North property need to be re-evaluated. Some of the comments at the June input meeting suggested low-density residential use for the property south of Linden at the corner of Milwaukee Avenue and Lake Cook Road. The Village has had inquiries from developers about residential on this site. Residential development at this location should probably link to the road system into the existing Chevy Chase [Columbian Gardens] subdivision. Commissioner Stark noted that the biggest concern stated by Columbian Gardens residents is cut-through traffic, especially if it an office building is developed. They had no problem with single-family in that area, including access to the residential road system. They would, however, want a park or some open space in the development. Commissioner Cohn stated it is an awkward property that feels more like a buffer zone between the highway and the residential neighborhood. He asked if some way could be found to develop a portion of this property as residential and a portion of it as green space because of that highway issue. He noted the green space is an issue that needs to be thought through and some type of bike trails or green space must be developed. Trustee Kahn pointed out that a developer recently proposed multi-family for the parcel south of Linden Avenue. There seemed to be an issue with the property owner's lack of desire to sell the property, and would instead use a long-term land lease. This was a sticking point for the Village Board in terms of residential development since there are a number of concerns and issues that would have to be addressed. Mr. Pfeil commented that residents near the Weber Grill property have expressed concerns about maintenance of the property and possible impacts from redevelopment. The Weber property is being marketed, but no specific use has been suggested. The Village needs to consider re-development scenarios for the property. The current commercial zoning designation seems to be valid. The redevelopment issues pertain to compatibility with existing residential properties. Chairman Ottenheimer stated he would like to retain the commercial designation for the property and encourage redevelopment for a restaurant. Mr. Pfeil discussed the Riverwalk North property. He noted the residential apartment building is nearing completion. A hotel is approved for the northerly parcel and an office building for the third parcel. The office market is not conducive to any short term or mid term construction and the hotel seems marginal in terms of market feasibility. It is possible that Hamilton Partners may propose a re-plan for the property. Mr. Pfeil noted the last area under discussion is the Aptakisic/Prairie/Weiland area. At the June public input meeting there was a range of opinions about the northeast corner of Buffalo Grove Road and Aptakisic about whether or not commercial designation should remain on that property. The Commission should address this issue in the Comprehensive Plan update. The 1998 Comprehensive Plan designates the properties along the south side of Aptakisic Road as single-family from Buffalo Grove Road to Prairie Road. Margate Road is planned to extend as a collector street to Aptakisic Road and then extend north into the Didier property. The Hoffman farm along the west side of Prairie Road is designated on the 1998 Plan as single-family, and a central open space is designated for the area adjoining the Prairie Grove subdivision. In the Arlyd Road area the 1998 Plan shows single-family detached and some commercial along the future Weiland/Prairie Road connector. He noted that at the June meeting there were diverse ideas concerning the amount of commercial development that should be recommended along Aptakisic Road. Mr. Pfeil asked for the Commissioner's ideas concerning commercial designations in the Aptakisic corridor from Buffalo Grove Road to Weiland Road. Commissioner Podber noted he was at the discussion table with members of the Didier family and they were concerned with the value of the property if it was changed from residential to commercial. Another concern was the tributary to the Aptakisic Creek which runs through their farm and is designated as green space on the Village's 1998 Comprehensive Plan . He noted that the Didiers stated that they want to make sure that the value of their land is enhanced, and not diminished by the Comprehensive Plan . Chairman Ottenheimer noted the people at his discussion table strongly urged the development of a gas station on the corner at Buffalo Grove Road and Aptakisic. He noted his only concern with commercial is avoiding development of another strip center. If there is more commercial development, there should be uses other than what is already available at existing centers. Commissioner Cohn stated he can see some commercial around the Buffalo Grove/Aptakisic corner. He agrees, however, that another strip mall is not needed. Commissioner Podber stated he would be concerned about a gas station underneath the power lines. Chairman Ottenheimer stated it would be adjacent to the power lines, but not directly under the lines. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT—None FUTURE AGENDA SCHEDULE Mr. Pfeil stated the next regularly scheduled meeting will be held on August 2, 2006. PUBLIC COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS—None STAFF REPORT—None NEW BUSINESS—None ADJOURNMENT Moved by Commissioner Kenski-Sroka, seconded by Commissioner Podber and carried unanimously to adjourn. Chairman Ottenheimer adjourned the meeting at 8:22 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Fay Rubin, Recording Secretary APPROVED BY: LESTER OTTENHEIMER, Chair