1996-09-25 - Plan Commission - Minutes SPECIAL MEETING
BUFFALO GROVE PLAN COMMISSION
September 25, 1996
Revision of Village Comprehensive Plan -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. Rosenston
Ms. Howard
Mr. Samuels
Mr. Berman
Mr. Lundine
Mr. Trilling
Mr. Ottenheimer
Commissioners absent: Mr. Krug
Alsopresent: Jeffrey Braiman, Village Trustee
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Charles Cohen, School District 102
Bob Gerry, School District 21
John Green, Village resident
Elliott Hartstein, School District 125
Larry Reiner, Buffalo Grove Park District
Michael Rylko, Buffalo Grove Park District
Leon Shure, Indian Trails Library District
Eric Smith, Buffalo Grove Chamber of Commerce
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Moved by Commissioner Rosenston, seconded by Commissioner Samuels, to approve the minutes
of the Regular Meeting of August 21, 1996. The motion passed unanimously, with
Commissioners Howard, Lundine and Trilling abstaining.
Chairman Goldspiel noted that thepacket of information for the workshopincluded several
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reports from the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission(NIPC) concerning projections of
population and employment and discussion of land use scenarios for the region.
Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Special Meeting September 25, 1996-Page 1
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Mr. Gerry commented that it would be useful to see the historical accuracy NIPC's forecasts and
population projections.
Mr. Pfeil indicated that he would have to compare previous NIPC reports with actual U.S. Census
data to determine the accuracy of previous population projections.
Commissioner Samuels noted that an increase of 7,000 households in Buffalo Grove by 2020
seems rather high.
Mr. Pfeil said that this number is higher than projections of population by Village staff. He noted
that NIPC will be meeting with municipalities to discuss the projections, and learning about
NIPC's methodology will help explain how the specific figures were derived. He noted that it
appears that NIPC may have used a larger geographic area for Buffalo Grove than Village staff
has used in making land use, housing and population projections.
Commissioner Rosenston commented that the NIPC projections and Village staff projections
should be compared and reconciled.
Chairman Goldspiel commented that the NIPC information suggests that the Village is being
carried along by regional forces concerning employment and population gains, and a lot of growth
is forecast for the part of the region that includes Buffalo Grove. He noted that NIPC has
included a growth scenario if a third airport is developed in the southern part of the Chicago
region, and if this airport is built, the growth projections for the Lake County portion of the
region are more modest than under the other scenarios,because more job growth would occur in
the southern part of the region.
Mr. Gerry commented that District 21 has traditionally prepared its own projections of population
and school-aged children, and the projections have been accurate. He said that the current set of
projections go to 2001.
Mr. Cohen noted that District 102,District 96 and District 125 have used Dr. John Kasarda's
services for the past five years to prepare projections. These projections include three scenarios
for high, moderate and low growth projections. He noted that one of the trends shown by the
study is the "re-population"that is occurring in some subdivisions of existing housing. This
indicates that younger families are moving into the district because of the quality of the education
provided. He noted that Pritchett School is experiencing the largest enrollment of the schools in
District 102, and there is relatively little new housing construction in this portion of Buffalo
Grove.
Mr. Gerryconfirmed that District 21 is
experiencing a similar trend concerning re-population of
existing residential areas.
Mr. Hartstein commented that the magnitude of the re-population trend is far greater than what
Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Special Meeting-September 25, 1996-Page 2
the school districts had assumed would occur, but the current projections being prepared by Dr.
Kasarda will address this situation.
Mr. Cohen noted that Dr. Kasarda's study includes projections to 2005, and District 102 is
currently programming for staffing and other needs to 2001.
Chairman Goldspiel inquired if the districts can estimate the number of children per family in areas
where re-population is occurring.
Mr. Gerry indicated that his estimate is .55 children of elementary school age per household. He
noted that currently District 21 is receiving more new students than the number of students
leaving through graduation.
Mr. Cohen commented that in terms of new development, the Town and Country Homes Mirielle
development is the next area where a considerable number of new students will be generated in
District 102.
Commissioner Trilling inquired if the price of housing is an important variable in terms of school-
aged children generated within the districts.
Mr. Cohen said that even houses in the $400,000 range seem to be generating students. One of
the trends he has observed is that parents of young children tend to be older and more established
in their careers before starting their families.
Commissioner Berman inquired about the impact of availability of Metra train service on the
turnover of housing, for example do households that no longer have children tend to move out of
the area while younger families with children move in ?
Mr. Cohen indicated that he would have to ask Dr. Kasarda if this trend is occurring in District
102.
Mr. Gerry said that he believes the availability of Metra service in Wheeling and Prospect Heights
will definitely tend to attract families with children into the area served by District 21.
Mr. Hartstein commented that the availability of Metra service will bolster the re-population
trend, and generally the area served by District 125 and the elementary districts will become even
more attractive to families with children.
Mr. Cohen said that as long as housing prices in the Buffalo Grove area stay relatively stable in
relation to other areas such as Deerfield and Northbrook, families will continue to move into
Buffalo Grove.
Commissioner Trillingasked what the impact would be if the amount of employment based in
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Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Special Meeting-September 25, 1996-Page 3
Chicago declines.
Commissioner Berman commented that a considerable amount of commuting related to
employment is already inter-suburban rather than to Chicago, so some people using Metra service
have destinations such as Des Plaines.
Commissioner Rosenston noted that commuters from Antioch are using the new North Central
line to reach employment in Buffalo Grove or other suburbs.
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Chairman Goldspiel commented that housing quality, employment opportunities and the
transportation system all have a considerable implications for the Village's master plan, and more
study needs to be done as the plan revision process continues. He said that the transportation
component of the plan should address Pace bus service and other modes of transportation that
links employment centers with Metra service.
Commissioner Samuels agreed that having good transit from Metra stations such as Buffalo
Grove's to employment centers and residential areas is very important, and should be addressed in
the plan.
Commissioner Samuels noted that Metra is studying double-tracking the Wisconsin Central line so
that service can be expanded on the North Central commuter line.
Commissioner Berman said that service may be expanded by adding trains to the current one line
system before the full double-tracking improvement is made.
Chairman Goldspiel commented that Metra also wants to serve reverse commuters, so the double-
tracking idea will continue to be pursued. He noted that funding and the priority assigned to
service on particular lines are usually the constraints concerning how quickly Metra can expand
service.
Commissioner Samuels said that there will be continued competition for funding, and other
projects such as commuter service on the EJ& E line are being studied by Metra.
Mr. Gerry inquired concerning the impact on Buffalo Grove and adjacent areas if Route 53 is
extended north from Lake Cook Road. He commented that an efficient road network is one of the
features of a community that make it attractive for business and industry.
Chairman Goldspiel suggested that the discussion shift to other topics.
Mr. Rylko commented that the Buffalo Grove Park District is experiencing an increasing demand
for athletic fields, and the demand for sports such as soccer is making it very challenging for the
Park District to accommodate all the children who want to participate. He said that one way to
increase the availability of field space is use lighting to allow night use.
Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Special Meeting-September 25, 1996-Page 4
Chairman Goldspiel noted that night scheduling for sports such as soccer would be a change from
the traditional scheduling used by the Park District.
Mr. Reiner commented that the impact of industrial areas on park facilities needs to be addressed.
He said that the Park District is experiencing high costs for maintaining fields and other facilities,
and some of these costs are attributable to users from industrial areas. He noted that industrial
users do not participate in programs that require fees, so costs for maintenance are being incurred
by the Park District with no fees to offset the costs. He noted that land in the area is getting
scarce, and existing resources have to be used more filly. Outdoor lighting is one way to achieve
more use of existing fields and facilities. He noted that as lighting technology improves, there are
fewer impacts on adjacent areas.
Chairman Goldspiel suggested that making stormwater management areas more usable for active
recreation could be a planning goal.
Commissioner Samuels noted that development parcels for new uses will tend to be in the 10 to
15 acre range, and this will present a constraint for procuring adequately sized active use park
facilities. Development parcels have to provide stormwater detention, and the amount of land
required for a park donation on smaller parcels will not be in the four or five acre range that is
needed for an active use park. He noted that the high cost of land will push developers toward
using wet areas such as ponds so that the amount of land on a site allocated for stormwater
management can be minimized.
Mr. Green noted that in contrast to residential development, commercial and industrial
development does not contribute fees to the Park District.
Commissioner Berman suggested that the planning goal for the Comprehensive Plan should focus
more on the provision of adequate recreational opportunities, possibly with joint public and
private projects, rather than try to pinpoint locations for park sites.
Mr. Cohen commented that the park planning goal could be modified to include language such as
"explore all ideas"in working with the Park District to provide adequate recreational
opportunities.
Mr. Rylko said that regarding the bikepath system,the plan should address ways to make
connections between various existing segments, and the need to use a Class II system instead of
Class I in some areas should be explored. He noted that there is no sidewalk or bikepath along the
east side of Buffalo Grove Road north of Busch Road, and this deficiency should be addressed
because a sidewalk in this location could link the system all the way to Stevenson High School.
Commissioner Samuels commented that access across Lake Cook Road, either with underpasses
or bridges, should be addressed.
Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Special Meeting-September 25, 1996-Page 5
Mr. Rylko noted that these types of improvements would be expensive.
Mr. Hartstein said that the concepts of linkage and accessibility need to be explored. Better access
to all the resources and features in the community should be provided, and the bikepath system
should be part of this linkage.
Mr. Ottenheimer note that in the Goals for Development section, Goal#14 in the 1992
Comprehensive Plan concerns ensuring that development in areas adjacent to the Village is in
keeping with the best interests of the Village,but it appears that the Village has very little power
to affect the type of growth that happens beyond the corporate limits.
Chairman Goldspiel noted that state statute gives municipalities jurisdiction for planning one and a
half miles beyond the corporate limits.
Mr. Braiman noted that even with the one and a half mile planning jurisdiction the Village has
relatively little power to control land use on unincorporated parcels.
Mr. Pfeil noted that the Village has historically tried to develop inter-governmental agreements to
address land use issues with adjacent municipalities, but very few agreements have actually been
enacted.
Chairman Goldspiel commented that the public golf courses in the Village should be evaluated to
determine if re-use or change of use is feasible.
Mr. Rylko said that the use of golf courses can be diversified in some situations by allowing off-
season uses such as cross-country skiing.
Commissioner Berman suggested that the Village's Director of Golf Operations should comment
concerning the feasibility of off-season use.
Mr. Braiman indicated that another park issue is adequate off-street parking. He noted that
insufficient parking for neighborhood parks has created problems in some locations, and the
Village wants to avoid such problems when new parks are developed.
Mr. Rylko said that larger community parks such as Willow Stream are being used intensively
because of participant demand, and parking problems can occur in some circumstances even
adequate off-street parking is available because some users park on pubic streets rather than in
parking lots.
`-/ Mr. Cohen suggested that the plan include a goal to address communication among all
stakeholders in the community. He commented that when development proposals are made to the
Village, it is important that the school districts be informed as early as possible in the review
process. He said there have been some good examples of cooperation in planning, such as the
Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Special Meeting-September 25, 1996-Page 6
park site adjacent to Aptakisic Junior High School.
Chairman Goldspiel noted that the development review process has to be efficient, and the
process could become cumbersome if too many parties are involved in certain parts of the
process. He said that the Comprehensive Plan should identify issues of concern to stakeholders
such as the school districts, and developers should use the Comprehensive Plan to assess the
feasibility of a particular proposal.
Mr. Braiman said that"intergovernmental communication" should be addressed as a goal for the
plan.
Mr. Reiner noted that Item#3 in the Policies for Development section of the 1992 Comprehensive
Plan indicates that the planning process will include citizen participation and input from affected
taxing bodies.
Mr. Cohen suggested that workshops between the Village and the school districts might have
some merit for proposed residential projects.
Mr. Green said that developers shouldn't be excluded from the public review process. He noted
that the recent condominium proposal at Dundee and Weidner Road includes creation of a
bikepath linkage that the Village and Park District have been trying to achieve.
Mr. Rylko noted that in terms of developer donations, funds are pooled from smaller projects to
create the opportunity to make enhancements to existing facilities or create adequately sized new
facilities. On smaller development sites it is not practical to take a land donation because the area
is not large enough for proper park development.
Mr. Green said that perhaps the Zoning Ordinance should be revised to expand the types of
amenities that can be required in a residential development. He noted that Buffalo Grove is
shifting rapidly to in-fill development, and amenity concepts need to be expanded as well as off-
site improvements for recreation.
Chairman Goldspiel said the plan should include a goal concerning protection of the open space
"greenbelt" in the center of the Village. When properties such as the Didier property along
Buffalo Grove Road north of Atptakisic Road are proposed for development, continuation of the
greenbelt should be part of the initial planning.
Commissioner Berman inquired if the premise is that land in the Village should be publicly
acquired to preserve open space.
Mr. Rylko noted that public acquisition of land for open space could benefit the school districts if
it had the effect of decreasing the amount of land available for residential developments.
Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Special Meeting-September 25, 1996-Page 7
Commissioner Samuels suggested that some information should be obtained concerning the
amount of land typically allocated for open space in communities similar to Buffalo Grove.
Commissioner Berman noted that the supply of land in the Buffalo Grove area is rapidly
diminishing, and fairly soon there will be relatively little land available for acquisition as open
space. He suggested that the Village and Park District should identify land that could be acquired
for open space and incorporate this into their respective planning programs.
Commissioner Samuels noted that reducing the amount of land available for development will
have an impact on housing costs, making new construction even more expensive for homebuyers.
Mr. Reiner said there are other ways to obtain public open space rights rather than land
purchases. Agreements and conservation easements can be used to protect open space without
actually purchasing property.
Mr. Smith commented that Goals#8 and#9 in the Goals for Development section of the 1992
Comprehensive Plan address the need for maintaining economic growth in the community, and
these goals need to be considered when acquisition of open space is considered as a planning goal.
Commissioner Samuels noted that Chicago Magazine has recently done an article ranking suburbs
in the Chicago region on a number of criteria, and Buffalo Grove is ranked toward the bottom in
terms of open space for communities with similar housing prices.
Chairman Goldspiel commented that there is considerable open space in and around the Village
when Forest Preserve properties such as Buffalo Creek are included in the inventory.
Mr. Rylko said that Buffalo Grove is close to the national average for parks and open space with
400 acres, not including golf courses, for its population of approximately 40,000 residents.
Mr. Shure noted that Community Facilities Policy#6 in the 1992 Comprehensive Plan says that a
full service or branch library should be encouraged, but voters rejected a referendum in 1993 to
build an additional library facility, so this policy may need to be revised to reflect the views of the
residents.
Commissioner Rosenston concurred that the people in the community don't seem to think there is
a need for a branch library, and Community Facility Policy#6 in the Plan should probably be
deleted.
Commissioner Samuels noted that with access to the Internet, libraries have an opportunity to be
`-/ involved in new ways to make information available to residents.
Mr. Shure said that Indian Trails has a Web page on the Internet, and the District will continue to
improve its telecommunications capabilities.
Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Special Meeting-September 25, 1996-Page 8
Commissioner Berman noted that the Vernon Area Library also has a Web page.
Chairman Goldspiel noted that Transportation Policy#14 in the Comprehensive Plan concerning
implementation of commuter rail service on the Wisconsin Central line has been accomplished.
He commented that Commercial Policy#1 concerning Town Center as the Village's central
business district may need to be re-evaluated.
Commissioner Berman noted that Town Center seems to be evolving into an entertainment and
recreation type of center.
Mr. Braiman commented that the north office area of Town Center has potential for uses other
than office development, and the Village will probably be reviewing a new development proposal
for a non-office use in the near future.
Commissioner Samuels said that the west side of Town Center along Buffalo Grove Road should
be evaluated to determine if some land-swapping could achieve a more feasible development site.
He commented that Town Center will not be developed to its full potential until effective
planning for the west side of Buffalo Grove Road is addressed
Chairman Goldspiel commented that the west side of Town Center should be addressed as a small
area for more detailed planning in the Comprehensive Plan revision.
Mr. Green suggested that the Transportation policies be revised concerning the establishment of
better linkages to business districts such as the Dundee Road corridor and Route 22.
Mr. Reiner said that Transportation Policy#12 addresses an important need in the community
concerning better mobility for residents such as the elderly and handicapped who need improved
access to transportation.
Mr. Hartstein concurred that better linkages are needed to various facilities in the community.
Chairman Goldspiel noted that communities such as Niles actually provide transportation as a
municipal service.
Commissioner Samuels commented that public transportation requires a certain density of
development to be feasible. It is difficult to provide public transportation in lower density areas.
Chairman Goldspiel commented that the current Comprehensive Plan revision needs a unifying
theme based on some clearly articulated planning goals. He suggested that a focus on developing
corporate headquarters sites for growing companies is an example of a specific development goal
that could be used a theme for framing the plan revision process.
Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Special Meeting-September 25, 1996-Page 9
ADJOURNMENT
Moved by Commissioner Samuels, seconded by Commissioner Rosenston and carried
unanimously to adjourn. Chairman Goldspiel adjourned the meeting at 9:30 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
//eC2 Cam. -�
Robert E. Pfeil, Villag Planner
APPROVED BY:
S EP N GOL SPIEL, Ch . an
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Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Special Meeting-September 25, 1996-Page 10