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1992-07-09 - Appearance Commission - Minutes APPEARANCE COMMISSION VILLAGE OF BUFFALO GROVE . ILLINOIS THURSDAY . JULY 9 . 1992 I . CALL IO ORDER Chairman Eddie Larsen called the meeting to order at 7 : 31 P. M. on Thursday . July 9 , 1992 at the Village Hail , 50 Raupp Boulevard . II . ROLL CALL Commissioners Present : A . Viehman . C . Cea , R. Lundine . S . Trilling and E. Larsen R. Gordon arrived at 8 : 00 P . M . Commissioners Absent : F . Weissman Bldg . Dept . Liaison: Ed Schar , Deputy Building Commissioner Village Board Liaison: William Reid . Trustee Ch . Larsen welcomed three new commissioners : Carmeilo Cea . an architect and former member of the AC : Steven Trilling . an engineer with experience in the construction business : and Roger Lundine . a businessman. Their service will be appreciated . II APPROVAL OF MINUTES June 11 , 1992 - Postponed until after business meeting . IV. BUSINESS A . Angus Chemical Company - 1500 E . Lake Cook Road Permanent Monument Sign______________________. Mr . Frank Mattes . V . P . of Angus Chemical Company was present . Mr . John Johnson . C . Johnson Sign Company . 9615 Waveland Ave . . Franklin Park , IL 60131 . described the sign that will replace the existing 8 ' x 15 ' temporary construction sign. The permanent sign will be 6 ' x 12 ' ( 18 - in depth) constructed with brick to match the building . It will have a 1 ' concrete base . The sign background is matching buff colored pre-stressed concrete with letters cut out of dark bronze aluminum that matches the window mullions . The address numerals 1500 will be cut out bronze letters attached to the brick . The sign is not internally illuminated . but there will be ground lights . The sign was designed by the architect to match the building and is not meant to advertise or overpower the main structure . Com . Viehman made a motion to recommend approval of the Angus Chemical Company permanent identification sign as submitted , with the stipulation that the front edge of the sign is to be 36 ' from the property line . Com. Cea seconded the motion. Roil Cali Vote : AYE - Viehman . Trilling , Cea . Lundine , Larsen NAY - None Motion Passed - 5 to 0 . Ch. Larsen complemented Mr . Mattes on the building and nice landscaping . B. Rogers Centre for Commerce - East Arbor Creek Business Centre , Lots 1-2-3- Full Review: Elevations/Materials/Landscaping/Lighting Ms . Kathi Rogers , V. P. of Arthur J . Rogers & Company . 3170 Des Plaines Avenue (River Road and Devon) Des Plaines , IL 60018 (297-2200) made the presentation with Mark Poliac , Landscape Architect with The Brickman Group , Ltd . Long Grove , IL 60047 ( 438-8211 ) . 1 . ELEVATIONS AND MATERIALS : Ms . Rogers described the site plan. Four multi-tenant buildings will be constructed across Barclay Boulevard from the first phase . The buildings will be similarly constructed with utility sized red/rust brick with grey stone soldier courses around the top of the building that step up one foot ( 1 ' ) on both sides of the entrances and step up one ( 1 ) more foot above the entrances . The entrance areas will also be the grey stone . Mortar will be natural grey . The parapet wail wiii be 24 above the roof line and it will screen the roof top units . Ms . Rogers presented a line-of- sight drawing and said the units wiii be 25 ' -30 ` back toward the center of the buildings . They will not be seen . The building trim for windows . doors . coping . etc . will be dark bronze anodized aluminum with solar bronze tinted glass . The height of the windows is 5 ' 4 . and there is a continuous window line with about 32 ' of windows for each section . Com. Cea made a motion to recommend approval of the elevations and materials for Rogers Centre for Commerce - East , as submitted . Com . Viehman seconded the motion. Roil Call Vote : AYE - Viehman . Trilling . Cea , Lundine . Larsen NAY - None Motion Passed - 5 to 0 . APPEARANCE COMMISSION July 9 . 1992 - Page Two 2 . LANDSCAPING : Mr . Poliac said the landscaping will be similar to the Rogers Centre to the east . The theme is environmental with emphasis on what the landscaping will look like in the future . Maintenance is important and the Brickman Company will continue to maintain both Centres . Perennials , such as Day Lilies will be used to reduce water usage and add color throughout the summer . There will be a reforestation project at the entrance which is at the northeast corner of the property . Some of the mature trees that have been damaged during the past two years will be replaced with Oaks and Locusts to keep the forest alive 15 - 20 years from now . Ray Rigsby ' s Review , dated July 9 . 1992 . recommends that some Black Walnut trees be transplanted on site , but Mr . Poliac said these trees do not move very well and are not acceptable from a litter standpoint . He would prefer to plant some Oak saplings . There are some 30 foot Spruce trees that will be saved and a White Walnut (Butternut ) . native to IL. will also be preserved . The large Hackberrys will also be protected . Variation of size and variety worked well on the east side so the same concept will be used with seasonal color in mind . There will be Pines from 6 ' - 12 ' in height with shade trees from 2-i /2" - 3" caliper up to 6" and 7 ' caliper . They want to screen the south end of the property directly north of the wetlands . Species that can tolerate the wet conditions . such as Alders and Pines . will be planted . The existing 5 ' evergreen hedge along the east property line will be protected and the large trees , including Black Walnuts . Hackberry and Black Cherry trees . are also scheduled to be saved . They want to keep as many of the mature trees as possible . Ch . Larsen asked the age of a 4 " - 6" Walnut tree? Mr . Poliac said they are slow growing so they could be 25 - 40 years old but the root structure makes it difficult to move . The Black Walnut trees Mr . Rigsby refers to "at the edge of the grove" are inside the building line within the area that will become parking lot . They are about 15 - 20 feet tall but because they have been shaded , their branches are up higher . From a landscape standpoint , it would be better not to move them. The trees within the grove have been evaluated and some of them could be saved , but if they have a small canopy they are not very appealing when moved out into the open environment . APPEARANCE COMMISSION July 9 . 1992 - Page Three Ch . Larsen complemented Mr . Poiiac on the plan. The area around the Arbor Creek Business Center identification sign is landscaped and there are existing trees around the ponds . Com . Cea recommended that care be taken during final berming because that is when many transplanted trees are damaged . Mr . Poiiac agreed and said snow fencing will encompass a wide area . not just around each tree , to insure protection. Only three trees are scheduled for transiocation. Some of the park- ing lot islands were moved so that trees will could be saved . Ch. Larsen asked Mr . Poiiac to evaluate and save the Black Walnut trees if possible . He agreed to do so . Com. Viehman made a motion to recommend approval of the Landscape Plan as submitted for Rogers Centre for Commerce - East . subject to the Village Forester ' s recommendations , with the exception of the comment referring to the 4 Black Walnut trees which the petitioner has agreed to evaluate closely . Com . Cea seconded the motion. Roll Call Vote : AYE - Viehman . Trilling . Cea , Lundine , Larsen NAY - None Motion Passed - 5 to O . LIGHTING: Ms . Rogers said the lighting fixtures will be identical to the other development with 30 ' pole lights located on the islands . There will be safety wail fixtures with down lighting around the rear of the buildings . Com . Lundine made a motion to recommend approval of the Lighting as presented for Rogers Centre for Commerce - East , subject to the Village Engineer ' s Review of the pnotometrics . Com. Viehman seconded the motion. Roll Call Vote : AYE - Viehman . Trilling . Cea . Lundine . Larsen NAY - None ABSTAIN - Gordon (arrived at 8 : 00 P .M. ) Motion Passed - 5 to 0 , i abstention. Ms . Rogers said they were not planning to have another ground sign. Rogers Centre is identified on Barclay Boulevard and there will be a tenant sign. Individual bronze letters will designate each tenant space . APPEARANCE COMMISSION July 9 . 1992 - Page Four V . NEW BUSINESS A. Sargent-Weich . Inc . - Lots 54 to 64 Covington Corporate Center/Commerce Court Full Review : Eievations/Materiais/Landscaping/Lighting Mr . John Benson , Project Manager . Mc Shane Builders . Inc . 2604 E . Dempster . Suite 500 . Des Plaines . IL ( 297-0220 ) : Brian B. Hirami . Architect . Stephen Rankin Associates . 320 North Michigan Avenue . Chicago . IL 60601 ( 312 ) 899-0002 ; and Michael R. Trippiedi , Project Manager . Ives/Ryan Group . Inc . . Landscape Architects . 4932 Main Street . Downers Grove . IL 60515 ( 960-4055) made the presentation. 1 . Elevations/Materials Mr . Benson introduced the project . Sargent-Weich is a Scien- tific Company that distributes laboratory and chemical supplies to schools around the country . They have a large catalog of products . such as beakers , centrifuges . models . etc . Mr . Hirami described the building . There will be 106 . 000 sq . ft . of warehouse space and 15 . 000 sq . ft . of office space . The building will be constructed of pre-cast concrete panels . The panels of the office portion . and any part of the warehouse exposed over the roof of the offices . will have a smooth finish. The panels on the warehouse portion will be raked . Smooth panels wiii also be used to wrap 16 feet around the corners of the east and west elevations that will be exposed to the parking lot on the north side of the building . The concrete will be stained a neutral color , probably a light grey . The actual color has not been selected . The concrete panels wiii have 1-1/2 inch wide reveals to break up the flat surface , catch the light and cast shadows . There will be three sets of triple reveals at the top of the building ( 28 ' high) ; at the top of the office portion ( 16 ' 3-1 /2 high) and between the windows at the 3 ' height . The coping and window frames will be black anodized aluminum with 1 " insulated grey tinted glass . The single architectural column at the entrance will be clad with black anodized aluminum. The equipment screen on the roof of the office portion will match the building color as closely as possible . probably a natural white . Colfax Envelope Corporation is across the street to the west . The retention pond is to the east next to the Com Ed property . The planted berm that separates the residential area to the south from Covington Corporate Center property can be seen. Ch . Larsen described the building as sterile and expressed deep reservations about recommending such a large structure that is basically one bland monolithic color . APPEARANCE COMMISSION July 9 , 1992 - Page Five Ch . Larsen responded that the trim is only about two inches wide and will not change the effect . He suggested redesigning the entryway as a focal point and/or developing something across the front above the windows . The colors could be changed to varying shades of compatible grey tones that are tied in with the doors . Com . Cea made a motion to Table until July 23 , 1992 . Com. Trilling seconded the motion. Roll Call Vote : AYE - Viehman . Gordon . Trilling , Cea . Lundine and Larsen NAY - None Motion Passed - 6 to 0 . 2 . LANDSCAPING Mr . Trippiedi said they developed the landscape to complement the existing surroundings of the Covington Corporate Center Complex as well as complement the building . The overall site is located at the end of Commerce Court . There will be a rolling berm planted with flowering shrubs , ornamental trees and evergreens leading to the entrance of the building . Some of the Ash Trees around the cul -de-sac on Commerce Court will be relocated to the berm around the pond area and there will be retaining wail around the pond . ( See discussion of the Village Forester ' s Review . ) The parking lot will have some shade trees . Along the front and sides of the office building will be a sloped berm planted `./ with ground cover and there may be a planted area at the front entrance . Eight Chanticleer Pear Trees will be planted on the berm in front of the office building to soften the base . Some of the existing trees on the south property line are good and will be saved . Some of the shade trees will be moved to the area around the retention pond . There is an existing planted berm along the east property line separating the property from the residential district . The Sargent-Welch detention area will be regraded and plantings will include shade trees and ornamentals , typical of the existing pond treatment . The Village Forester ' s Review , dated July 6 . 1992 . was discussed . Mr . Rigsby did not accept the proposed relocation of the Ash trees from the Commerce Court Parkway. Chairman Larsen commented that this is the first development that was to clump parkway trees and they could be moved to the other end of the clump . Mr . Trippiedi said he would prefer to relocate the trees as proposed and add six ( 6 ) new Ash Trees where necessary . This would prevent having to move them two times. APPEARANCE COMMISSION July 9 . 1992 - Page Seven Regarding the sodding of the parkway , they want to preserve what is there and plant new sod where necessary . People cut across the berm along the south property line so they will regrade the berm to keep foot traffic on the road . They will be using a variety of ornamental specimens for spring and fail color with flowering shrubs and perinniais at the entryway on Commerce Court . The Pear trees along the front of the building were discussed . They were. chosen because they have a straight trunk and they will be located between every other window . They will be identical - 3" caliper and about 14 ' in height with the leaf line above the top of the windows . There is about 6 ' feet from the top of the berm to the top of the windows . They could be 25 ' to 30 ' or 40 ' when they mature . The tops will not spread and cover the wall because they are columnar . Com . Gordon questioned whether they could be confined to the space between the windows and the roof line . He liked the Pear Trees along the front of the building but they can become very tail trees and the leaves would be above the roof top . He asked if they could be dwarfed by pruning and shaping like a hedge? Mr . Trippiedi replied that these trees will probably not mature to their natural height because of the root zone . There is only about 13 ' between the building and sidewalk . Com. Cea commented that the planted area around the main drive- way is good but there is nothing in front of the building along the sidewalk . There wiii be a lot of concrete ( sidewalk and building) . He also asked why the south end of the building has no plantings? Mr . Trippiedi said there is ground cover under the Pear Trees . and they have considered a planting bed of flowers at the entrance of the building . With reference to the Pear Trees , Ch. Larsen said he assumed the client would have a maintenance program and would keep the trees trimmed properly , but no one can guarantee what it will look like 10 years from now. He would also like to see some- thing at the south end of the truck turnaround , but it is behind another building and will not be seen. He asked if the electrical transformer , behind southwest corner of the office building , could be screened with some shrubs? The answer was „yes . ". Mr . Rigsby ' s Review states : The south berm should be extended to the Emergency Access Drive . This will eliminate vehicles driving around the present barrier . " APPEARANCE COMMISSION July 9 . 1992 - Page Eight Com . Gordon made a motion to recommend approval of the Landscape Plan submitted for Sargent-Welch as submitted , the stipulation that the petitioner agrees to Ray Rigsby ' s Recommendations (Review dated July 6 , 1992 ) including the statement that "berms should not be allowed over utility easements . etc . " The Ash Trees will be relocated as shown and six ( 6 ) Ash Trees will be added to the right-of-way pursuant to Mr . Rigsby ' s Recommendations . Further stipulation: the electrical transformer on the west side of the building will be screened . Com. Viehman seconded the motion. Roll Call Vote : AYE - Viehman . Gordon . Trilling . Cea . Lundine and Larsen NAY - None Motion Passed - 6 to 0 . 3 . LIGHTING: Site Lighting plans were distributed with a cut sheet of the proposed fixtures . There will be 3 shoebox fixtures , spider mounted , on 25 foot poles in the parking lot (E) . The poles will match the dark bronze anodized aluminum trim on the building . The existing pole light on the cul -de-sac will be relocated to permit the truck entrance to be constructed . There will be 4 wall mounted shoebox fixtures along the truck docks (E2 ) and 1 identidal fixture ( El ) above the mandoor leading to the patio area on the east side of the building . All the fixtures have down lights with cut offs and will operate with photocells . The lamps are High Pressure Sodium. There will be 3 soffit lights above the entrance area . Ch. Larsen asked Mr . Benson to match the neighbors ' light source , either Metal Halide or High Pressure Sodium , and he agreed to be consistent . Com . Viehman made a motion to -recommend approval of the Lighting Fixtures and Plan submitted for Sargent-Welch , subject to the Village Engineer ' s Review of the photometrics , and with the stipulation that the petitioner agrees to be consistent with the color and light source of the adjoining property . Com . Gordon seconded the motion. Roll Call Vote : AYE - Viehman. Gordon . Trilling , Cea , Lundine and Larsen NAY - None Motion Passed - 6 to 0 . APPEARANCE COMMISSION July 9 , 1992 - Page Nine Ch. Larsen could not recall the AC ever denying any building , but this one needs an accent band of something to break up the blandness . The grey glass and black frames will not give it enough contrast and landscaping will not hide it . Com . Trilling said the building will look like a big white box and it needs additional color . He suggested adding some color to the reveals . Mr . Hirami said this was discussed with the clients , but they wanted a simple conservative building that will not be highly visible and did not want stripes . The firm has employed colored reveals in other buildings but this treatment could tend to date the architecture . Com. Lundine agreed the color is too bland . Com . Gordon commented that the absence of color is coupled with the absence of form. The only change is over the entrance . It is basically a small box in front of a larger box . The ware- house is going to be very large and not much could be done with that . but the office portion could be redesigned . He asked what color the overhead doors and man doors are going to be? Mr . Hirami replied that the color has not been selected . but they have discussed an accent color , such as military blue or some other soft tone . Com . Cea agreed that this will be a large concrete building and the reveals will not cast many shadows considering the number of dark days in this area . Aesthetics are a very subjective thing and it ' s not a question of being ethical or unethical . but something should be done . Ch. Larsen recalled that the Courtesy building is larger and it is being constructed with concrete panels . but the office portion is brick with some stained bands of anodized aluminum . He understands the client ' s conservatism , but the building can be made more distinctive by using some color . The panels could be made with a 12" to 18" band recessed about 1 " at the top of the windows . The band could be stained the military blue to give horizonal interest . He asked if it would delay their progress to Table until the July 23 . 1992 meeting? Mr . Hirami agreed to discuss the Commissioners ' comments and suggestions with their client , then return on July 23rd . Mr . Benson observed that the largest element is the stain color of the wall surface and said it would be easier to introduce more spark in the trim colors . i . e . windows . copings , doors , etc . He asked if they should consider changing the stain color and/or just the trim colors? APPEARANCE COMMISSION July 1992 - Page Six VI . ANNOUNCEMENTS 1 . Approval of June 11 . 1992 Minutes : Com . Viehman made a motion to approve as submitted . Com . Gordon seconded the motion. Roll Call Vote : AYE - Viehman . Gordon and Larsen NAY - None ABSTAIN - Trilling . Cea and Lundine Motion Passed - 3 to 0 . 3 abstentions . 2 . Mr . Schar announced that the Sign Code Review has been completed and the recommendations are being complied by Tom Dempsey , Village Attorney. The revised draft should be completed soon and a AC/ZBA Review Workshop will be scheduled . 3 . Regarding the Siegle ' s sign north of Bank Lane , Mr . Schar informed the AC that a six foot (6 ' ) section of land had been purchased and annexed to Buffalo Grove . The sign was installed too close to the right-of-way and will be moved . 4 . Ch. Larsen again welcomed the new Appearance Commissioners . Steven Trilling , Carmelo Cea and Roger Lundine , and reminded them of the requirement to attend 75% of the meetings a year . - He asked Mr . Schar to schedule an orientation meeting with Mr . Frank Hruby , Director of Building and Zoning . to discuss the Appearance Plan, Zoning and the Sign Code , etc . 5 . Dominoes Pizza has had girls holding a sign in the middle of Arlington Heights Road . 6 . Taco Bell has too many window signs . VII . ADJOURNMENT Com . Cea made a motion to adjourn . Com. Trilling seconded it . Voice Vote : AYE Unanimously Ch. Larsen adjourned the meeting at 9 : 10 P. M . Respectfully submitted . Shirley Bates Recording Secretary APPEARANCE COMMISSION July 9 , 1992 - Page Ten