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1997-03-12 - Plan Commission - Minutes SPECIAL MEETING BUFFALO GROVE PLAN COMMISSION March 12, 1997 The Community Chapel of Buffalo Grove, The Covington Office Center, southwest corner of Dundee Road/Golfview Terrace-Amendment of a `./ Planned Unit Development and Preliminary Plan in the B-3 District for a funeral home facility—Workshop #3 The Mueller property, northwest corner of Farrington Drive/Route 83, Aspen Homes,Annexation with zoning in the R-4 District and approval of a Preliminary Plan for a 13-lot subdivision --Workshop #2 Chairman Goldspiel 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 Goldspiel Mr. Krug Mr. Rosenston Mr. Samuels Mr. Lundine Mr. Trilling Commissioners absent: Ms. Howard Mr. Berman Mr. Ottenheimer Also present: Mr. Lawrence Freedman, Ash, Anos, Freedman&Logan Mr. Jim Murray, The Loewen Group Mr. Gary Hay, The Hay Company, Inc. Mr. Gerald Lindgren, Kenig, Lindgren, O'Hara, Aboona, Inc. Ms. Frances Fazio, Manhard Consulting Mr. Bill Rotolo, Aspen Homes Mr. Dave Humbert, Pirtano Construction Company Inc. Mr. Frank Salathe, JEN Land Design Inc. Mr. Karl Krogstad, Pugsley& LaHaie, Ltd. Mr. Jeff Braiman, Village Trustee Mr. Robert Pfeil, Village Planner Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Special Meeting-March 12 1997-Page 1 APPROVAL OF MINUTES Moved by Commissioner Samuels, seconded by Commissioner Lundine to approve the minutes of the Special Meeting of February 12, 1997. Commissioner Rosenston noted several grammatical errors on page 3, paragraph 2. All Commissioners were in favor of the motion as amended and the motion passed unanimously. COMMITTEE AND LIAISON REPORTS -None THE COMMUNITY CHAPEL OF BUFFALO GROVE, THE COVINGTON OFFICE CENTER_ SOUTHWEST CORNEROF T1TTNITIEE ROATI/n(1T FVIEW TPRR ACF _ AMENDMENT OF A PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT AND PRELIMINARY PLAN IN THE B-3 DISTRICT FOR A FUNERAL HOME FACILITY --WORKSHOP#3 Commissioner Lundine stated he will abstain from all discussions and voting on this issue as he resides in Covington Manor and he would not be able to maintain an unbiased opinion. Mr. Lawrence Freedman stated there are basically six questions which need to be addressed: 1. Clarify the expected number of funerals anticipated at this site 2. Assembling of the processionals and timing of discharge and effect on signalized intersection of Golfview and Dundee 3. Additional traffic counts during suggested time periods, particularly lunch periods 4. Investigation of Dundee Road access 5. Engineering comment on existing drainage situation and anticipated effects of the proposed project 6. Modification of the entrance ways Mr. Jim Murray stated he studied the numbers at some of their other locations and stressed that not all funerals end up in a procession to a church or cemetery. He stated this facility hopes to serve approximately 400-500 families per year. He noted about 70-75 %of those funerals end in a processional. With the optimum projection for this facility, there should be about 375 services that will actually have a processional from this chapel. This averages out to approximately one funeral per day. There may be days that will have 3-4 funerals, tempered by days when there are none. Mr. Gary Hay stated they have eliminated the access road from Golfview. He further noted they -- have taken the main entrance to the Covington office building and expanded it to the south into Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Special Meeting-March 12 1997-Page 2 two 12 foot lanes. He also noted they have conferred with the Fire Department regarding radius requirements for emergency equipment. In addition, 16 parking spaces have been eliminated but can be opened up if parking problems are anticipated. Mr. Hay reviewed the previously approved plan for three office buildings. He noted that at present the current office building holds 69 occupants. He noted that they can provide up to 281 parking spaces on site. Mr. Gerald Lindgren they were asked to do additional studies at other funeral facilities, request of IDOT relative to access on Dundee Road, and surveys of additional traffic counts at the existing 'c, , ,_ .,_ stated *DOT has office facility at noon time to cunapate w,ui a,Ytit;ipaieu Tui.c,ai��u�,i‘. ,T� that . stated they do not want access on Dundee Road and want it to be where it currently exists on Golfview Terrace. Additionally, IDOT does not support a right-in from Dundee Road or a second access on Golfview Terrace. Mr. Lindgren stated the count at noon time of the existing office facility shows it would be equal to a 100-125 person funeral if the two additional office buildings were constructed. The average attendance at a funeral is between 50-60 people. The number of times you would get 100-200 people at a funeral might be 30 times per year. He stated the average funeral with 50-60 people in attendance typically generates one car for every two people. The procession is actually smaller as not all people get into the procession. The processions typically have one-third to one-half the number of people who attend the funeral. A bigger than average funeral might have 60-70 cars. Mr. Lindgren stated the average time for processions to get out onto the road is 2.5-3.5 seconds per vehicle. If there are 100 vehicles it would add up to about six minutes to exit. The average funeral has about 50 people and about 25-30 vehicles involved so exiting would be considerably faster. Therefore, even three funerals per day would only generate 18 minutes worth of exiting in an entire day. Mr. Lindgren stated funerals, of course, do occur on Saturdays and Sundays whereas office buildings typically do not generate much, if any traffic. With three office buildings on this site as originally proposed, more than twice the volume of traffic in one hour in peak times would be generated on this roadway. The funeral home generates very little traffic in the morning peak hour. At noontime, there may be a funeral which might equal the amount of traffic that the three office buildings would generate. The evening peak hour volume generated by funeral homes on weekdays is generated due to visitations which does not cause a lot of traffic. Mr. Lindgren stated he has conferred with the Village traffic consultant and they both agree on the numbers, the magnitude, capacity of the system to accommodate funerals, the access, and parking in general. He noted the aisle holds about 42 vehicles if just parked in an ordinary manner. If stacked as if there was to be a procession, you can get over 60 vehicles into the space._ As people come in for a funeral, there will be people in the lot asking if they intend to be in the procession or not. Those in the procession would then be directed to the stacking area. After the Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Special Meeting-March 12 1997-Page 3 funeral these stacked cars are brought out behind the hearse. The average time for a vehicle to get through a traffic signal is 2-3 seconds. If the light is red, the procession would not leave until the green light comes on. Under normal circumstances the entire processional is out in 2-3 minutes. Mr. Lindgren stated the only items he may not be in agreement with the Village traffic consultant is the layout of the parking spaces. The Village consultant would prefer angled parking whereas he would prefer to save the extra couple of spaces because it makes sense for the convenience of `./ the families. He noted they would have a great deal of control in this facility and can direct traffic with signage. Chairman Goldspiel asked how long a light stays red under normal circumstances. Mr. Lindgren stated IDOT typically set maximums between 90-120 seconds so they run 1-1 1/2 minutes. He stated the signal at Golfview is probably set at 2 minutes at a complete cycle. Commissioner Rosenston asked if the signal at this intersection is on sensors. Mr. Lindgren stated the sensors are on the side streets and in the turn lanes. The main line automatically gives the green unless someone is on the adjacent street. Commissioner Rosenston noted concern with the visitors leaving the area whether it is from offices or the funeral home. He stated if there is only a 2-3 car green cycle with 20 cars leaving the area, it would take a long time to clear out. He asked what options there may be to get some relief from that kind of situation if it should occur. Mr. Lindgren stated there are some options. A case could be made for extra time depending on volume generated by either more office buildings or the funeral home. Commissioner Rosenston stated he would like some talks started with IDOT before the public hearing. Chairman Goldspiel noted that Golfview on the north side also has a school with considerable traffic and should be taken into consideration when talking to IDOT. Chairman Goldspiel asked if the traffic signal can be adjusted to get more time on Golfview when there is a heavier flow of traffic. Mr. Lindgren stated it can be set that way. Commissioner Krug asked how long it would take for a 50 car procession to clear the intersection. Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Special Meeting-March 12 1997-Page 4 Mr. Lindgren stated it would take about 2 1/2-3 minutes. Commissioner Krug asks what happens if there is a fire vehicle going through Dundee at the same time. Mr. Lindgren stated emergency vehicles always get the right-of-way. Commissioner Krug asked how many spaces are designated for the existing office building. Mr. Lindgren stated there will be 80 spaces reserved for that building, suggested to be adjacent to the h�iil,rlincay Chairman Goldspiel asked how the parking space ratio is related to the survey based on other facilities. Mr. Lindgren stated they surveyed the Wilmette facility which has about 95-99 spaces with a facility about equal in size to the proposed facility. He stated they counted those people at the Wilmette facility who parked in adjacent lots and they feel comfortable with the proposed spaces provided. Mr. Hay stated this facility is being used as both a funeral home and as the home base for Loewen Management offices which is why the square footage is somewhat larger than the Wilmette facility. Chairman Goldspiel asked if there was any comment from the Village traffic consultant not yet discussed. Mr. Pfeil stated the Village traffic consultant indicated he thought one chapel could hold 320 people and the other chapel could hold 187 and stated he assumed those would be staggered and not full at one time. Under those circumstances the traffic consultant was comfortable that the parking would be adequate. On occasions when there are 400 people or more then he noted concern with parking adequacy on the site. In comparison to the impact if the site housed three office buildings,the traffic consultant agreed that peak period of a three office building scenario is a serious traffic impact on Golfview and in that context the funeral impact is actually no worse and probably lighter in most situations. Mr. Hay stated the Wilmette Chapel has 3,471 square feet and the proposed chapel has 4,000 square feet. The small chapel at Wilmette has 3,000 square feet and the proposed smaller chapel has 2,700 square feet. Chairman Goldspiel asked if there would be more than one chapel in use at one time. Mr. Murray stated they never schedule two funerals at the same time in both chapels. However, it Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Special Meeting-March 12 1997-Page 5 is possible to have a funeral in one chapel and visitation in another. Chairman Goldspiel asked how many visitations can be scheduled at one time. Mr. Murray stated it is possible to have five at one time but that is highly unlikely. He further noted visitation promotes a constant flow of traffic in and out instead of everyone at one time. Ms. Frances Fazio of Manhard Consulting stated basic detention was provided by the previous developer. She stated the chapel plan proposes a ten percent less impervious surface means that the volume of the detention basin which has been built is approximately 10 percent larger than what normally have been ron»4red of is deve!opnfen+ wouldnormal; h�.r�been ,,.�� _ this _ .,r-.. _t. Ms. Fazio noted she understands this area has had drainage problems over the last few years and she has had numerous conversations with the Village engineer and agree that the development of this chapel will not have a negative effect on the already existing drainage problem. Commissioner Krug asked how the ten percent less impervious surface was calculated. Ms. Fazio stated she checked the old plans for the office and measured every available area and came up with about .3 acres which is roughly 15,000 square feet less than is being shown now. Chairman Goldspiel asked if the standards have changed since the original plans were approved. Ms. Fazio stated Buffalo Grove has not changed its standards. Chairman Goldspiel asked if there is anything not functioning properly in the existing detention area. Ms. Fazio stated there is a small restrictor in the head wall when the stormsewer leaves the site. ' This restrictor does require normal maintenance and has shown no signs of obstruction. Chairman Goldspiel asked if there were any comments from Mr. Kuenlder. Mr. Pfeil stated Mr. Kuenlder mentioned the heavy rain did seem to show one of the basins on the office parcel was holding water more than it should and theorized it may have been a problem with the restrictor. Ms. Fazio stated there are several reasons a basin is not releasing as it should. It is not only a factor of what is in the pond but also tail water which is what is happening downstream. Commissioner Krug stated he would like to have a good illustration of how the water is flowing for the next meeting. -- Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Special Meeting-March 12 1997-Page 6 Ms. Fazio noted there is over 75 acres of drainage area draining to a 10 inch culvert under Dundee Road which is considerably lower than would normally have been sized. The areas upstream where all the development has occurred has been detaining its water according to the theoretical calculations that are required for detention. She further noted the Buffalo Grove development area is about 22 acres and the Dunlo highlands is the other 50 acres for which there is no detention. Ms. Fazio stated the 22 acres of development controlled by Buffalo Grove and its ordinances experienced no home flooding during the last storm. The detention ponds were full, but were designed to do that. Mr. Ayres stated that Wheeling Township is working on a plan to improve drainage in the Dunlo Highlands area, and this plan involves cooperation with the Illinois Department of Transportation concerning a larger outlet connection to the storm sewer at Dundee Road. Mr. Elroy Sandquist stated he represents the Covington Manor Condominium Association noting their major concerns are directed at traffic, property values and drainage. He stated traffic is the main issue which affects marketability of homes and consultion with some realtors has suggested that given these traffic concerns there would be a negative impact. Mr. Sandquist stated the traffic engineers were asked to look at a funeral procession and to merely say it takes only 2.5 or 3 seconds per vehicle to clear the intersection does not address the issue. It also seems improbable that 41 vehicles cleared the intersection in 62 seconds. He stated the association will also hire a consultant of their own to contest these scenarios. In speaking to a number of other funeral home directors, they have clearly indicated that getting going is a difficult process. Mr. Sandquist stated they have been told that 400 people once a year would be the absolute one time per year gathering of people. However, it seems that if you build a facility that houses 500 people, you will invariably have 500 people there at some point. Mr. Sandquist stated it appears approximately 60 cars can be stacked on the site but it seems there is not even enough room to open the doors to the cars. He further noted that people coming from Dundee will park on Golfview Terrace rather than pick the farther parking space on the lot which will create an enforcement problem. Mr. Sandquist stated you know when the peak traffic occurs with an office building, but a funeral presents constant surprises. He noted this plan is inappropriate for this site. Commissioner Rosenston asked what the realty people thought the impact from three office buildings on the site would be. Mr. Sandquist stated they did not ask that question of the realtors. Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Special Meeting-March 12 1997-Page 7 Mr. Bob Wakum, president of the Board of Directors of the Coves of Buffalo Grove, noted the number of funerals they anticipate should be considered on the basis of the cost of the development. He also noted the number of funerals to be conducted at the proposed facility should be used and compared with other funeral homes in the area with similar numbers. Then a comparison should be made of traffic patterns. He noted processions are just a small part of the funeral home business. He stated cars arrive and leave constantly during visitation and will impact traffic to a greater extent than actual processions. He further noted the light at Golfview is a motion detector light and is governed by the amount of traffic on Dundee. Therefore, it will not change just because there is traffic sitting on Golfview waiting to get out. Finally, he stated the flood conditions are subject to changes in the atmosphere and new circumstances. Chairman Goldspiel asked for clarification on the numbers of cars present for visitation as expressed by Mr. Wakum. Mr. Wakum noted he recently attended a visitation at a funeral home which has just three funeral parlors and stated every space was packed the entire time and their visitations run from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. He reiterated the comparison should be made to other facilities that have this many funerals per year to see what the situation truly is. Mr. Bob Haskin of the Dunlo Highlands Homeowners Association noted their main interest in the proposed facility is due to the flooding that they incur from the stormwater in the area. He stated this is one of the last areas to be developed in the area and they would like to try to have the problems addressed before they are shut out completely. He noted the 10 inch pipe that goes into Dundee Road is insufficient to carry all the water from the area. Commissioner Krug stated he noted during the recent flood that most of the water was coming from the south in Arlington Heights. He also noted there was one section of homes where the drainage swale was completely filled in. Mr. Haskin stated the water from Covington is obviously not being let off slowly enough and was designed up to the edge of Buffalo Grove. He noted the outlet on Dundee Road at Citicorp should be enlarged. Apparently there was a plan drawn up in 1986 to help with the flooding but it was never implemented. He stated the association's goal is to be included in whatever plan is done for this area. Mr. Murray noted this facility has the capability of doing 1-5 funerals per day. However, an average busy day would have about 3 in one day. In addition, the financial goals for this facility is to reach 400-500 families per year. Mr. Lindgren further noted the Buffalo Grove parking stall requirements are 9 foot widths. He stated they have six rows of cars which allows for slightly more than 10 feet per car which makes the parking stalls wider than required and this means there would not be any trouble with opening- car doors. Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Special Meeting-March 12 1997-Page 8 Commissioner Rosenston asked if there has been any progress with pursuing access through Arlington Heights for Dunlo. Mr. Freedman stated there has been no progress. Chairman Goldspiel asked about compensatory landscaping to offset lost setback on Dundee Road. He asked that this information be brought to the next meeting. Mr. Pfeil noted he had spoken to Mr. Balling and Mr. Kuenkler regarding the access to Arlington Heights. He stated this is really something beyond what a private developer can implement. The ac'ess is very improbable based nn develnnrnent ofhnincina that has nwcinred in this area nr Arlington Heights. Physically, the connection could be made from Covington Terrace to Dunlo Avenue. To implement this connection, the Village and Wheeling Township would need to reach an agreement, and part of the process would include discussion of the proposed connection with residents in the areas affected by the connection. Commissioner Rosenston stated if the developer could exert the appropriate influence or pressure upon the various municipal bodies to make this happen it would be a winning situation. Mr. Freedman noted this is a political problem instead of a financial problem which is beyond their capabilities to solve. THE MUELLER PROPERTY. NORTHWEST CORNER OF FARRINGTON DRIVE/ROUTE 83. ASPEN HOMES. ANNEXATION WITH ZONING IN THE R-4 DISTRICT AND APPROVAL OF A PRELIMINARY PLAN FOR A 13-LOT SUBDIVISION--WORKSHOP #2 Mr. Freedman stated the traffic connection option is really a Village decision. The developer does not feel a connection is necessary, however, if the Village decides it would like same, the plan can be adjusted to accommodate the connection. Mr. Salathe stated they had been asked to show the adjacent lots in Strathmore and in the Wellington Commons area. The lots have now been depicted and for the most part the lots are 75 x 117 feet which is a 8,775 foot lot. The R-4A does permit a 30 foot rear yard setback. The proposed plan will be under the R-4 district which has 40 foot rear setback. The minimum lots are 140 feet in depth and 74 feet in width. The dimension of the adjacent buildings range anywhere from 33 feet to 49 feet. Mr. Salathe stated they would like to extend the sidewalk to interconnect with Route 83. They have also indicated the possible emergency connection from the end of the cul-de-sac to the pavement at Route 83. Mr. Karl Krogstad stated they have now completed some field work and tagged trees and -- classified them on the site. There are approximately 420 trees at 4 inches and larger which have Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Special Meeting-March 12 1997-Page 9 been surveyed and plotted on the map. The trees on site are primarily cottonwood, box elder, elm and buckthorn. These are not the most desirable species but it would be good to try to preserve them in some areas such as the south and west sides of the property. Mr. Dave Humbert stated the Village Engineer has now looked over the plan and has approved of the concept for mitigation of the floodplain and location of the detention. He noted he has put a 1.5 % bottom slope and added a couple more openings at the pond so it will be capable of maintenance as a mowable lawn if so preferred. Mr. Rotolo stated the letter from the Park District regarding their concerns have been addressed as much as possible The big issue for the Park District is that they did not have Pnniigh information about the open space for the flood plain compensatory storage area. Therefore they did not make any recommendation on the use of that open space area. However, as has now been presented, the detention basins themselves could be of a mowable lawn type grass that would be the desirable approach to use to enable them to have some utility for passive recreation. They would not be suitable for a play lot or playground area type of space. Mr. Rotolo stated he accepts the basic premise of the Park District's concept of widening the existing sidewalk on the south side of Farrington to an 8 foot wide sidewalk. He further stated they have shown all sidewalk connections requested up to the north and down towards the southwest. A 30 foot"no build zone"for lot 10 has now been shown and there will also be a berm in that no build zone. He further noted they have eliminated the retaining walls which were previously discussed as possibilities for lots 13 and 12. Commissioner Lundine asked who would own and maintain the compensatory storage area on the flood plain. Mr. Rotolo stated it is Village policy that detention basins in single family areas are to be deeded over to the Village and that has been the discussion with staff to date. Chairman Goldspiel asked for a recap on the flood plain and detention areas. Mr. Humbert reviewed the plan and noted the current flood plain is at 680.3 contour and the various modifications which will require compensation at a factor of 1.2 for 1 as required by the Village and Lake County ordinance. Chairman Goldspiel asked if all the compensatory storage will be on this site. Mr. Humbert stated yes. The detention is separate and outside of the flood plain compensation. Chairman Goldspiel asked if the detention basins is underdrained. Mr. Humbert stated he has not planned for underdraining, although it could be . He stated he has Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Special Meeting-March 12 1997-Page 10 short distances and good fall and has not planned to underdrain. Chairman Goldspiel stated the Park District should now have enough information to determine the needs for the area. Mr. Humbert stated the basin area has one section that will remain as it is currently. The northern portion of the flood plain can probably be a lawn type of area for open space use. The area which gets closer to the creek would be a more natural area. Chairman Goldspiel noted the problem with natural areas is that they become repositories for garbage and have been a problem. There needs to be a plan for constructing a real working wetland area instead of a natural area to be left alone for the Village to maintain. Mr. Krogstad stated at this point until final engineering is completed, they cannot determine the hydrology and exactly what type of plant mix would work. If a natural type of planting is decided on, you do need to create a program for the establishment of the area as well as the maintenance which can involve annual cutting or a berm program. The experts can set this type of program up for Village maintenance. Mr. Rotolo reiterated that either a lawn type of area can be created if the Village prefers or a more natural area can be created if that is the preference. Chairman Goldspiel noted the park at Checker and Arlington Heights Road should be looked at if a more natural landscape is desired as it serves as an excellent model. Mr. Freedman noted they do not know what the best approach for the detention area will be until the final engineering is done. Commissioner Samuels asked if the area is some kind of protected wetland. Mr. Rotolo stated the amount of wetland on the site is so small that they could eliminate it based on Corps regulations. Commissioner Samuels noted that if that is the case he feels the desire of the Commission would be for a manicured lawn type of area which would also be a marketing tool for the developer. Commissioner Trilling asked if the pond would hold water. Mr. Rotolo stated it is a dry basin. Commissioner Trilling asked if there had been any consideration to making it a wet basin. Mr. Humbert noted the size is somewhat too small for what would be required for open surface Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Special Meeting-March 12 1997-Page 11 water and additionally you would need to be 10 feet deep with side slopes. He also noted the compensatory area is planned to be left as it exists now. The regrade the area would mean cutting down some of the trees which they had hoped to save. Mr. Krogstad noted they had talked about preserving the area in its current state. The more work done in that area the more damage there may be to the trees. There is quite a bit of underbrush in the area which can be cleared but some work would need to be done to determine what kind of grass could be placed. Chairman Goldspiel stated this is something that should be discussed between the forester and public works. Chairman Goldspiel further noted some discussion should be held on integrating the piece of right-of-way at Farrington into the green space so that it is not a collector for trash and it is maintainable. Commissioner Rosenston noted some discussion might be held on the pros and cons regarding the Farrington cut through. He noted a cut through would play havoc with the site since it would have to line up with the curb cut across Route 83 for the park. Mr. Rotolo stated he has seen the plan and he could not build the plan he has proposed if such a cut through was instituted. Commissioner Rosenston stated it is his personal opinion that this cut through would be the best idea if all things were equal. He further stated the Village Board apparently is very opposed to any such cut through. Trustee Braiman stated there has not been a formal vote. Commissioner Rosenston stated there is a great deal of traffic on Check Drive, Crown Point Drive and Farrington which leads to the park. He feels it would greatly benefit many people driving to Willow Stream Park to be able to cut through Farrington from Route 83. Chairman Goldspiel stated the computer model should be used to see if such a connection would be beneficial for Checker Drive or not. Commissioner Samuels noted the connection would be important once Busch Grove Park is developed. Unfortunately there does not seem to be any interest from any governmental body for such a connection and therefore the Plan Commission should just move on. Trustee Braiman stated there was a partial polling of Trustees on the issue and two were in favor while two were opposed. This could be discussed at the next meeting of the board. -- Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Special Meeting-March 12 1997-Page 12 Chairman Goldspiel stated there is a third alternative which would be to provide access only to the pool and park. Mr. Freedman stated that if the decision from the board is that a connection is not feasible,the developer is ready to go to public hearing. Otherwise the developer will need to decide if they should come back to another workshop or withdraw their plan. Mr. Michael Polzein, 619 Harris Drive, stated he would prefer the landscaping be something akin to that at Arlington Heights Road and Checker. He stated it is truly a beautiful area in the Village and if there is any possibility to do the same in this development he would indeed welcome same. Chairman Goldspiel also noted that some meandering pavement may be run through the area if such landscaping is used. Ms. Lynn Saphir, Farrington Drive, stated she would rather see green space because the area is much smaller than that on Checker and this section is currently being mowed by the Village. Mr. Bill Saphir, Farrington Drive, stated he would like to see a wooded area which would add a lot to the houses and the atmosphere of the development. Mr. Jim Baranowski, 625 Harris Drive, stated he would prefer the natural route because of all the nice trees in that area. Chairman Goldspiel noted there needs to be some discussion between public works and the park district regarding the current wooded area and the right of way area so that some direction can be ascertained. Mr. Pfeil stated noted the obligation is to build a 5 foot sidewalk on the north side of Farrington to Route 83 which does not seem to accomplish much. It should either go to the natural area as Chairman Goldspiel suggested or perhaps cross over to the existing 8 foot sidewalk at Farrington. Chairman Goldspiel asked if Rotary might be interested in augmenting the bikepath. Mr. Ken Blumenthal, 680 Woodhollow, asked if any traffic study had been done to determine the impact another 30 cars or so might have on the existing subdivision. He asked what the construction timetable would be and if his house would have drainage problems. He also asked what determines what trees are to be saved. Mr. Humbert stated the areas that have a good chance to save trees are areas that engineering will be staying out of and therefore not disturbing growth. In some areas the probability of required engineering for utilities and grading may necessitate tree removal. Much of this will depend on the exact house planned on each lot. -- - Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Special Meeting_March 12 1997-Page 13 Chairman Goldspiel asked if the trees to be saved will thrive in a landscaped area since they are predominantly wetland species. Mr. Krogstad stated most of the areas where trees are to be saved will not be changing and conditions will remain the same. In some of the areas the changes in conditions will negate any possibility of saving trees. Mr. Humbert stated elevations of the proposed houses to existing homes will generally be L/ matching. He noted there is water flowing toward some of the existing homes which will actually improve when five inlets are put along the common property line. Mr. Rotolo stated construction will hopefully start in late summer and continue for about one year. He stated they will have a traffic expert testify at the public hearing. However, there will be only 13 lots which should not impact the rush hour movements very significantly. Chairman Goldspiel asked if there has been any discussion regarding land or school donations. Mr. Pfeil stated a school donation is required by ordinance and Mr. Rylko is aware that he may not get any usable land and will therefore ask for cash in lieu of land donation. Mr. Rotolo stated they will be required to donate approximately 0.3 acres. Diana Alswang, Farrington Drive, stated it would be a good idea to have a three way stop sign at Crown Point . Lois Nicolette, 620 Woodhollow, asked what inlets are and how they work. Mr. Humbert noted inlets gather water and direct it to the detention areas. Mary Lou Wechter, 690 Woodhollow, noted there will be more children walking to Ivy Hall next year as District 69 will not be busing children to school and this will a very dangerous situation. Therefore opening Farrington would not be a good idea. She also noted the Relics subdivision has not sold any homes to date and wonders if the proposed plan will be more successful. Mr. Rotolo stated market studies have indicated the proposed homes will sell well. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT Chairman Goldspiel attended a presentation on the 20/20 Transportation Plan. The plan includes double tracking the Wisconsin Central line and extending Route 53. The proposal for a high occupancy lane was clarified in that it would only be proposed on the basis of providing a new lane. It was stated that taking an existing lane out of service does not usually work well. -- Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Special Meeting-March 12 1997-Page 14 FUTURE AGENDA SCHEDULE Mr. Pfeil stated there would be a meeting on March 19, 1997 concerning the update of the Comprehensive Plan, focusing on transportation issues. PUBLIC COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS -None STAFF REPORT - None NEW BUSINESS -None ADJOURNMENT Moved by Commissioner Krug, seconded by Commissioner Samuels and carried unanimously to adjourn. Chairman Goldspiel adjourned the meeting at 11:00 p.m. Resp lly submitt Fay ubin ec rding Secretary APPROVED BY: P N GOL S IEL, C 'r Li Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Special Meeting-March 12 1997-Page 15