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2002-05-15 - Plan Commission - Minutes Board or Commission: ❑ Plan Commission Document Type: 0 A e g nda 0 Minutes Meeting ate: 05/15/2002 Type of Meeting: ❑ Regular Meeting REGULAR MEETING BUFFALO GROVE PLAN COMMISSION May 15, 2002 Proposed Fifth Third Bank, Lot 3 of Covington Office Plaza, Dundee Rd/Golfview Terrace,Amendment of P.U.D. and Preliminary Plan in the B-3 District—Workshop #1 Proposed townhomes by Insignia Homes, Lot 2 of Covington Office Plaza, Dundee Rd/Park View Terrace,Amendment of P.U.D. And rezoning to the R-9 District with a Residential Planned Unit Development—Workshop #1 Noah's Landing townhomes (Jacobs Homes)—Final Plat of Subdivision Vice Chairman Samuels 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 Mr. Samuels Ms. Dunn Mr. Panitch Mr. Smith Ms. Kenski-Sroka Commissioners absent: Ms. Bocek Also present: Mr. Lawrence Freedman, Ash, Anos, Freedman, & Logan Mr. Michael Metzger, Fifth Third Bank Mr. John Green, Groundwork, Ltd. Mr. Richard Vane, Groundwork, Ltd. Mr. Walter Hainsfurther, Kurtz Associates Mr. Bill Rotolo, Insignia Homes Mr. Jeffrey Braiman, Village Trustee Mr. Robert Pfeil, Village Planner Mr. Greg Summers, Associate Village Planner APPROVAL OF MINUTES Moved by Commissioner Panitch, seconded by Commissioner Dunn to approve the minutes of the public hearings and regular meeting of March 6, 2002. Commissioner Dunn noted several typographical corrections necessary on page 3 of the public hearing. as well as page 5, 6 and 7. All Commissioners were in favor of the amended motion and the motion passed unanimously. COMMITTEE AND LIAISON REPORTS Commissioner Panitch stated he attended the Village Board meeting on May 13, 2002 and there was nothing pertinent for the Plan Commission. NOAH'S LANDING TOWNHOMES (JACOB S HOMES)—FINAL PLAT OF SUBDIVISION Mr. Richard Vane stated they have worked with staff to ensure the final plat is in conformance with the approved preliminary plan and are therefore requesting a recommendation of approval to the Village Board. Vice Chairman Samuels asked if the plat had been by the Village Engineer. Mr. Pfeil stated the Village Engineer recommends approval of the plat. Moved by Commissioner Smith, seconded by Commissioner Panitch to recommend approval of the final plat of subdivision for Noah's Landing Townhomes. The vote was as follows: AYES: Dunn, Panitch, Smith, Kenski-Sroka NAPES: None ABSTAIN: Samuels ABSENT: Bocek Vice Chairman Samuels relinquished the Chair to Chairman Ottenheimer. PROPOSED FIFTH THIRD BANK, LOT 3 OF COVINGTON OFFICE PLAZA, DUNDEE RD/GOLFVIEW TERRACE, AMENDMENT OF P.U.D. AND PRELIMINARY PLAN IN THE B-3 DISTRICT—WORKSHOP 91 AND PROPOSED TOWNHOMES BY INSIGNIA HOMES, LOT 2 OF COVINGTON OFFICE PLAZA, DUNDEE RD/PARK VIEW TERRACE, AMENDMENT OF P.U.D. AND REZONING TO THE R-9 DISTRICT WITH A RESIDENTIAL PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT—WORKSHOP#1 Mr. Freedman stated he is here on behalf of Fifth Third Bank and Insignia Homes, which are two separate contract purchasers of two separate portions of the Covington Office Center. This project was approved over 20 years ago for a three building office complex. One of the three buildings was the only one built. The plan called for a building to be built in the rear to the south of the existing building and the front of the north of the existing building. This was a piece of property which has been marketed extensively over the last 20 years unsuccessfully for office use primarily because of the proximity to the Lake County/Cook County border and the tax differential between Lake and Cook County so that it is very difficult to market and lease office buildings in Cook County when you get near Lake County. Mr. Freedman stated Fifth Third Bank recently appeared before the Board for referral for a bank building on the front parcel and the Village Board was not enthused with having just a bank at that site. There was also some discussion at a different meeting about putting single family homes along the rear property. The trustees felt that was an inappropriate use for that site but that something residential in the form of a townhome development might be more appropriate. The owner put together these two buyers, Insignia Homes who wants to develop townhomes on the rear portion and the bank on the front and the trustees reconsidered and referred both matters. There is an issue that the Trustees wanted addressed relating to the bank piece. That issue is whether or not adding possibly an office component could maximize development of that site. One of the things discussed by staff and the Trustees was adding a second floor to the bank building. Both he and Mr. Green feel that will not really add revenue to the site and will just end up with an unleaseable second floor. However, they will present an alternative that might potentially turn into a second phase on the site where offices could be developed in conjunction with the bank. Mr. Green stated the entire parcel had been previously approved under a B-3 Planned Business Development area. He noted the southern parcel contains all of the detention for the entire development. Both of these pieces are 1.9-acres each. In 1974 an overall plan was approved for three 2-story office buildings of about 29,000-30,0000 square feet plus the parking that was intended to support them. At that time the detention facility was developed for the entire site. That detention facility is designed as a dry facility that means it is generally dry except for period in the spring and August and September. It takes about two days generally for the water to dissipate. He noted it is their intention to keep that as a dry facility. Mr. Green stated the comments from some of the Trustees at the referral was to look at the orientation of the bank facility so that they could create the greatest aesthetic opportunity of the building as it is viewed from both Dundee and Golfview Terrace. The drive up facilities are now on the south side of the facility and they have therefore been able to reduce the paving and circulation as a result. They have maintained five drive up lanes so that they can minimize the amount of stacking and lines. They also have 25 parking spaces shown for the bank facility, which is proposed initially to be a 4,000 square foot facility with an opportunity to add about another 800-1,000 square feet. At 4,800-5,000 square feet the final parking requirement would be 19-20 parking spaces. They are proposing to put in 25 spaces at the beginning of the process. Even with the expansion they would still exceed the requirement parking area for the entire bank facility. They were also concerned about cut through traffic opportunities so they wanted to maintain the appropriate flow on the site. Mr. Green stated during the discussions on one of the previous proposals for the site, there had been some discussions with IDOT about the right in, right-out. He stated they are aware that at that time IDOT had indicated they would support a right in but not necessarily a right out because of its location in relation to the intersection. The proposed plan therefore provides for the right in opportunity. It is set up so that there is no cut through. Mr. Green noted the Board had requested them to look at the density of the project at the beginning of the process. The existing townhome development to the south has a density of 8.9 units per acre. That is a density that is comfortable for that development but it is not a density that the Village tends to work toward these days. They immediately reduced their plan down to 11 units. That reduced the overall density on the 1.9 acres to 5.8 units per acre. They have received a staff report which asks if they had considered looking at what the density would be if you pro-rated the detention since all of the detention is on this 1.9 acres. They did look at that and when they pro-rated the detention, they are still at 6.8 units per acre. It was also suggested in the staff report that instead of R-9 zoning R-8 zoning is considered. He noted they have no objection to R-8 zoning. Mr. Green noted that since this was an approved plan in 1974 under annexation agreement, in that annexation agreement certain perimeter setback standards were developed and they have worked to maintain those. There is a 25-foot perimeter around the entire site now. As part of this proposal the planning staff has suggested the townhouse portion be considered a P.U.D., although the whole site might be. He stated they have no objection to looking at the townhouse as a Planned Unit Development. You would have a 35-foot perimeter setback requirement around that portion of the site. Mr. Green noted Parkview Terrace was approved as a 54-foot wide right of way. Therefore on the overall plan the road appears not to be centered in the right of way. It is slightly to the north. One of the Village requirements is to provide a sidewalk along the edge of the right of way. If they were to do so, they would be getting rid of a lot of the parkway that currently exists there. They are proposing to create a 6-foot wide easement on the southernmost portion of the townhouse site and put the sidewalk in that so the sidewalk would actually be outside of the right of way. By reconfiguring the layout so that the townhouses now serve to complete that transition to the commercial, they are able to do that because they can just pull the townhouse facade back far enough so they can create that. The way it is proposed now is a 35-foot setback from the lot line, a 6-foot easement within that setback so that the buildings are still 29 feet back from the sidewalk easement. Mr. Green noted there is an existing utility easement that is immediately adjacent to Golfview Terrace where it intersects Dundee Road and runs due south. There is a water main in that. The detention that is there can certainly be reconfigured. He stated they can relocate a part of that detention and still maintain that easement and actually create more volume and space to work with on the detention which makes it shallower. That can then be the separation between commercial and residential. There will be about 80 feet from the back of the proposed townhomes to the north lot line of the south parcel. Mr. Green stated they had created boxes of 26 feet by 50 feet. Within that they found they were able to maintain 24 feet between buildings which will allow them to have windows at the sides. This way 8 of the 11 units are end units this way. Now the first and second floors step in and out and the units are staggered. They have protected the 24-foot water main easement and they have spaced the buildings to work for that They are asking for a 25-foot setback on the very west side from the side lot line. There is nothing adjacent on that side. That is the entry point to the parking lot for the church. Mr. Green further stated that because this is one overall development, there is actually a shared right for parking. So they wanted to create a pedestrian access through to that. Mr. Pfeil suggested there might be an opportunity to create a secondary pedestrian route to Dundee Road. He noted that because of the spacing between the townhome buildings, the walk could be placed between the two westernmost buildings, and then be linked to the existing walk in front of the existing office building. Then as the site is developed, the walk can connected to the sidewalk along Dundee Road. Mr. Green stated they discussed how to provide better opportunity for other space on the bank site. Putting a second story on top of a 4,000 square foot building is an option. But by reconfiguring the site and turning the bank, they can create an area where a second one-story building could go. They also have the opportunity to extend the parking to handle 4,000-5,000 square feet more just around the perimeter. Once a second story goes on the bank, you are limiting the possible users. Mr. Green noted there had been some questions concerning impervious surfaces. He stated on the townhome portion of the site the approved plan around which the detention was designed was approved for 45,400 square feet of paved surface and the detention was designed around that. The plan as seen with the 11 townhomes is 25,800 square feet of impervious surface. That is only 57 percent of what was approved. With regard to the bank site, it was approved for 43,800 square feet of impervious surface. The proposed is 36,000 square feet of impervious surface, which is 82 percent. If they put in the 4,000-5,000 square foot additional building together with the required parking they will end up at about 43,000 square feet of impervious surface so they will not exceed what was approved. The net result will be about 15,000-18,000 square feet of impervious surface less than what the detention was designed for. Chairman Ottenheimer noted he wanted the record to reflect that under matters for discussion they are also discussing, in conjunction with matter 5A, matter 513, the proposed townhomes by Insignia Homes, Lot 2 of Covington Office Plaza, Dundee Rd/Park View Terrace, Amendment of P.U.D. and rezoning to the R-9 District with a Residential Planned Unit Development — Workshop #1. Commissioner Kenski-Sroka noted there is an existing sidewalk at the south end of the existing building that connects the church. She asked if that would be able to remain. Mr. Green stated the detention lip is probably not necessary and it is pavers so they can be relocated and that connection can be maintained. Commissioner Kenski-Sroka noted the proposed plan showing the right in on Dundee comes in where there are a series of six parking spaces, which may have an issue with people backing in and out. Mr. Green stated the staff reports had suggested shifting the building further east and moving the parking spaces over which they will be happy to do. Commissioner Kenski-Sroka asked if IDOT was firm on no right out at Dundee. Mr. Green stated IDOT has given a statement, which is not absolute on any right out. However, they felt it best to show the right in only having heard the statement. Commissioner Samuels asked if there are any plans showing how another 4,000 square foot building would be sited. Mr. Green stated no. However, they have created an area that is about 105 X 125. He noted they know if they just essentially extend the line of the existing office building, you can put a box in there. If you extend 7-8 parking spaces along the east side you now have sufficient parking spaces to have a 4,000-4,500 square foot building for office space. The site is approved for B-3 uses, which is nice, but this would be for office primarily. Commissioner Samuels asked if there would still be enough parking if it was for retail uses or a restaurant. Mr. Green stated if it were a restaurant more parking would be needed, but if you have a 4,500 foot opportunity and someone wants to put in a 3,000 square foot restaurant or medical office, those chances are also there. Mr. Freedman stated they do not envision anything there of a retail nature because of their experience in marketing the property. The owner had it marketed for a number of years for potential retail use and were totally unsuccessful in getting anything like that. So although from a planning standpoint, it could happen, the most likely use would be office. This would probably be a small user. Commissioner Samuels asked how the amount of proposed detention compare to what is being modified. Mr. Vane stated their plan is to have at least as much detention as is currently there. The plan is to keep the full amount of volume that is in the basin now. If they can augment it slightly they will do so. Commissioner Dunn asked about adding another pathway between the two westerly townhomes. Mr. Green stated they will be taking the pathway they started and moving it to be between the two westerly townhomes. There will then be one walkway. Commissioner Dunn asked how that would go through the detention area. Mr. Green stated that because they have more detention space than they need, the space they need to create the walkway would be quite sufficient. Commissioner Dunn asked how the detention would be configured. Mr. Vane stated the north part of the existing detention area will remain. Then they replace the part they are taking out with an east/west configuration. Commissioner Smith asked how many cars would be stacked in each lane of the drive through. Mr. Green stated each lane should stack 3-4 spaces especially if they make the shift to the east, which will then accommodate 4 cars in each lane. He stated it was the bank's decision to have more drive through lanes. Mr. Hainsfurther stated the bank feels that adding more lanes so they can process people faster so they do not have the stacking. Commissioner Smith asked what the bank building would look like in relation to the other buildings in the area. Mr. Hainsfurther stated there is residential to the north, the church to the west and a vacant lot to the east and then the two-story brick office building with the mansard roof. He stated they are looking for a more traditional building that will transition nicely between the residential on the north and the office building on the south. Chairman Ottenheimer asked if a variance is needed if the drive through will not have capacity for 6 vehicles for stacking. Mr. Pfeil stated a variation would be necessary and the developer should document the reasons to that a variation is warranted. Chairman Ottenheimer asked if bringing the drive through lanes down to four would then create enough stacking for 6 vehicles. Mr. Green stated no. It would, however, push the stacking back further and it would interfere with the opportunity to move people through faster. Mr. Hainsfurther noted the only real way to increase the stacking is to move the building further to the east. Chairman Ottenheimer asked for the pros and cons of shifting the building to the east. Mr. Green said he doesn't see any negative issues. In regard to positive aspects, there are now more driveways going around the building, more green space on both the east and north side of the site and they have less crossover of traffic flow. One other positive is that all the previous plans had been set up so that there was parking presumed to be along both the east and north side. They have eliminated most of that at the corner. There is still a berm there and they are not proposing to eliminate that. Chairman Ottenheimer stated he is somewhat concerned with the backup of the light at Golfview and Dundee. He asked if there is any possibility that IDOT will approve a right in, right out at Dundee, which would eliminate congestion at the light. Mr. Green stated they have been told they will support the right in. Since the bank building will be a little further west than the previous user's plan, they will ask IDOT if a right in, right out is viable for them. Mr. Freedman stated they would approach IDOT with that question. Chairman Ottenheimer asked to review once again the concept of no guest parking for the townhomes. Mr. Green stated they are creating the opportunity to use the empty parking lot because there are shared parking easements across the whole site. They have also made sure that they have at least 40 feet between the driveways between the buildings so they have the opportunity for 2 cars to park there. Chairman Ottenheimer asked that the Village Engineer take a close look at the detention. He asked who would be maintaining the stormwater facility. Mr. Freedman stated they have not yet decided. Obviously there is a covenant and they will probably have to create a cross easement between the three existing uses, which will be the association of the townhomes, the existing office building and the bank. Commissioner Smith asked why another bank is needed in the community. Mr. Freedman stated this particular bank has between 4,000-5,000 customers who are Buffalo Grove residents already. Beyond that, what else will you put on this site? This is a piece of property that has not been developed for traditional offices for 20 years. With the limited access commercial is not realistic there. This is a very low impact kind of use that will work here. Mr. Marvin Streske, President of Covington Manor, stated they are pleased with the townhome development. They are however, concerned with the bank and five drive through lanes and the additional traffic it will create. He noted they are already having a difficult time at Golfview, which stacks up because of the longer light for Dundee Road. The church also creates traffic on Sundays. The parcel of land sits up on a berm. On the east side of the property, the private homes sit about 3 feet lower than Golfview Terrace. The detention pond fills almost to within 2-3 feet of the sidewalk with a good rain. When the pond gets that deep the backyards of the homes on the east side are totally under water. With all of the additional paving proposed, the runoff will be even more for those on the east side. Chairman Ottenheimer once again asked that the Village Engineer check the calculations regarding the detention. Mr. Robert Sherman, stated his concern is regarding the amendments to the P.U.D. to allow a bank building and townhomes. He stated he feels the Village should be looking at ways to eliminate mixed zoning. He noted there is a very small pool of vacant land left in the Village and as the number of vacant parcels diminishes they become more valuable within the existing zoning. Additionally, the type of use concerns him. He noted there are already a number of banks in the corridor. He stated the concern is that there is a glut of the same uses. He noted his concern with the townhomes, which are a challenged property, they will become investor type properties which will be rented out to transient type of people and this will become a less desirable area. Ms. Dolores Cavenaugh stated her concern is with the detention and it coming into the detention pond at Covington which is already challenged. Commissioner Kenski-Sroka asked what the price of the townhomes would be. Mr. Freedman stated the starting prices will average about $300,000. Commissioner Kenski-Sroka noted that kind of price tag would preclude transients. Chairman Ottenheimer noted there might also be covenants that precludes renting the units out. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT Chairman Ottenheimer stated that a subcommittee has been formed for purposes of looking at the appearance review process. The committee consists of himself, Commissioner Samuels and Commissioner Bocek. FUTURE AGENDA SCHEDULE Mr. Pfeil stated the next regular meeting would be held on June 5, 2002. PUBLIC COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS—None STAFF REPORT—None NEW BUSINESS—None ADJOURNMENT Moved by Commissioner Smith, seconded by Commissioner Kenski-Sroka and carried unanimously to adjourn. Chairman Ottenheimer adjourned the meeting at 9:30 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Fay Rubin, Recording Secretary APPROVED BY: LESTER OTTENHEIMER, Chair