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2000-04-12 - Plan Commission - Minutes SPECIAL MEETING BUFFALO GROVE PLAN COMMISSION April 12,2000 Millbrook Business Center, Proposed five-story office building, Southwest Corner of Half Day Road (IL Route 22 and Millbrook Drive,Amendment of an Annexation Agreement and Preliminary Plan in the Industrial District—Workshop#1 Zoning Ordinance, proposed amendments to Section 17.36.040 Concerning Parking requirements and Chapter 17.44— Business District,B-1 through B-4—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. Samuels Mr. Trilling Mr. Ottenheimer Ms. Dunn Mr. Feldgreber Mr. Johnson Mr. Panitch Mr. Smith Commissioners absent: None Also present: Mr. Mark Weir, Millbrook Properties Mr. David Marks,Loebl, Schlossman& Heckl Mr. Mark Horn, Mr. John Marienthal, Village Trustee Mr. Robert Pfeil, Village Planner APPROVAL OF MINUTES Moved by Commissioner Samuels, seconded by Commissioner Ottenheimer to approve the `-/ minutes of the regular meeting of March 15, 2000. Commissioner Samuels noted a typographical error on page 7. He further noted a spelling error on page 8 and the rewording required for paragraph 6 on page 8. He also noted that the polling taken should reflect 6 to 1 polling in favor of going to public hearing. All Commissioners were in favor of the amended motion and the motion passed unanimously, with Commissioners Samuels and Panitch abstaining. Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Special Meeting-April 12,2000-Page 1 COMMITTEE AND LIAISON REPORTS—None MILLBROOK BUSINESS CENTER. PROPOSED FIVE-STORY OFFICE BUILDING, SOUTHWEST CORNER OF HALF DAY ROAD (IL ROUTE 22) AND MILLBROOK DRIVE. AMENDMENT OF AN ANNEXATION AGREEMENT AND PRELIMINARY PLAN IN THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT—WORKSHOP#1 Mr. Mark Weir stated this property was annexed to Buffalo Grove in the Industrial District about 6 years ago. About 2-3 years ago they did an amendment to the annexation agreement and did an exchange of land with the Village of Lincolnshire. One of the things they did was increase the size of Lot 1 in order to make the proposed building possible. Mr. Weir stated the Millbrook Business Center is 70 acres, split between Lincolnshire and Buffalo Grove. Everything west of Millbrook Drive is in Buffalo Grove and everything east is in Lincolnshire. The concept is for two gateway office buildings and single story Industrial buildings in the background. They did construct a one story industrial building and will shortly be completely occupied. The five-story office building has been constructed and is fully leased after about one year. They see a lot of demand and would like to continue with the success of this five-story building by putting a new facility in Buffalo Grove. Mr. Weir stated all of the infrastructure is in. The roadways are in, the ponds are in, as are the drainage, sewer, water, and street lights. He noted they are starting their second phase of landscaping enhancements for this building. He stated the concept of the park was that the northern portion was an office realm where there was some expansion for the Quill Corporation. The office portion of the warehouse building has been faced to the north, concentrating the truck docks, so that if there is another building similar to the south, they can flip it, hiding the docks and then putting office to office and dock to dock. He said that a large two-story facility for Hewitt is under construction to the south. Mr. Weir stated they have learned a lot from the first building and they would like to create better outdoor spaces for the people who work in the building. They have created an outdoor patio dining area adjacent to a cafeteria as well as a promenade walkway around the building, circling totally around. There is also a pathway leading from the building, which will be completed as the buildings are completed. Mr. Weir noted the building will appear to be in the water but there will be a retaining wall and about a 15 foot platform for a guard rail and a walkway and landscaping and trailing plants and then the building. He noted that aquatic plant species will be used to screen the wall and the plants will also be "cascaded" to soften the appearance. It will be a buff colored concrete retaining wall to match the buff-colored cast stone base of the building. He stated the concept for the architecture of the park came about because the Millers did not want a typical glass box office building. This is a building where the walls are slightly curved. It has a cast stone base, a brick banded middle and then a very substantial cornice with a two-foot overhang. Mr. Weir stated they have a substantial parking deck and have overparked this building. They are in excess of 5 parking spaces per 1,000 square feet. It is a two level parking structure. It is 50 percent open and has about a two-foot wall that the earth is sloped upto. Theyhave now put P Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Special Meeting-April 12,2000-Page 2 very substantial landscape planters, that actually occupy 4 parking spaces each, and ornamental trees, grasses and flowers at the top of the deck. The pond will also be heavily landscaped. Mr. Weir reviewed the building elevations noting it is a brick spandrel panel with cast stone header and parapets and feature at each end of the building for conference rooms and future rooms on the fifth floor. Mr. Weir stated they have noted some exceptions to the setbacks. They have increased the setback from Route 22. They have pushed the building as far west as possible in order to maintain 60 feet. The western setback is 30 feet. However, the piece of property adjacent is a special use in the Village of Lincolnshire. It is a one-story Ameritech switching station and in all likelihood will not change because of all of the telephone equipment in it. It is a nice buffer between the pond and Tenerife townhomes. There are two townhomes that are probably most closely impacted. The parking structure is really just one level of elevated parking over an existing parking lot. He stated they have created a curved glass element in the parking structure and a planter so that when you look out of the building you see an emulated curved glass mimicking the building as well as some cascading planters to soften the look. The other edges of the parking deck have been firmed up so that the soil is up to the wall with a great deal of planting. He further noted they have notched the corners of the parking deck and planted very large trees at the corners. Mr. Weir presented samples of the building materials noting they are not proposing to change anything. They consist of an architectural cast stone product that emulates limestone to be used around the base of the building. The brick banding is a very natural and neutral color and there are two types of glazing. They have chosen to use clear glass instead of tinted glass to give the building a friendlier look. The building will have the same metal trim and column covers that are on the bare welted roof. He noted they intend to do some upgrading in the paving. It will now be an exterior terrazzo with little teeth in it so it is not slippery. Chairman Goldspiel asked the developer to discuss utilities and stormwater drainage. Mr. Weir stated they went through a long process with the Lake County Stormwater Management Commission to create a series of stormwater management ponds to handle the ultimate buildout as well as a substantial increase in the size of Quill. The ponds and stormwater management system, which have been installed and accepted, are ready for this development. All of the pipes and restrictive devices are in and the landscaping around the perimeter have been stabilized. There is a full set of street lights down the road pursuant to Buffalo Grove's requirements. They have installed a loop system for Buffalo Grove water through the subdivision and sanitary sewer has been installed. There is a fiber optic sonic ring for `-/ telecommunications with s series of conduits so that all the buildings can be connected. Electricity and Ameritech are in the right-of-way following Millbrook Drive. They have an ATO, which is an automatic throw over, so that if someone cuts a Com Ed line anywhere in the path, it flips to the other line. Chairman Goldspiel asked for a discussion on the traffic situation on Half Day Road and internally. Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Special Meeting-April 12,2000-Page 3 Mr. Weir stated they have dedicated 77 feet of right-of-way all along the front property line to facilitate the ultimate widening of Route 22. They also have completed an interim improvement to Route 22, that includes left turn lanes and deceleration lanes. These include a left turn lane going to the north towards Stevenson High School, and a right turn and left turn lane for westbound cars to go down Shelter Road and a deceleration lane for southbound traffic. They have done what they could through the length of the property. They do not currently have warrants for a signal. The nice thing about the Millbrook Drive connection is they fmd many people exit the business center going north on Barclay Boulevard and then get to the signalized intersection, either east or west, out of the park. The connection to the Lincolnshire Business Center also makes a connection to all the signals on Milwaukee Avenue as well as the signal on Bond Street and Aptakisic Road. At some point in the future with the connection to Shelter Road, there will probably be warrant justification for one or the other of those intersections. Commissioner Samuels asked if rezoning this parcel to Office and Research would address the 50-foot height limitation, and if O&R zoning would have any affect on the adjacent parcels. Mr. Pfeil commented that the O&R District also has a height limit of 50 feet. He noted that the only district with no height limit is the B-3 district. Commissioner Samuels noted there are a lot of variations being requested for this plan and he wonders if there was any suitable zoning that could eliminate one of them, it might help in assessing the remaining variations that are being requested. He noted concern with the variation for a 60-foot dimension instead of 63 feet for the rows of perpendicular parking spaces. Parking lots have gotten so difficult to maneuver that it may not be a good idea to make that worse instead of better. He asked what would be lost in parking if that variation were to be removed. Mr. Weir stated it would just exacerbate the variations in either direction by a few feet. He stated that all of the at-grade parking is per code. In a parking structure, especially in the lower level, there are obstructions. This parking structure is modeled, dimensioned and sized on all the other parking structures in the area. He stated that when drivers are in a deck they drive slower and more cautiously and while parking stall depth is the same, it is essentially the aisle width that comes down about 1 '/2 feet. This, however, is standard for parking structures. Commissioner Samuels noted that although people may be going relatively slow, they are still going to and from work and are in a hurry and having to get into a parking space. The tighter it is, the more difficult and slower people are going to be in making maneuvers, especially in getting out. He stated he would rather have fewer variances even if one variance increases compared to the original plan. He stated he would rather see the deck expanded by 3 feet and if that requires a variation that is already being requested, do so and thereby eliminate a variation within the deck itself. Mr. Weir stated in order to meet the letter of the code and not push the variations any more, he would have to lose an entire 60-foot bay. However, he will explore getting as close to the standards as possible. Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Special Meeting-April 12,2000-Page 4 Commissioner Samuels asked about the police memo regarding video surveillance and lighting. Mr. Weir stated they have substantially increased the lighting levels both above and below to exceed standards. He noted the problem with video surveillance is that they do not have anyone to be at the other end of the video camera. Commissioner Samuels noted that even if it is just tapes, it might be helpful. Mr. Weir stated they are not averse to doing same and working with the police department. He stated he felt the key is to keep the perimeter of the structure open because natural light comes in and you can see in and out. Commissioner Samuels asked why the developer does not want to have sprinklers in the deck. Mr. Weir stated it does not make any sense. Ingress and egress is in no way restricted at grade and in terms of getting people safely out, it makes no sense. Commissioner Samuels noted he would like to see the comments of the Fire Department first. Commissioner Samuels asked if the promenade will have a guardrail of any sort. Mr. Weir stated it will have a decorative handrail but it is set in a 5 foot planting bed. What you have then is a 5-foot sidewalk and a 5-foot planting bed along the building and another 5 foot planting bed so that the rail is actually out in the landscaping so the rail is just a barrier. Commissioner Trilling asked about the 63 feet requirement for on grade parking that is being applied to the parking structure. Mr. Weir stated they applied the 63-foot requirement just to keep everything above board. It appears to be written for at grade parking and they simply applied it. Chairman Goldspiel stated they have used the same standards for parking decks as a starting point as for the open parking. There was no attempt to limit the parking to open parking lots. Mr. Pfeil noted that when the ordinance was originally drafted parking structures might not have been contemplated. He commented that variations were approved for the parking structures at Riverwalk where the aisles are not at the standard width of 26-feet. Mr. Weir stated the deck at Lincolnshire, Lake Forest and Riverwoods have a 60-foot requirement at grade. Commissioner Trilling noted a 33-foot setback is proposed adjacent to the Tenerife residential development and 60 feet is required. He asked how many spaces would be eliminated in the parking facility if the 60-foot setback requirement were provided. Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Special Meeting-April 12,2000-Page 5 Mr. Weir stated that 30 spaces would be eliminated. He pointed out the at the Zoning Ordinance states that "parking facilities" cannot be located closer than 30 feet to a residential property. Structures of all kinds have to be located 60 feet away. If you do not consider this a parking facility, but rather a structure, then 60 feet is required. Chairman Goldspiel asked how this could possibly not be considered a structure. Mr. Weir stated it is a parking structure but one might question it states parking facilities in the code and not parking lot. Chairman Goldspiel noted the idea was that the parking at grade level and outside was less intrusive. Mr. Weir noted the grade of the parking structure is 11 feet from floor to floor and 14 '/2 feet from floor to top of protecting wall and the adjacent townhomes is approximately 7 to 7 '/2 feet lower. The parking deck is 7 %2 to 8 feet lower than the first floor elevation of the townhomes. They have installed a 6 foot solid wood fence pursuant to the ordinance so that essentially from the first floor to the very top of the highest portion of the structure is 6-7 feet above the first floor of the townhomes. From a first floor view there is not a wall as opposed to a 35-foot solid wall constructed at the first building without variations. He noted they feel a structure is much less intrusive than a building that is open and the key to making this least obtrusive is to control headlights. He stated t they are prepared to do anything both structurally and with landscaping to eliminate headlight glare. Commissioner Trilling noted he was actually more concerned with noise and fumes by moving the parking structure closer to the residences. Mr. Weir stated they will try to address those issues. He further noted their photometrics show the cutoff of illumination will not have light spilling one foot past the garage. Commissioner Trilling asked if lighting in the parking lot will be on 24 hours. Mr. Weir stated that most of the lights would be turned off by 11:00 p.m. Some lights would be on throughout the night to provide security. Chairman Goldspiel noted the proximity of the parking deck to the residential area is a site planning issue that needs to be addressed. He asked the developer to explore alternatives to the parking deck. He noted the first level of the deck is on grade level, and he asked if it would be possible to lower the first level to reduce the height of the parking structure. Mr. Weir stated that his engineer and architect would explore design options. Chairman Goldspiel asked if the parking deck could be pulled away from the residential property line, and then adding a partial deck on the eastern portion of the site. Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Special Meeting-April 12,2000-Page 6 Mr. Weir stated they did explore that option, but the amount of ramping required would eliminate too many parking spaces. He stated that if they pulled the garage farther away from the residential boundary, they could probably meet their parking goal but they would probably need to add surface parking up to the 30-foot setback line adjacent to the residential area. Chairman Goldspiel said that surface parking does not bother him adjacent to the residential area because the 6-foot fence provides a screen. He further noted it might be a good idea to extend the path behind the parking structure and tie it into the new building. Commissioner Johnson asked if there is a cross easement on the southwest corner of the parking facility to connect to the parking lot on the parcel to the south. Mr. Weir stated they intended to have two exits, but as a practical matter their ultimate tenant mix is going to exceed the parking capacity and they have therefore made the connection very deliberate. Commissioner Johnson stated he would prefer squeezing the building lengthwise to increase the distance from the residential areas. He noted it may be possible to reconfigure the lot line along that parking area on the south parcel to get a little more space there since it is owned by the same entity. Commissioner Johnson noted concern with the ramp itself in the parking structure. He stated in the elevation shown, it appears headlights will be shining right into the residences. Mr. Weir stated they will take that into account. Mr. Weir stated they would be willing to explore an approach that evergreen screening and planting can be most effectively done for the residences on their property. He asked if this would be something the Commission would be interested in. This, of course, would be done on common area and, of course, the ultimate maintenance would transfer to the residences or their association. Commissioner Samuels noted it might be a good idea to resurrect the original traffic figures used in the development of the first building for the next meeting. The Commissioner agreed another workshop meeting was necessary. ZONING ORDINANCE. PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO SECTION 17.36.040 CONCERNING PARKING REQUIREMENTS AND CHAPTER 17.44. — BUSINESS DISTRICTS.B-1 THROUGH B-4—WORKSHOP#2 The matter was deferred to a later date. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT—None Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Special Meeting-April 12,2000-Page 7 FUTURE AGENDA SCHEDULE Mr. Pfeil stated the next meeting would be April 26, 2000 which is a special training session concerning building appearance review. The next regularly scheduled meeting is May 3, 2000. PUBLIC COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS—None STAFF REPORT—None NEW BUSINESS—None ADJOURNMENT Moved by Commissioner Trilling, seconded by Commissioner Johnson and carried unanimously to adjourn. Chairman Goldspiel adjourned the meeting at 8:52 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Fay Rubin, Recording Secretary APPROVED BY: STEPHEN GOLDSPIEL, Chair Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Special Meeting-April 12,2000-Page 8