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1997-07-16 - Plan Commission - Minutes REGULAR MEETING BUFFALO GROVE PLAN COMMISSION July 16, 1997 Revision of Village Comprehensive Plan -Workshop #9 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 Ms. Howard Mr. Samuels Mr. Berman Mr. Trilling Mr. Moons Commissioners absent: Mr. Krug Mr. Ottenheimer Also present: John Green, Village resident Robert Pfeil, Village Planner APPROVAL OF MINUTES Moved by Commissioner Samuels, seconded by Commissioner Trilling, to approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting of June 4, 1997. Commissioner Berman noted a correction on page 6. The motion to approve the minutes as corrected passed unanimously. Moved by Commissioner Samuels, seconded by Commissioner Howard, to approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting of June 18, 1997. The motion approve the minutes passed unanimously, with Commissioner Moons abstaining. COMMITTEE AND LIAISON REPORTS Mr. Pfeil noted that Commissioner Ottenheimer attended the July 7, 1997 Village Board meeting. A public hearing concerning the Congregation B'Nai Shalom annexation agreement was held, and continued to the next meeting. Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-July 16, 1997-Page 1 DISCUSSION OF COMPREHENSIVE PLAN-WORKSHOP#9 Mr. Pfeil reported on the Economic Development Task Force meeting held this morning, and he indicated that Sy Taxman of the Taxman Corporation attended the meeting to offer his comments on the strength of the retail base in the Village. Mr. Taxman noted that Buffalo Grove is a strong retail market, and it is not unusual that some centers have experienced vacancies as the centers have aged. He pointed out that the number of retailers is limited in relation to the amount of commercial space that is available in the Chicago region. He said that in some cases, such as Plaza Verde, there is probably more retail space in the center than can be supported in the market. Mr. Taxman noted that some shopping centers have looked to service uses and medical uses to fill vacant space, and in some cases property that had been used for retail space has been shifted to residential uses such as senior citizen housing. A mix of several restaurants and entertainment uses is also being done in some shopping centers as part of a redevelopment program. In response to an inquiry concerning automotive dealerships in the Dundee Road corridor, Mr. Taxman indicated that the Dundee Road/Arlington Heights Road location would be appropriate for an auto dealership. He noted that the existing shopping centers, such as Plaza Verde or Strathmore Square,would need physical modification to add an auto dealer. Mr. Taxman recommended that the Village focus on a specific location, such as the Dundee Road/Arlington Heights Road area if it intends to develop a program for shopping center revitalization. He said that to implement a program, the Village should designate the area as a "redevelopment area,"and be prepared to work with a developer on a specific plan. Chairman Goldspiel inquired if the potential for a"big box"retailer on Milwaukee Avenue had been discussed by Mr. Taxman. Mr. Pfeil said that this was not addressed by Mr. Taxman, but he would follow up with the Task Force and get some comments about the potential for large scale retailers on Milwaukee Avenue. Mr. Pfeil noted that the Comprehensive Plan discussion at tonight's meeting would focus on follow up discussion from the June 18 meeting of Chapter 1 - Goals and Policies, Chapter 3 - Transportation and review of land use recommendations for various properties in the planning area. Chairman Goldspiel commented that Goal#6 on page 1 refers to"reliance on property taxes" concerning using resources effectively in providing municipal services. He said that the intent of this language in the previous discussion was to reduce reliance on residential property taxes. Mr. Green pointed out that Goal#8 on page 2 could be improved by stating that encouraging businesses enterprises will enhance(rather than strengthen)the local tax base, since the phrase "Strengthen and diversify the Village's economic base... was used at the beginning of the sentence. Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-July 16, 1997-Page 2 Mr. Pfeil inquired if the Goals and Policies in Chapter 1 adequately address ways to improve the Village's retail sector. Commissioner Samuels commented that zoning is one way to encourage re-use of commercial properties. He suggested that language such as"encourage exploration of alternate zoning for redevelopment," could be added to the Goals and Policies. Commissioner Trilling noted that the Goals and Policies should indicate that there is a need to encourage commercial redevelopment. Chairman Goldspiel said that he is uneasy with the concept of putting language in the Plan concerning specific zoning strategies for commercial properties. Commissioner Samuels said that the Comprehensive Plan would send a very positive message to potential developers if it clearly articulated a position that the Village is receptive to redevelopment, and would use tools such as zoning to help implement projects. Chairman Goldspiel noted that the Plan is careful in not offering development subsidies, and in distressed communities where subsidies will be given to developers, the plans talk of "partnerships"between the public and private sectors. He said that the Plan should not imply that there will be subsidies if that is not the intent of the Village. Trustee Reid commented that if the intent of the Plan's Goals and Policies is to convey the idea that the Village will encourage redevelopment, suitable language can be drafted without implying that subsidies will be granted. Mr. Green suggested that the Economic Policies include the concept that the Village"recognizes the maturation process in established commercial areas to encourage maintenance and re- investment." Commissioner Berman suggested that redevelopment be addressed in the Goals and Policies with language such as : "The Village shall be receptive to proposals to re-evaluate permitted uses and encourage redevelopment where warranted by changes in economic circumstances."He said that the Village wants to convey the message that owners of commercial centers can approach the Village with redevelopment plans that would change the uses at a center and their proposal would receive a fair hearing. Commissioner Trilling pointed out that the Comprehensive Plan should not label any particular `./ commercial center as a"problem."The Plan's Goals and Policies should focus on the concept that the Village is receptive to redevelopment of existing centers. Commissioner Samuels commented that Housing Policy#3 needs to be re-worded because the statement is"backwards"in indicating that residential areas need to be designed to have a Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-July 16, 1997-Page 3 minimum of intrusion and impacts from non-residential land uses and traffic. He noted that the intrusion and impacts are from uses outside of the residential areas, so the design issues should be addressed for the non-residential land uses. He suggested that the language speak in terms of "mediation"and "addressing"impacts on residential areas. He noted that if a commercial center such as Strathmore Square is redeveloped, adjacent residents may think there are negative impacts, and the practical goal is reduce these impacts, not necessarily to eliminate or minimize them. Commissioner Berman suggested that the concept of"ameliorating"impacts should be considered. Chairman Goldspiel said the Village has always tried to mitigate impacts on residential areas, and the idea of separating land uses and related impacts is the basis of Euclidean zoning. He indicated that he would not want to weaken the Village's ability to keep intrusions and impacts from commercial uses out of residential areas. Commissioner Howard concurred with Chairman Goldspiel that the Village needs to continue a strong policy of protecting residential areas from intrusion. Commissioner Berman pointed out that with the potential infill developments that the Village is likely to experience in the future, there may be impacts on existing residential areas. Commissioner Samuels noted that the main objection by adjacent residents to the Shell/McDonald's development at Arlington Heights Road and Route 83 was traffic impact. He commented that revitalization of commercial centers may produce some impacts such as more traffic in adjacent residential areas. Commissioner Howard said her main concern with the Shell/McDonalds's plan was the traffic safety issue at the intersection with Fremont Way and Arlington Heights Road. Mr. Green suggested language that would convey the idea of ameliorating impacts between adjacent residential and non-residential areas. Chairman Goldspiel commented that inter-mixing of commercial and residential uses is a serious problem for some older cities, and the Village's policies in the Plan should not imply that uses will be mixed if that is not the intent. Commissioner Samuels pointed out that effective screening and buffering between commercial and residential uses can be designed, but in some situations, such as the auto dealership proposed at Dundee Road and Weidner Road,the Police Department has raised concerns about security because the screening would reduce visibility into a property. Chairman Goldspiel commented that the auto dealership was not an appropriate use for that Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-July 16, 1997-Page 4 particular site, but good screening is definitely needed between commercial and residential uses. He said that the Village should upgrade its standards to achieve better screening because there have been some situations where the screening and buffering has not been adequate to keep commercial impacts out of adjacent residential areas. Commissioner Trilling noted that setbacks between commercial and residential uses should be large enough to allow for adequate screening and to reduce impacts. He said that some commercial centers are relatively close to residences, and in these situations there are definitely impacts from noise, lighting and other activities on the commercial site. Chairman Goldspiel said that ideally,there should be no impacts from commercial uses on adjacent residential areas. He commented that "minimize"is a stronger word than"ameliorate" in conveying this concept of no impacts in the Goals and Policies. Commissioner Berman commented that if the language about impacts is too strong in the Plan, infill development and redevelopment will be discouraged. Commissioner Howard said that she supports the idea of"minimizing"impacts. Mr. Green suggested the following language: "Adjacencies in and between residential and non- residential areas shall be designed to minimize intrusions and impacts. Appropriate setbacks, screening, buffering and landscaping will be required." Commissioner Trilling noted that the discussion concerning the Goals and Policies seems to be implying that the Village is an"older" community,when it is really more of a"maturing" community. Chairman Goldspiel pointed out that some areas of the Village have been incorporated for almost 40 years, so "older"may be appropriate in this context, but a large portion of the Village is much newer. Mr. Green noted that Economic Policy#4 on page 5 talks about incorporating the recommendations of the Economic Development Task Force into the Comprehensive Plan,but the Task Force's recommendations haven't been made yet. Commissioner Samuels concurred that the Comprehensive Plan shouldn't state that the Economic Development Task Force's recommendations will be incorporated when the recommendations aren't available for review and discussion. He suggested that the Goals and Policies could "encourage the use of the Economic Development Task on an as needed basis."He noted that in general the use of task forces rather than standing commissions would be a good way to address specific issues. Trustee Reid concurred that the task force approach is an effective way to address specific issues Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-July 16, 1997-Page 5 li facing the Village. Chairman Goldspiel noted that the Housing Policies touch on design issues, but there may need to be clarification concerning whether or not concepts such clustering and neo-traditional design will be encouraged. He said that the Prairie Crossings development in Grayslake uses alleys for garages at the rear of homes and small setbacks for the homes from the street, and these are design elements used in neo-traditional subdivisions. He commented that the Village may be more interested in cluster concepts rather than neo-traditional layouts. Commissioner Samuels commented that some neo-traditional designs are essentially providing little or no backyard for homes. The homes are designed with a focus on the use of the front portions closer to the street. The streetscape is attractive because there are no garages or driveways. One potential drawback is the maintenance of the alley areas at the rear of the homes, and the need for a homeowners association to take care of maintenance. Commissioner Howard noted that narrower streets slow traffic down in residential areas. Chairman Goldspiel commented that Commercial Policy#2 includes the concept of"innovative" designs for commercial centers, and he asked if this should be more specific concerning design concepts. Mr. Green said it may be better to leave the language fairly general to encourage creative designs. Commissioner Samuels pointed out that Commercial Policy#1 refers to Town Center as the central business district of the Village, and he raised the question of whether this is still appropriate. Mr. Green commented that the approved plan for Town Center is less dense than what the B-5 District allows, and it does not have the scale and mix of uses usually associated with a central business district. Chairman Goldspiel noted that Town Center is not completed, and the B-5 District has been used to justify uses such as the hotel and banquet facility in an effort to encourage full development of the area. He said that Town Center has always been considered as an area where the density and types of uses would be greater than in other locations in the Village. Commissioner Moons suggested that the reference to Town Center as the central business district is still valid and should remain in the Comprehensive Plan. Chairman Goldspiel asked for comments concerning Chapter 3 - Transportation. Trustee Reid suggested that the Plan include some reference to various regional improvements that the Village supports, such as the Route 53 extension and improvements to Route 22. Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-July 16, 1997 -Page 6 Chairman Goldspiel concurred that improvements such as Route 53 should be supported in the Plan, since the impacts on reducing congestion in the Village will be significant, particularly on Lake Cook Road and the intersection of Lake Cook and Arlington Heights Road. Commissioner Berman noted that improvements to Route 22 and Deerfield Road are needed to provide better access to the Toliway and areas east of the Village and should be supported in the Plan. Commissioner Samuels indicated that the reference to improvements to Busch Road to Route 83 should be stronger than just saying that plans will be"evaluated." Trustee Reid suggested that "move forward with plans to improve Busch Road to Route 83" would communicate the idea that this improvement is being studied and will possibly be constructed in the future. Commissioner Samuels said that the recommendation concerning improvements to Lake Cook Road should be extended to Route 83 rather than Hastings Drive since a large volume of traffic diverts from Lake Cook at Route 83. Commissioner Trilling concurred, noting that much of the land use along Lake Cook up to Route 83 is commercial or industrial. Chairman Goldspiel asked how this additional segment of improvement to Lake Cook Road would affect residential developments such as Le Parc. Commissioner Samuels said improvements to Lake Cook Road would probably be a benefit to Le Parc because the traffic would move more efficiently through the area. Chairman Goldspiel commented that the reference in Section B. to expanding service on the Metra North Central line could specifically identify double-tracking as the planned upgrade. Commissioner Berman noted that other improvements such as additional rail sidings to better utilize the track for freight and commuter trains are also being studied. Mr. Green suggested that Section C. include a specific reference to focusing on closing gaps and looking for links in the bikepath system. Chairman Goldspiel asked for comments concerning the land use analysis areas identified in the map and table distributed in the agenda packet. The Commission concurred that the 1992 Plan recommendation for single-family development and a park site for area#5 (southeast corner of Port Clinton Road/Prairie Road) and the designation for area#8 (Prairie View) as mixed use, with commercial along Route 22 and Main Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-July 16, 1997 -Page 7 ii Street and residential in other areas are still appropriate. Commissioner Samuels commented that an atrium office building or offices built with a residential scale and appearance would be appropriate for area#10 at the southeast corner of Route 22 and Prairie Road. Mr. Green noted that access to this site will be improved if the extension of Weiland Road to Prairie Road is built. Chairman Goldspiel commented that access to Route 22 would not be recommended for the north parcel of area#10, and this limits the land use possibilities. Commissioner Samuels said that area#10 is not a good location for residential development since it is fairly narrow and directly adjoining the Wisconsin Central rail line. Commissioner Trilling inquired if an automotive care center would be a good use for the site. He suggested that development by a religious group might be another appropriate use. Chairman Goldspiel commented that traffic impact and parking would have to be evaluated for uses that would bring a large number of people to the site at one time. Mr. Green said that the Goals and Policies in the Plan should be kept in mind as possible uses are discussed. Chairman Goldspiel commented that since area#10 is close to the Prairie View Metra station, some multi-family development could be a feasible use. Commissioner Trilling said that he is concerned with the impact of the rail line on residential use. Commissioner Samuels noted that area#10 has a large pond, and this is a significant portion of the overall site area. The amount of land available for development is limited, and the shape of the property is a constraint. Mr. Green commented that economics also influences the feasibility of development. If the cost of acquiring the land is relatively high, a developer would need to build to a certain density to make the project feasible. Chairman Goldspiel asked the Commission to continue discussion of the land use area at the next meeting, which was scheduled for July 23, 1997. Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-July 16, 1997-Page 8 -- I CHAIRMAN'S REPORT -None FUTURE AGENDA SCHEDULE Mr. Pfeil noted that the next meeting would be on July 23, and there are regular meetings scheduled for August 6 and August 20. PUBLIC COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS -None STAFF REPORT -None NEW BUSINESS -None ADJOURNMENT Moved by Commissioner Samuels, seconded by Commissioner Trilling, and carried unanimously, to adjourn. Chairman Goldspiel adjourned the meeting at 9:45 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Robert E. Pfeil, Village Planner APP OVED BY: ST P N GOD IEL, C 'rman `.i Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-July 16, 1997-Page 9