1994-07-28 - Appearance Commission - Minutes APPEARANCE COMMISSION
VILLAGE OF BUFFALO GROVE, ILLINOIS
THURSDAY, JULY 28, 1994
I. CALL TO ORDER
Commissioner Fred Weissman called the meeting to order
at 7:36 P.M. on Thursday, July 28 , 1994 in the Council
Chambers of the Village Hall, 50 Raupp Boulevard.
II. ROLL CALL
Commissioners Present: F. Weissman, A. Viehman,
M. Cea and S. Trilling
Commissioners Absent: R. Gordon and R. Lundine
Bldg. Dept. Liaison: Edward Schar,
Deputy Building Commissioner
III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A. May 26 , 1994 - Corrected motion on Page 3 :
References to signs s/b "sign"
singular - location over the new
east entrance.
Com. Cea made a motion to approve the May 26 , 1994
minutes as corrected.
Com. Trilling seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote: AYE - Viehman, Cea, Trilling,
and Weissman
NAY - None
Motion Passed - 4 to 0.
Minutes of March 26, 1994 were approved.
B. July 14 , 1994 - Com. Viehman made a motion to Table.
Com. Cea seconded the motion.
Voice Vote - AYE Unanimously
IV. BUSINESS
Courtesy Corporation - Warehouse Facility
Corporate Grove Drive and Busch Parkway
Full Review: Elevations, Materials, Colors,
Landscaping and Lighting
Mr. Sheldon Dobrin, Dobrin Associates, Ltd. , Architects/AIA,
401 Huehl Road, Suite 1C, Northbrook, IL 60062 (564-5480)
made the presentation. Mr. Randall Bees was present and
Mr. Jerry Sommers of Courtesy Corp. was also present.
Mr. Dobrin said the new 342,000 square foot building will be
connected to the existing 265, 000 square foot building and
will be used as a warehouse.
Mr. Jerry Sommers gave an introduction to the project.
Courtesy Corporation at 800 Corporate Grove Drive has been
in Buffalo Grove for over a year and the operation has been
so successful that they have outgrown the building. They
purchased the adjoining property on which the warehouse will
be constructed. The existing building will be used for
manufacturing and production. Courtesy employs over 600
people, many from the Buffalo Grove area.
Mr. Dobrin presented a colored rendering of the proposed
building and described the site plan which shows both
buildings. The new Courtesy Corporation warehouse will be
located at the corner of Corporate Grove Drive and Busch
Parkway and will be the largest building in Buffalo Grove.
A ground link will connect the two buildings and will be used
by pedestrians and for forklifts which will be used to bring
in materials that are produced in the existing building.
There will be a creative office area at the front of the
building and a smaller office area at the northeast corner
that will be used for the warehouse operations. The corporate
offices will remain in the existing building. There will be a
small assembly area in the new building but the majority of the
space will be used as a warehouse.
1 . ARCHITECTURE, MATERIALS AND COLORS:
The design of the building will be different to distinguish
it from the existing building but the same materials will be
used. There is a large expanse of glass facing the corner of
Busch Road and Corporate Grove Drive, with strip windows on the
south elevation. The north and west (rear) elevations will be
stained concrete panels similar to the existing building. The
smaller employee entrance (facing the existing building) at the
far northeast end of the building resembles the main circular
entrance.
The truck docks on the north wall face the existing truck
docks forming a large truck court. The structure linking the
two buildings is 20 feet clear width and will be constructed
with concrete panels stained white with tinted windows.
Materials will be identical to the existing building:
1. Concrete blocks stained white with blue reveals;
2. Windows - Blue reflective glass with black mullions
3 . Front of building - River Run aggregate stone (from
the circular glass area returning to west and north
sides of the building)
4. Building will have a blue cap.
5. Canopy at front entrance will have a metal edge to
match the fascia of the building. The roof is flat
and curved to follow the curve of the building.
APPEARANCE COMMISSION
July 28 , 1994 - Page Two
Mr. Dobrin asked the Appearance Commissioners to consider an
alternate design for the front of the building. He asked
for the option to bring the pre-cast panels around the corners
to the circular portion. The purpose would be to set the
office area apart but a final decision has not been made.
Com. Cea remarked that either architectural scheme would be
acceptable and the other Commissioners agreed. When the final
determination has been made, if it is the alternate design,
a new drawing will be submitted to the Building Department.
The roof top units were discussed. There will be a 4-1/2 foot
glass parapet over the office area that will screen all the HVAC
units. The design is identical to the existing Courtesy Corp-
ation building. The line of sight drawing depicts the sight
distance from Corporate Grove Drive. The closest warehouse unit
will be 80 feet from the front of the building so the height of
the parapet should be sufficient. The warehouse area and
connecting unit will have heaters suspended from the ceiling
but no air conditioning units.
Com. Cea made a motion to recommend approval of the Architecture,
Materials and Colors as submitted for the Courtesy Corporation -
Warehouse Building at the corner of Corporate Grove Drive and
Busch Parkway, with the stipulation that if the alternate design is
selected for the front elevation (with pre-cast panels and spandrels)
a new drawing is to be submitted to the Building Department and the
AC will be advised.
Com. Viehman seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote: AYE - Viehman, Cea, Trilling and Weissman
NAY - None
Motion Passed - 4 to 0
B. LANDSCAPING:
Ms. Corrie Schaeffer, Phil Robin Landscapes, 217 Holmes Avenue,
Clarendon Hills, IL 60514 (325-7000) said the Landscaping will
be similar to the existing Courtesy Corporation building. The
pond area will be enhanced with additional trees and plantings.
The building will be softened with large trees that have been
set back from the roadway to leave the view of the building open.
The parking area on Busch Road will be screened with a planted
berm. There will be a one foot (1 ' ) strip of shredded wood chips
next to the building to prevent rain water from splashing up on
the windows. This is the same treatment used at the existing
building.
There are more parkway trees than necessary and they are closer
together than the required forty foot (40 ' ) spacing.
APPEARANCE COMMISSION
July 28 , 1994 - Page Three
Mr. Ray Rigsby' s Landscape Review, dated July 25, 1994 , states:
"The plant selections are acceptable. Overall a good plan. "
Com. Viehman made a motion to recommend approval of the
Landscape Plan for the Warehouse as submitted by Courtesy
Corporation.
Com. Cea seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote: AYE - Viehman, Cea, Trilling and Weissman
NAY - None
Motion Passed - 4 to 0.
3 . LIGHTING:
Mr. Dobrin described the Electrical Site Plan and stated that
the Ballards, Parking Lot Standards with Shoebox Fixtures
and Wall Mounted Lights will match the lighting at the existing
Courtesy building. The truck dock lighting and the Wall Pacs
over the man doors will meet code requirements. Photometrics
were included with the cut sheets of the light fixtures.
Com. Viehman made a motion to recommend approval of the
Lighting as submitted for the Courtesy Corporation Warehouse.
Com. Trilling seconded the motion,
Roll Call Vote: AYE - Viehman, Cea, Trilling and Weissman
NAY - None
Motion Passed - 4 to 0.
4 . SIGNS:
Two sign locations are indicated on the site plan. Signs
will be blue with white lettering and will match the existing
Courtesy Corporation signs. They will be presented for
approval at a later date.
Com. Viehman complimented Mr. Dobrin and Mr. Sommers. He
said the new building will be a nice addition to Buffalo
Grove and will enhance the corner of Busch Road and
Corporate Grove Drive.
VI. ANNOUNCEMENTS
1 . Mr. Schar said the owner of Outback Steakhouse would
like to change the color of the background of the wall
sign facing Lake Cook Road from the brown stain to grey
to match the sign on the west elevation. He does not
like the brown background of the front gable because it
does not reflect the light from the sign as well as the
grey background and he does not like the daytime appearance
either. Mr. Schar said if the Commissioners had no
objections, he would consider this a minor change and asked
for a motion for the record.
APPEARANCE COMMISSION
July 28 , 1994 - Page Four
Com. Trilling made a motion to approve the minor color
change of the Outback Steakhouse sign on the front
elevation facing Lake Cook Road from brown stain to
light grey to match the existing sign on the west
elevation facing Weidner Road.
Com. Cea seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote: AYE - Viehman, Cea, Trilling
and Weissman
NAY - None
Motion Passed - 4 to 0.
2. Mr. Schar distributed Copies of the proposed Sign Code
revisions. He asked the Appearance Commissioners to
review it and send their written recommendations to
him before September 1, 1994 for submittal to the Village
Board of Trustees. He explained that the language and
intent have been clarified to make the code more readable.
The fees have been raised approximately 30% and were
changed for the first time in almost ten (10) years.
Other villages were surveyed before the fees were changed.
Buffalo Grove' s fees are not the highest nor are they
the lowest in the surrounding area.
The Code has been brought up to date and the revisions
meet today' s standards for signs. The substance was not
changed and the Code now reflects what is actually being
done. Some procedures, such as pre-application conferences
relative to signs, have been eliminated.
Com. Viehman suggested that review and discussion of the
proposed Sign Code revisions be made an agenda item the
last meeting in August. Any changes should be made as
a body and submitted to the Village Board of Trustees for
consideration. The Village Board Trustee Liaison will
be asked to attend the meeting so he will understand the
Appearance Commission' s point of view and relate it to
the Board. The Board will make the final decisions.
VI. ADJOURNMENT
Motion to adjourn was made by Com. Cea and seconded by
Com. Trilling.
Com. Weissman adjourned the meeting at 8 : 35 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
Shirley Bate ,
Recording Secretary
APPEARANCE COMMISSION
July 28 , 1994 - Page Five