Loading...
1999-02-17 - Plan Commission - Minutes REGULAR MEETING BUFFALO GROVE PLAN COMMISSION February 17, 1999 Veterinary Specialty Clinic,The Corporate Grove,southwest corner of Busch Pkwy/Milwaukee Avenue-Special Use for a veterinary facility in the Industrial District—Workshop#1 Riverwalk North, east of Milwaukee Avenue north of Riverwalk Drive-Amendment of a Planned Unit Development and Preliminary Plan in the B-3 District—Workshop #1 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. Ottenheimer Mr. Moons Mr. Viehman Commissioners absent: Mr. Krug Also Present: Mr. Paul W. Shadle, Rudnick& Wolfe Mr. W. Thomas Dobbins, Jr. The Dobbins Group Dr. Rhonda Feinmehl Ms. Patricia Baldwin, Paine/Wetzel Mr. Leslie Spinner, Paine/Wetzel Mr. Ronald Lunt,Hamilton Partners Mr. Hubert Loftus, Jr., Cowhey Gudmundson Leder, Ltd. Mr. Timothy Beechick, Hamilton Partners Mr. Allen Kracower,Allen Kracower& Associates, Inc. Mr. David Olsen,The Jenkins Group Mr. Gerald Lindgren, Kenig, Lindgren, O'Hara, Aboona, Inc. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Moved by Commissioner Ottenheimer, seconded by Commissioner Howard to approve the Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Regular Meeting-February 17, 1999-Page 1 minutes of the regular meeting of January 20, 1999. Chairman Goldspiel noted a correction necessary on page 4 and addition of the words "interest was expressed by the petitioner" on page 6. Commissioner Viehman noted a typographical error on page 12. All Commissioners were in favor of the amended motion and the motion passed unanimously with Commissioner Howard abstaining. COMMITTEE AND LIAISON REPORTS Commissioner Viehman attended the Village board meeting on February 16, 1999 and stated the following items were discussed: 1. Approval of the Jewish Community Center plan for a pre-school and outdoor playground. 2. Referral of a proposed retail service development as an amendment to the B-5 District, Lot 2 of Waigreen's resubdivision for an office building. Said plan was not accepted by the trustees who asked the developer to redesign. 3. Referral of Aisle 3 retail use in the Industrial District, CDW building. Aisle 3 is asking to use a portion of the CDW that is not currently being occupied as a retail warehouse. VETERINARY SPECIALTY CLINIC. THE CORPORATE GROVE. SOUTHWEST CORNER OF BUSCH PKWY/MILWAUKEE AVENUE- SPECIAL USE FOR A VETERINARY FACILITY IN THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT-- WORKSHOP#1 Mr. Shadle stated they are seeking a special use for the subject property for the construction of a stand alone veterinary clinic to provide specialty veterinary care. They are seeking Preliminary Plan and Development Plan approval and ultimately a public hearing. A special use permit was granted to some of the same doctors to provide veterinary services in the Corporate Grove at other locations in non-stand alone buildings back in the fall. The subject site is unique as it has no direct access from Milwaukee Avenue. Visibility is reduced by the location of a detention pond along Milwaukee Avenue and because of that detention pond and other setback requirements and easements the effective available floor area is quite small. However, it is perfect for the proposed use. A veterinary specialty does not depend on walk-in traffic for which visibility would be necessary. It will be providing services on a referral basis only. Mr. Shadle stated the doctors will be providingcomprehensive veterinaryservices, 24 hours per P day which will satisfy an unmet need in Buffalo Grove for which there is growing demand. The existing special uses in the Corporate Grove will be vacated if this project goes forward which will allow the consolidation in a stand alone building of services that are now provided elsewhere. The stand alone facility will minimize the effect on other uses both within the Corporate Grove and in the surrounding areas of Buffalo Grove. Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Regular Meeting-February 17, 1999-Page 2 Mr. Shadle stated the facility will be staffed 24 hours for emergency use which also adds monitoring of animals and waste. It will not be operated as a kennel. The floor area is limited effectively to less than 20 percent and access is only off of Busch Parkway. The highest and best use of this property is what is referred to as a premium value use where the value of the use per square foot is more important than the total number of square feet. Mr. Shadle further stated that traffic generation for this use as compared to another retail or commercial use on this site will be light and demand is unlikely to be concentrated during certain times. Dr. Feinmehl stated they are seeking expansion of a service which is of limited scope right now in the Chicago area. They have been at the location at the corner of Milwaukee and Deerfield Parkway for 18 years. Because of the growth in the specialty area of veterinary medicine,they have outgrown their current building. She noted they hope to build a building to combine all of the specialty services under one roof and have a comprehensive veterinary hospital. Dr. Feinmehl stated they work strictly by referral basis which means they have the support of all of the local veterinarians who use them as an extension of their own hospitals. Therefore, they are not moving into the area as a competitor for the local veterinarians but more as assistants to them. Also, they will now be available 24 hours per day for Buffalo Grove residents. As they are a specialty clinic, they are able to provide these services which currently require extensive travel. Dr. Feinmehl stated they will have approximately 10-12 doctors during the day and a support staff of 20-25. Evenings would probably support 1-2 doctors and 4-6 staff people. Mr. Dobbins stated this will be a very low intensity use in terms of floor area and they are proposing 30,500 square feet, with 20,000 square feet on the first floor and 10,500 square feet on the second floor. They are planning to pitch the roof back and use dormers much as would be found in a residential application. This will make the scale of the building seem even smaller. The materials will be red brick and white trim and very traditional looking. Mr. Dobbins noted they will be meeting all parking requirements with 122 parking spaces. Because of the low intensity use of the floor area,they have ample landscaping. Commissioner Moons asked if this facility will replace the Riverwoods facility. Dr. Feinmehl stated yes. Commissioner Moons asked if the two facilities in Busch Parkway are presently in use. Dr. Feinmehl stated yes, but they will be vacated once this property is up. Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Regular Meeting-February 17, 1999-Page 3 Commissioner Samuels asked if this would be a permitted use on the site. Mr. Pfeil stated that an"animal hospital" is not listed as a use in the Industrial District,but the Industrial District regulations were amended last fall to allow"veterinary services"as a special use. Other types of medical offices are allowed in the Industrial District. Mr. Pfeil further noted that when the Highland Park Health and Fitness Center and the Extended Stay hotel were approved, there Extended Stay parcel was rezoned to B-3, and the Health and Fitness Center was granted a special use in the Industrial District for a recreational use. The site proposed for the veterinary specialty clinic was platted as part of the approval for Highland Park Hospital and Extended Stay. Industrial zoning was maintained as part of the approval. Commissioner Samuels questioned the comments of the Village trustees that they were not yet ready to take this out of possible commercial use. Mr. Pfeil stated they may have been referring to the fact that when the Health and Fitness Center and Extended Stay were presented to the Village the property owner indicated that a restaurant would be one of the uses they would vigorously pursue for this property. The owner subsequently decided that the property is not marketable for a restaurant since no user ever expressed interest in developing the site. Commissioner Howard asked for a review of the parking demand and hours of operation. Dr. Feinmehl stated primary specialty care generally starts about 8:00 a.m. and runs to 5:00 p.m. with appointments scheduled throughout the day. Emergency care will run 24 hours and there may be slightly more traffic in the morning hours but traffic is fairly continuous without one set time when everyone is rushing in or out. Commissioner Howard asked if employees will presumably park in the southeast corner of the lot. Dr. Feinmehl stated the front parking will be reserved for clients. Commissioner Howard asked about outdoor maintenance of pets. Dr. Feinmehl noted there is an area screened in by fences and trees so people need not watch the staff walk the dogs. All dogs must be accompanied by staff and on leash. There also needs to be an area out front as clients cannot always control their own pets. However,just as is currently done at the hospital now, the maintenance staff supervises the area around the building to clean up. Commissioner Howard asked about screening from the hotel. Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Regular Meeting-February 17, 1999-Page 4 Mr. Dobbins stated the drawing is very preliminary and they will be happy to screen in any way that seems appropriate. The setback between the property line and the parking is narrow but they will be happy to provide a row of landscaping and a berm if it is acceptable and suitable. Chairman Goldspiel noted his concern for the setback between the hotel and the proposed facility and asked if same meets the ordinance requirement. Mr. Pfeil stated that the plan provides a 50 foot setback from Busch Parkway and there is a very large setback from Milwaukee plus a detention easement. The 50 foot building setback noted on the plan is accurate and on the west there is a sideyard of 15 feet. The setbacks shown on the site meet the minimum ordinance requirements and in the case of the setback from Milwaukee Avenue, the setback is greater than the minimum standard. Chairman Goldspiel asked about the landscaped area on the south. Mr. Pfeil noted parking is allowed in rear and side yards in the Industrial District, except abutting residential zoning. The Extended Stay hotel is zoned B-3 rather than residential. Chairman Goldspiel noted he would appreciate some screening from the hotel as it is a residential type of use. Chairman Goldspiel asked how many people would be visiting the facility at any one time and how much of this parking is likely to be used at one time. Dr. Feinmehl stated the maximum even at peak times would amount to 50 people. Added to the maximum number of 30 employees,there is a need for 80 parking spaces and they are well over that requirement. Chairman Goldspiel noted the idea of a restaurant next to the hotel was presented at the time the hotel was seeking development. For that reason, the lack of amenities in the hotel would not be a concern. What effect will eliminating that restaurant concept have on the viability of the hotel. Mr. Shadle noted Van Vlissingen appeared before the Village board and stated that the restaurant market is saturated and the business has trouble not only with customers but with staffing. The position of the market right now is that additional restaurant uses along Milwaukee Avenue face great difficulty. Mr. Leslie Spinner stated the sellers of this property have indicated that they have tried aggressively to locate a restaurant use or uses for this site and had been working on that for about two years. He stated they reported they had not had a single expression of sustained interest in the parcel for that use. He noted it was their sense that access to the site was not conducive for such a use. There was also a sense that there were either too many restaurants or not enough eaters in the area. Unless there is some major demographic change in the area that would supply Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Regular Meeting-February 17, 1999-Page 5 patrons for that kind of use,then the probability is low for a restaurant use in the foreseeable future. Trustee Rubin stated that the petitioner commented to the Village Board that a restaurant is difficult to market for the site because the water feature, detention area and the berming on Milwaukee Avenue limit the site's visibility. Also,the only access is via Busch Parkway,and this was cited as a deterrent for a restaurant use. He noted that the Board suggested modification of the berm and reworking the corner to try to make it more conducive for a restaurant use. The petitioner indicated that it is not economicallyfeasible to make major site changes. J Mr. Spinner noted there are approximately three million square feet of fairly high end business users in the park and the entryway provides them with part of their business identification. If you were to tear that apart in order to provide visibility for a postage stamp lot restaurant use, it would make a great many people in the Corporate Grove very unhappy. Ms. Baldwin stated they entertain a hotel developer's interest over this whole market and the question of a contiguous restaurant has not been an issue,particularly with the Extended Stay Hotels. Chairman Goldspiel asked why two entrances are necessary off the access road. Mr. Dobbins stated it is necessary because the rear entrance is for emergency service. In addition, both of those curb cuts already exist. Commissioner Viehman noted there are many restaurants all up and down Milwaukee Avenue and he can see why it might be difficult for a restaurant to go in. However,the limited access is not necessarily a major deterrent as there are two restaurants further north which are both accessed the same way and do not have a problem with the limited access. He asked what kind of additional services this emergency care unit may be able to provide that is unique and would be advantageous to house in Buffalo Grove. Dr. Feinmehl stated they currently have the greatest number of specialists under one roof in the Chicago area. The type of services they are intending to provide are now only available at the universities in Urbana, Illinois, Madison, Wisconsin or Purdue. There are several other hospitals throughout the country in major cities that are private run hospitals. Chicago does not have a hospital like this. Considering the population base of the Chicago area and the fact that we do not have a major veterinary hospital with all of these different types of specialties readily available, this will be a major draw. She noted that in order to expand the scope of the services which they currently offer is something they are seeking to provide under one roof Currently clients would have to travel to 2-3 places to find that kind of service. Chairman Goldspiel asked if the Commission desires a second workshop or if a public hearing would be the next step. The Commission concurred that a public hearing should be scheduled. Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Regular Meeting-February 17, 1999-Page 6 RIVERWALK NORTH, EAST OF MILWAUKEE AVENUE NORTH OF RIVERWALK DRIVE - AMENDMENT OF A PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT AND PRELIMINARY PLAN IN THE B-3 DISTRICT-- WORKSHOP#1 Mr. Shadle of Rudnik& Wolfe stated he is representing the owners of the property,Linda Johnson, Ted Richter and Katherine Richter. The owners have entered into an agreement with Hamilton Partners to develop the first building in phase 2 of Riverwalk. The time frame is tight based on the interest expressed. Mr. Shadle stated they are here to get some input on uses for the remainder of the land to the north and to determine if they can go forward on developing the entire site. It is important from the owners' perspective that this be developed in an integrated fashion. Commissioner Berman asked if Allstate is a designated tenant for the proposed building. Mr. Kracower stated yes. Commissioner Berman noted he represents Allstate on a regular basis. He commented that he does not think that he has a conflict of interest, but he wanted to disclose the fact that Allstate is one his clients. Mr. Allen Kracower of Allen Kracower& Associates, Inc. stated the property is slightly in excess of 14-acres of land. There are currently two office towers and two parking decks on the site and they occupy the southern part of the site. The eastern part of the property is the Des Plaines River. The western part is Milwaukee Avenue and the southern part is Lake Cook Road. The northern part, along the eastern side of Milwaukee Avenue contains a gas station, an office building, two restaurants (Hans Bavarian and Cy's Crabhouse) and Gerber Auto Body repair. These uses are important because what they are doing does not impact upon them. Mr. Kracower stated Hamilton Partners would like to construct another office structure that would be complimentary to the two buildings they already have. This would be approximately 150,000 square feet of office space with a four level parking garage. Mr. Kracower stated the remainder of the proposed site is on the north end of the parcel. This area would be buried back behind everything else. It would have the most difficult access, it would be shielded by a parking deck and it would be a rear ender and in that respect it would not be as desirable for another office building as they may have hoped. Mr. Kracower pointed out that if they are unable to arrive at a reasonable land use allocation for the remainder of the parcel on the north, they would have to come back at another time with another user for the frontage. Therefore, they have tried to say that if Hamilton Partners goes in and if they do have a somewhat buried piece in the back, what kind of reasonable land uses might be appropriate for that particular piece of property. They have come up with Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Regular Meeting-February 17, 1999-Page 7 approximately four different uses. The property,although buried, is magnificent because it borders the Des Plaines River. It is wooded and has a very pretty view, although it is somewhat difficult to use. Mr. Kracower stated the primary access into the whole piece will continue to be Riverwalk off of Milwaukee Avenue. There is another right in access off of Lake Cook Road. He noted they have looked into another access out onto Milwaukee Avenue adjacent to Hans Bavarian Lodge. They have had some conversations with Hans Bavarian to determine whether or not it is reasonable or economically viable to acquire the property for an additional access onto Milwaukee Avenue. Supplemental to that, Mr. Lindgren will have to work with IDOT to determine whether or not they will even permit another access at that location. Mr. Kracower noted their first concept would be to propose another 300,000 square feet of office use to the north in addition to the 150,000 square feet of office use that Hamilton Partners would have on the south for a total of approximately 450,000 square feet of office use. The issue here becomes whether or not the transportation system can accommodate that kind of intensity of use. Mr. Kracower stated another concept speaks to the possibility of using some type of hotel use. Concept 2 incorporates a hotel use and some kind of health care concept. It would not be a big traffic generator, does not conflict with peak hour office use and does not further burden the entire limited access traffic pattern. It would also be something that could be done without deck parking. The back part of the parcel might be reasonable for some kind of health care facility. That could be in the form of nursing home, congregate care, assisted care or some kind of medical office complex. Mr. Kracower noted that Concept 3 includes basically a hotel combination with multiple family in the back. A limited number of units would nicely round out this parcel. The site is excellent for this type of use. Traffic wise it has almost no impact and does not require any deck parking and it could be complimentary to another hotel use or even to another smaller office use. Lastly, Mr. Kracower introduced Concept 4 which suggests a hotel but in two different categories depending on the size of the hotel and price category. Chairman Goldspiel asked where these plans are heading and how will the proposed changes in the Des Plaines River flood levels affect this parcel. Mr. Kracower stated Hamilton Partners is in a hurry and have a need to commence construction LJ immediately. They began to draw their development at which time questions arose about the rest of the property and how to coordinate the infrastructure and utility systems. Questions about what impact this would have on the whole transportation system and how their office building would fit in with future land uses. Therefore, Hamilton will be asking for preliminary and final approval to get their development rolling. They will submit any land plan, construction drawings, and architectural plans that is required to allow them to obtain any necessary zoning Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Regular Meeting-February 17, 1999-Page 8 approval so they can start to build. Mr. Kracower stated they are further asking in concept form only for any changes that would allow them to proceed only conceptually. This way they could say they have a planned development and can start with phase A and phase B they are not ready to submit any kind of final plan. However, it must all work together and needs to be approved together. Mr. Kracower stated their concern, as the master property owner,is that they have a reasonable expectation of the land use other than just offices, given the fact that this site becomes very constrained. They have presented four different concepts but would like feedback from the Commission. Trustee Rubin noted the Village Board's referral stated that the Board wants a finished land plan prior to consideration of a P.U.D. amendment for the property. The Board's referral is very clear that piecemeal land planning for this property is not acceptable. Commissioner Samuels noted that the entire 14.7-acre parcel was originally approved with a preliminary plan for two office buildings totaling 150,000 square feet. The immediate need is to build an office building of 150,000 square feet. Why not just do that? Mr. Kracower stated re-evaluation of the site showed they were able to accommodate a greater intensity of land use and get a greater economic return for the property. Secondly,when they conferred with the traffic engineer to see if something more than 150,000 square feet would work, the answer was yes. Thirdly, after visiting with the Village staff, they seemed to be interested in allowing them to proceed with something beyond 150,000 square feet because it would be beneficial to the community in terms of the tax base. Those are the predominate reasons they transcended the 150,000 square feet on the original agreement. It was an under utilization of the property. Commissioner Ottenheimer stated he would like to know what is meant by"health care center". Additionally, he would like to know if the school district has been consulted regarding any multi- ! family use. He also noted a need to hear from the traffic engineer regarding these various uses. Lastly, he asked if there is actually a need for a hotel. Mr. Beechick discussed plans for the southern half of the property denoted as Riverwalk North. He noted their plans are showing a six story office building connected to a four level parking structure. He stated their goal is to accomplish building 150,000 square feet of rentable space in `.i that first office building. He further stated that one of the key elements to the specifics of this location is the timing in which they wish to proceed with this type of development. They have good interest in this particular property and building and it would be important for them to move the process of approval forward vigorously in order to accomplish going into construction by late spring or early summer of this year. He stated there is one user who is considering space in the building and their commitment is for occupancy in May, 2000. Their approach is two-tiered, Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Regular Meeting-February 17, 1999-Page 9 seeking preliminary and final approval for the southern half of the property that encompasses this six-story office building and then a conceptual preliminary approval for the balance of the property as it relates to what uses would be acceptable to the Village at some time in the future. Mr. Beechick stated the exterior elements include the reflective blue glass which is consistent with the two 12-story office buildings located at the corner of Milwaukee and Lake Cook Road. It will also include a pre-cast that will compliment the color of the granite base that is at the multi-story tower at the corner. The accent section in the center of the front elevation of the building would mirror the peak seen on the entry level elevations of the towers at the Riverwalk project. They also have screening on the roof line of the building for any penthouse area which would be totally enclosed as well. The height of this 6-story building, including the roof screening is 88 feet. The height of the 7 level parking structure that would be just south of Riverwalk Drive is at 66 feet to the top spandrel section of the seventh level and then another 10- 12 feet to the stair tower on top of the 66 feet. Mr. Beechick discussed the floor plan for the building which will contain roughly 24,000 rentable square feet and it would feature column free planning on either side of the core design. That will be helpful for multi floor tenants that use modular planning. Mr. Beechick stated the broadside of the building will overlook the Des Plaines River and the Lake County Forest Preserve areas. They also feature a service drive that will wrap around on the east side of the building and ultimately service the parking structure and then link up to whatever future development is at the north end of the property. There will also be some surface parking that will be located for visitor parking at the main entry to the building just off of Riverwalk Drive. There will be a second entry into the structure parking deck along the west side of the property. That service road will also link up to future access into the north edge of the property. Mr. Beechick stated they are seeking to move forward with this specific design for the south end of this property and in working with all of the details they believe they conform to all of the zoning requirements relative to setbacks and building code issues pertaining to siting the building. They are looking for an amendment to the P.U.D. plan to allow for the six stories and the structured parking. Mr. Loftus stated they are setting up this development to serve the future development, whatever the final site plan configuration will be. Regarding the flood plain, he stated that during the construction of Riverwalk phase 2 tower, they had prepared a plan for mass grading of this site to set it up for development. In conjunction with that they constructed a stormwater management facility on the north end of the property which combines stormwater detention with compensatory storage for the modification of the flood plain. Mr. Loftus noted the proposed flood plain elevation is somewhat less than 2 feet higher than the existing flood plain elevation. The site itself would be about 4 V2 feet above the proposed flood Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Regular Meeting-February 17, 1999-Page 10 plain elevation or 6 %2 feet above the existing flood plain. Mr. Lindgren stated they proceeded on the assumption that the first phase of development would proceed immediately and then trying to meld that with future plans for the north area of the property. The first scenario is to assess the existing situation and understand how it is operating. The primary access for the two existing towers is Riverwalk Drive and Milwaukee Avenue which is a signalized intersection with a secondary access off the ramp which provides for about 20 percent of traffic which comes from the east. He stated they counted the ramp, Riverwalk Drive and Milwaukee Avenue and related that to the existing office complex. At that time the southernmost office facility was 100 percent occupied and the northern building was about 60 percent occupied. They then looked at the situation at Riverwalk and Milwaukee with the complete occupancy of the second building existing at Riverwalk. They then factored in the first phase of construction of the 150,000 square foot office building. The second phase would include the different concepts as presented by Mr. Kracower. They tried to find out what kind of traffic that would generate and how it would operate. Mr. Lindgren stated his first premise was that he would not be able to deal with IDOT and that they would have to live with what they have. Mr. Lindgren stated about 20 percent of the traffic approaching the existing office development comes from the east on Lake Cook Road and comes off the ramp. About 20 percent of the traffic comes from the north on Milwaukee Avenue and makes a left turn. The remainder, 60 percent, comes from the south on Milwaukee. To return though, 80 percent of the traffic must go south. This brought up the question of how much more office development could be done. In addition to that assumed a 3 percent increase per year for Milwaukee Avenue through traffic. Then they factored in another 300,000 square feet of office development for a total of 10 years of development and noted this will add a 30 percent increase in traffic on Milwaukee Avenue plus all the proposed development. Mr. Lindgren stated they found that with the geometries at Riverwalk,that can work. Riverwalk Drive at the evening peak hour really is the driveway for these facilities. It has no left turn lanes, there is hardly anyone wanting to go straight across into Columbus, and only about 20 percent of development traffic wants to make a right turn to go north on Milwaukee. When this combination is taken together,this can work. He noted that the Village consultant generally agrees with this analysis. Mr. Lindgren noted they must deal with the fact that there is a gas station, office building, two restaurants and an auto repair facility along Milwaukee Avenue, all of which have at least one driveway each and several of which have two driveways. He noted that IDOT has labeled this as a strategic regional arterial which means they would like to limit access to right turns in and out every 500 feet, full access every 1,000 feet and only at full access points would you get signalization. The problem that confronts everyone in this case in the future is how they will deal with IDOT in terms of limiting the access and where the best locations would be to get the type of access that would make sense relative to the types of commercial developments that are Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Regular Meeting-February 17, 1999-Page 11 facing Milwaukee now and the type of development they would like to do on the north end of the property. The problem is the distance from Riverwalk and Columbus to Inverrary Lane which is about 1,800 feet. IDOT would not allow under SRA guidelines another signalized full access intersection in between. However,there are already several there. Johnson Drive is already in place as a full access T intersection. Inverrary Lane is signalized and is to the north. On the west side there is Johnson Drive and Chevy Chase Drive and two other streets. Mr. Lindgren stated that with Village assistance there is a possibility of getting opposite Johnson Drive with another access,but signalization is questionable. His preference would be a full access on the north side of Cy's Crabhouse which would come out half way between Chevy Chase and Johnson. Mr. Lindgren stated that all three of the proposed concepts for the northern end of the parcel generate about half the traffic that a 300,000 square foot office building would. Therefore, if he can make the office development work, he can certainly make any of the other concepts work. The directional distribution of the three concepts is even better as they are more evenly distributed as opposed to an office which has a certain number coming in the mornings and going out at night. Mr. Lindgren stated the Village traffic consultant generally agreed with the analysis but made some comments on how access along Riverwalk Drive would be handled. This is a technical detail which can be worked out. Mr. Lindgren further noted the analysis of Riverwalk and Milwaukee was done with existing timings of the signal system because they believe that IDOT will want to maintain as much time on Milwaukee Avenue in the future as they have now. If they would allow some extra time,they could probably push the total office development to 600,000 square feet. That does not seem to be in the cards relating to IDOT and so by being practical they have decided that 450,000 square feet seems to be a more realistic figure. Mr. Lindgren stated there have been some discussions relating to access adjacent to Hans Bavarian restaurant. If it was a right turn in and out it would be a nice convenience particularly for people in the evening who want to leave and go north. In the morning it might be somewhat more convenient for some people to come in at this format. With the ability of two roadways internally, one on the east side and one on the west side, and interconnections between the two, that type of system can be made to work. That type of system could also be extended, if with the help of the Village, they manage to get the system opposite Johnson Drive. Li Commissioner Samuels said that as far as he is concerned,the Milwaukee Avenue/Riverwalk intersection is a side issue. He would like to know what percentage of that traffic will be going west on Lake Cook Road in the evenings. Lake Cook Road will not be able to handle any more traffic going west. He stated he feels this is the critical issue if you are going to change from a straight 150,000 square feet of office space to anything denser. Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Regular Meeting-February 17, 1999-Page 12 Mr. Lindgren noted that he would ask that as this future impact on Lake Cook Road is considered, it also be considered what impact the Village will accrue from the tax basis of such a development. He also stated he believes that relief will come with the extension of Route 53 during the next 10 years and it should be considered as a part of the equation. The reason there is so much traffic eastbound on Lake Cook Road is because there is no north/south connection to the north of Lake Cook Road that would transfer much of the traffic going east on Lake Cook quicker. He stated he firmly believes that the resolution to Half Day Road, Deerfield Road and Lake Cook Road in Buffalo Grove is, in fact,the north/south connection. Until that connection is achieved, the numbers for this project will probably not be satisfactory. Commissioner Samuels stated he also believes a north/south connection will help although he is not totally convinced that such an extension will happen anytime soon as there is such an organized and vocal opposition to it. Mr. Lindgren stated he would like to look into the intersection of Johnson Drive at Lake Cook Road and check what significance the traffic is at that point both with the 150 additional cars and 300 additional cars per hour as it relates to the conditions that are there now. Commissioner Berman stated he would like the traffic engineer to check out eastbound traffic on Lake Cook Road in the a.m. which has similar problems. Chairman Goldspiel noted he would like to know the extent to which public transportation is currently being utilized at Riverwalk and the extent to which either modification or adjustment of the plan would encourage the use of public transportation. Mr. Lunt of Hamilton Partners noted that at the time this property was zoned for 150,000 square feet, it was right on the back of the Riverwoods lawsuit concerning the plan for two 12 story office buildings in the first phase of the Riverwalk development. Part of the thought behind Riverwalk North and the lower density was related to concerns about litigation. This is the backdrop for why chose to go with 150,000 square feet instead of anything higher at the time. Commissioner Moons asked how long it would take for cars to leave the property in the evening once the build out was complete. Mr. Lindgren stated they are anticipating peak 15 minute periods. The total for the hours is 800, but within that hour there may be a 15 minute peak that is more than 25 percent of the 800. Then there will be a lesser peak in one of the other 15 minute periods. That is the manner in which the analysis is done. That 800 is a rate that comes about looking at this as if it was a single tenant office which is an extremely high rate. Commissioner Viehman stated he understands that at this point in time the road structure, particularly Riverwalk Drive, will handle the 150,000 square foot office building in the front and would handle up to a 300,000 square foot single tenant office building in the back. Anything less Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Regular Meeting-February 17, 1999-Page 13 than that in the rear phase 2 development would only lighten the impact of the traffic issue. Mr. Lindgren stated that was correct. Commissioner Trilling asked how many p.m. trips will be exiting the property on Riverwalk Drive under the premise of a fully built out and leased property in both phase 1 and concept plans as well as existing structures. Mr. Lindgren stated the 1300 per hour figures is correct. Commissioner Trilling asked how long such a lineup of cars will have to wait to exit at the signal. Mr. Lindgren stated the average delay of all the vehicles at the intersection of Riverwalk Drive and Milwaukee Avenue 10 years from now will be approximately 40 seconds each. Mr. Moons noted that the light is relatively short for those existing on Riverwalk Drive and there will be 1300 cars leaving per hour which will create quite a delay. Mr. Lindgren stated it will actually take one hour for 1300 cars to get out. It will, however, fluctuate as to how long a wait each car will have. Some will have a 5 minute wait and others will not have much of a wait at all. Mr. Lindgren further stated that backups to the east could be as much as 550-600 feet on Riverwalk. On Milwaukee Avenue the backup is going to be about 700-800 feet which takes it up to Chevy Chase Drive. If there is any relief to the north at any point in time,that starts to reduce that impact. If there is a multi-tenant office facility brought in,this will be reduced even more. In addition, if Milwaukee Avenue does not grow at an average rate of 3 percent per year for the next 10 years, then there would not be a 30 percent addition to that traffic. Also, if part of the development traffic is in that 30 percent then the impact is even less. Commissioner Trilling noted his concern with a future internal circulation problem if cars begin to use the west access exit from Riverwalk Drive. If cars begin to back up at that point,then they would impact the entire flow of circulation on Riverwalk Drive. Mr. Lindgren stated they will have to look into the control of the driveways and how they are handled. It may be necessary to have some kind of off duty police office directing the flow of traffic. Mr. Kracower noted they need to discuss with staff the possibility of going north to Gerber auto body for access sometime in the future. He stated they are basically looking to get efficient use of the land. Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Regular Meeting-February 17, 1999-Page 14 Chairman Goldspiel noted there is a limit to what you can do when there is no frontage. Mr. Kracower noted that a hotel use can function internally if there is external signage which is why they presented it as one of their concept ideas. It is one of the few commercial type uses that does not have to be right on the highway. Housing is also another concept that may work as it needs some form of demarcation that it is in there but does not have to be seen. Commissioner Trilling stated he would like to know what the benefits of using alternative uses would be besides the 300,000 square foot office building. Mr. Lindgren stated they did do an analysis of one of the alternative uses. The first benefit, of course, is a reduction in traffic. However, in effect,you are leaving more capacity available on Milwaukee Avenue so that someone else can build some more things on Milwaukee Avenue. He stated he will be happy to analyze something like the difference in delay between something like the hotels versus the 300,000 square foot office. Commissioner Samuels stated he would like some kind of conversation on the uses for phase 2. He noted the traffic impact is less and is spread out with some of the other uses which goes directly to some of the objections to the office use. Therefore,he would like to know why a hotel should be revisited on this site as it seems to have been specifically eliminated from the original planning. Chairman Goldspiel asked if Mr. Pfeil had any comments the traffic issue. Mr. Pfeil stated on a staff basis they would definitely want to consult with IDOT about some of the alternatives Mr. Lindgren spoke of, particularly the feasibility of another signalized intersection on Milwaukee. That does not address some of the concerns expressed on the impact of the westbound Lake Cook traffic. However, over time,redevelopment of this area on Milwaukee Avenue must be envisioned, particularly more intensive uses than now exist. Another signalized intersection seems to be a reasonable concept for managing traffic in this part of the Milwaukee Avenue corridor. Mr. Pfeil further stated the Riverwalk North plan approved in 1990 shows a public street platted as a 66 foot right of way on the west side of the property. It was planned to try to get as far north as possible and hopefully,ultimately to Johnson Drive. He stated he does not see any reason to abandon this concept. He stated he believes a dedicated street is needed between the frontage properties and the Riverwalk North property instead of just an access road serving the parking decks. He stated it should be something that builds a system to go north to achieve an additional access for this development and all the other uses that are there now or might redevelop in the future. This is an important concept that should not be abandoned in the current planning. Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Regular Meeting-February 17, 1999-Page 15 Mr. Shadle stated they did consider the idea of seeking a preliminary and final approval for phase 1 coupled with a preliminary approval of phase 2. Mr. Kracower noted they are looking at some kind of mixed use developments as contemporary thinking seems to favor. This is a very intense corner already and would be highly suitable for mixing different kinds of land uses that are consistent or compatible with one another. This is a piece of land very there can be some very creative thinking and a juxtaposition of land uses that would compliment not just one another, but the whole village. If a hotel fits into this site it would work internally within even though there may be other hotels sites in the village. It may a hotel with meeting rooms that would be complimentary to the office uses. In any case,this is the type of thing that is going through their minds. When they talk about housing,they have been thinking it would be beneficial to provide an environment where people might work and live and then take advantage of the aesthetic features of the river. Those are the reasons they have come up with some of the concept ideas. They can all work together,they will be intense and they will generate traffic but they also will generate 40-60 million dollars of market value which translates also into assessed value. He stated they can produce a development that is cost effective in terms of the generation of annual reoccurring tax revenue as well as a quality mixed use development that is synergistic internally within itself. Commissioner Samuels once again asked if a hotel use was originally rejected for Riverwalk. Mr. Pfeil stated the annexation agreement specifically identifies the hotel use as not being permitted. There was concern about market strength and whether or not it was a viable use on this property. Changed conditions, however, can certainly be argued here and what was done in 1990 is not necessary what should be done in 1999. If a viable hotel use works here with other types of amenities or facilities it must be looked at very carefully. Chairman Goldspiel noted there is some residential development on the west side of Milwaukee Avenue and therefore it may not be outrageous to think about residential property in this area. He noted his concern about some of the other types of proposals. He stated he finds a great deal of difficulty having anything other than an office related to the existing office. He stated he thinks it would be possible to go more into a mixed use development if it were possible to have the second access to Milwaukee Avenue or some frontage or visibility. Commissioner Samuels noted this does not really appear to be a plan for mixed use as there is nothing that makes it feel like a mixed use community. If you are going to have a parking deck, perhaps it makes sense to make it 6 stories and plan multi family and a small hotel and then green up the area and add some amenities and make into a cohesive area. Chairman Goldspiel noted this leads right into the newest development in Illinois which is the bikepath system. If we are going to think about a mixed use development then it should be tied into such a system and should be a major part of this planning. Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Regular Meeting-February 17, 1999-Page 16 Mr. Loftus stated the 150,000 square foot plan in 1990 had all surface parking and from an impervious standpoint that was over 70 percent impervious. The present plan is less than 60 percent impervious so it has been greened up considerably. Commissioner Viehman asked what is in the area to the east and behind the Gerber Auto Body business. Mr. Loftus stated it is all flood plain area. Commissioner Viehman asked if that area might yield a better feel for the use of that area either in the development of a hotel and/or the development of multi-family units. It might be worth serious consideration as to how something can be constructed in this area that takes advantage of areas that are not going to be developed and utilize from an aesthetic point of view as well as a sales point of view. Commissioner Samuels asked if there has been any marketing study to indicate that there is a change and a demand for a hotel. Chairman Goldspiel asked if residential development here appears appropriate. He noted the view is excellent and the location is very convenient to the tri-state tollway and train. Commissioner Howard noted that residential does mean families and children whether it is marketed differently or not. There need to be many more amenities if you are going to introduce multifamily housing here. Chairman Goldspiel asked if 90 units is sufficient to create a sense of community. Mr. Kracower stated you usually need about 250 units to market a community with amenities. He further noted that a 90 unit building does not generate children. The mid to high rise structures do not appeal to families as you are usually talking about very expensive rents. Chairman Goldspiel noted the developer is essentially asking for an increase in density over the approved plan and yet there is not really anything specific or tangible outside of what is already on the approved plan and this is what is confusing for the Commission. Mr. Kracower asked if it would be reasonable to limit uses to office, hotel and housing and come back at a later time with a more specific plan. Chairman Goldspiel noted that access to Milwaukee Avenue other than Riverwalk Drive needs to be stressed for any of these other concepts. Mr. Kracower stated there is a possibility that Hans Bavarian Restaurant can be acquired which would give them access to Milwaukee which might be helpful on a short term basis. Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Regular Meeting-February 17, 1999-Page 17 Mr. Lindgren stated this short term solution would be a good idea and would work until the Village and IDOT could come to some sort of agreement about a signalized intersection at Johnson Drive. Chairman Goldspiel asked if the existing lights will provide enough stopping of traffic so that people could get in and out. Mr. Lindgren stated it will operate very much like it does now which means there will be some times when you will be able to make left turns in and out of the driveways. Commissioner Berman stated he thinks the developer must come back with a concrete proposal rather than this scattered approach if this project is to work at all. He further noted he does not feel residential will work at this site as it will only create a small isolated pocket of residential that is not really integrated into anything else. Whether there are kids or not,it is still necessary to provide amenities. Mr. Kracower stated he now feels as if there is nothing to come back with. He noted it was felt that the offices were too big, a hotel was not a great idea and residential was not a big draw. Chairman Goldspiel noted there was no consensus against residential. He noted it would be a good idea to conceptually tie this to the golf course and the Lincoln Club property so that this is not just an isolated pocket of residential property. Commissioner Samuels stated he does not feel a mixed use at this site is such a bad idea. Commissioner Berman stated that there is only a small postage stamp size piece of property here to be developed as residential and it is essentially surrounded by large commercial offices. This does not present the kind of continuity and transition that is essential for a viable project. Chairman Goldspiel noted the advantage of having residential use here is that you do not then have an area that is deserted. This is what Chicago pioneered years ago by bringing people into the office areas and commercial areas so that they are always populated. Commissioner Samuels noted all office is still a viable option but the density level may need to be lower. Commissioner Viehman noted he would not be opposed to all office development but with somewhat lower density. Mr. Pfeil stated that the school districts will be concerned about the impact of any residential use on the property. He noted that the property has not been planned for residential use, and the school districts will be very surprised if the Village considers a plan change to allow residential. The districts will challenge the Village's planning if this type of change is proposed. He further Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Regular Meeting-February 17, 1999-Page 18 noted the school districts would request very detailed information concerning the type of housing and the number of school aged children that would be generated. Chairman Goldspiel summarized the items that should be addressed for a second workshop: 1. Additional analysis of traffic impact and alternatives for providing additional access to Milwaukee Avenue 2. Clarification of proposed uses for the north 5-acre parcel 3. Information concerning market feasibility for proposed uses such as hotels that need visibility from Milwaukee Avenue 4. Information concerning a link to the Des Plaines River trail and the Village's bikepath system. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT-None FUTURE AGENDA SCHEDULE Pfeil said that the next meeting is scheduled for March 3, 1999. PUBLIC COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS -None STAFF REPORT Mr. Pfeil stated the Kensington school proposed for the New Life Lutheran Church property at Buffalo Grove Road/Deerfield Parkway will not proceed.New Life has not renewed Kensington's contract to purchase a portion of the property for the school. He said that an official at New Life Church informed him that alternatives for using the property will be considered, and sale of the entire property is one possibility. NEW BUSINESS -None ADJOURNMENT Moved by Commissioner Ottenheimer, seconded by Commissioner Moons and carried unanimously to adjourn. Chairman Goldspiel adjourned the meeting at 11:10 p.m. Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Regular g Meeting-February 17, 1999-Page 19 Respect 1y submitted Fay R bin, cording Secretary AP#ROVED BY- Y1 STEP EN GOLDSPIEL, hairman Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Regular Meeting-February 17, 1999-Page 20