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1992-03-04 - Plan Commission - Minutes PUBLIC HEARING BUFFALO GROVE PLAN COMMISSION March 4, 1992 Windbrooke Apartment - Detached Garages Chairman Silbernik called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. in the Municipal Building, 50 Raupp Boulevard, Buffalo Grove, Illinois and read the Notice of Public Hearing as published in the Buffalo Grove Daily Herald, explained the format of the meeting and swore in persons who were giving testimony at the public hearing. Commissioners present: Chairman Silbernik Mr. Goldspiel Ms. Howard Mr. Rosenston Ms. Genell Mr. Samuels Commissioners absent: Mr. Krug Mr. Rhodes Mr. Charlette Also present: Ms. Sharon E. Blaney, Basil Associates Mr. Bruce Lavine, RREEF Ms. Kathy A. Webster, Windbrooke Apartments Mr. John Rockey, RREEF Mr. Jeff Braiman, Village Trustee Mr. Richard Skelton, Village Attorney Mr. Robert E. Pfeil, Village Planner The following exhibits were presented by the petitioner at the public hearing: Exhibit A: Preliminary Plan dated February 19, 1992 by Basil Associates Exhibit B: Garage elevation plan dated February 19, 1992 by Basil Associates Exhibit C: Rendering of proposed garage units Exhibit D: Proposed materials for garage construction Exhibit E: Site plan depicting location of respondents interested Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Public Hearing-March 4, 1992-Page 1 in leasing a parking garage space Exhibit F: Site plan depiction of parking problem areas cited by Windbrooke residents Exhibit G: Results of parking survey of Windbrooke residents Exhibit H: Survey results and questionnaire of Windbrooke residents concerning interest in leasing a garage space and identifying current parking conditions Ms. Sharon Blaney of Basil Associates, Inc. presented the revised site plan and elevation sheet for the 48 garages stating that the plan now contains the fire separation wall and curb between garage bays as requested by the Fire Department. She noted that the wall between the bays will be a 3 and 5/8ths inch metal stud system with 5/8ths inch gypsum board on both sides of the stud. There would be landscaping around each of the garage structures to provide an aesthetically pleasing character. Ms. Blaney further noted that each garage door would incorporate two window panels as requested by the Plan Commission and that there would be windows on the sides of the garage structures to further facilitate policing of the garages. Ms. Blaney also pointed out that the materials used to construct the garages would be the same as those used in the construction of the apartment buildings. In addition Ms. Blaney noted that the 402 parking spaces required by code would remain intact. Ms. Kathy Webster of the Windbrooke Apartments presented a chart to show survey results as to the areas where parking is a problem. Parking problems were fairly interspersed. She noted that one section that had a great deal of parking problems was due to the fact that this area contained several cars that were driven less than once a week. Ms. Webster noted that the parking survey revealed that overall there were few problems with guest parking with exceptions in a couple of areas where once again cars were not driven or moved for lengthy periods of time. She further stated that additional guest parking could be accommodated in the back of the apartments on the %.1 southeast corner of the site. Mr. Lavine stated that the perception of a parking problem figures prominently. Many people perceive a parking problem if they are not able to park directly in front of their apartment. He suggested that residents who perceive that they have a parking problem Buff alo Grove Plan Comm-Public Hearing-March 4, 1992-Page 2 probably were more likely to respond to the survey than residents who do not think there are parking problems. Ms. Blaney stated that they had tried to move the garages as far back from the main thoroughfare as possible, however, in some cases, due to the proximity of various utilities, the setback is ten feet. Commissioner Goldspiel asked Ms. Blaney to respond to Mr. Kuenkler' s memo dated February 27, 1992 which states that two of the garages are too close to water or sewer utilities. Ms. Blaney stated that the garages referred to were three to four feet away from the utility lines. She also noted that all locations would be verified with the civil engineer prior to construction. Mr. Lavine inquired about the distance required between structures and utility lines. Mr. Pfeil stated that the minimum easement the Village uses for water and sewer lines is ten feet. The Village needs adequate room for digging and maneuvering when a line needs maintenance. He said he thinks the Village would require a minimum of five feet from the center line of a pipe, but he would need to get Mr. Kuenkler's comment on this matter. He noted that the water and sanitary sewer lines in Windbrooke are on private property but are maintained by the Village. The storm sewer is privately maintained. He said that Mr. Kuenkler commented that it is good engineering practice to provide adequate setbacks so that utilities can be worked on without having to move adjacent structures. Ms. Blaney stated that the plan shows the garage footings to be four feet from the water and sewer lines in two locations. If it is necessary to be five feet from the pipes, they would change the plan for the two garage buildings where the setback needs to be increased to provide the five foot space. Commissioner Goldspiel asked Ms. Blaney to address the line of sight issue. Ms. Blaney stated that there is a ten foot minimum distance from �./ the garages to the roadway. She further noted that this could not be changed due to the existing utilities. Commissioner Goldspiel asked Ms. Blaney how she had arrived at the conclusion that ten feet is a sufficient setback distance. Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Public Hearing-March 4, 1992-Page 3 Ms. Blaney stated that since this is not a public roadway which requires a 25 foot setback and since the speed limit is 25 miles per hour, the ten foot setback would be sufficient for clear visibility. Mr. Lavine stated that the ten foot setback is a judgment call and they think that based on the speed limit and size of the proposed structure, the ten foot setback distance is sufficient. Commissioner Goldspiel stated that he does not think that a ten foot setback is sufficient, notwithstanding the fact that this is a private thoroughfare with a speed limit of only 25 miles per hour. He commented that the Village has standards to calculate setbacks from streets based on speed limits and other visibility factors, and he does not think this plan meets these standards for adequate traffic visibility. He commented that the four-bay garage in the southeast part of the site is particularly close to a curve in Windbrooke Drive, and this would present a traffic safety problem. Commissioner Howard inquired if all the garage units would be built at one time. Mr. Blaney confirmed that all units would be constructed at one time. Commissioner Rosenston inquired if the garages would have emergency key access in case of power failures. Ms. Blaney stated that the garages would have key access which is a code requirement. Commissioner Genell inquired if the unmoved cars noted in the survey were dispersed throughout the parking areas of the apartment complex. Ms. Webster noted that generally the cars were dispersed except for one area that did seem to have a high concentration of unmoved cars. Commissioner Genell inquired how high the curb would be between the garage bays. Ms. Blaney stated the curb would be six inches. and that the Fire Department had approved the plan. Commissioner Samuels asked if a notice of the public hearing had been distributed to the residents. Buffalo Grov e Plan Comm-Public Hearing_March 4, 1992-Page 4 Ms. Webster stated that a notice had been placed on the back of the entry doors in every building. Commissioner Samuels asked if there had been any line of sight study taking traffic speeds into consideration. Ms. Blaney stated that she believes the ten foot setback is adequate based on the design of several other similar projects that she has observed. Commissioner Howard asked if there had been any traffic accidents at these other complexes. Ms. Blaney stated that there had been no accidents that she had been made aware of by the various complex managers. Commissioner Howard asked if there is a need for 48 garages. Ms. Webster stated that the results of the survey showed that there are 35 current residents interested in garages and that inquiries from potential tenants indicates that the garages would be marketable. Mr. Lavine noted that there could possibly be a benefit in building the garages in stages. He stated that it would be a sensible approach to build the garages in stages to make sure that the garages would be rented. Commissioner Howard said building the garages in phases does not appear to be a good idea because it would be disruptive to the tenants and may cause parking problems over a fairly long period of time. She said it would be better if the garages were built in one continuous project based on firm projections of how many can be leased. Chairman Silbernik stated that building the garages is a calculated business risk which RREEF would be assuming as the owner. He further noted that aesthetically it would be much better to build the garages all at once instead of phases. He noted that the previous plan presented by the developer had twice as many garage units as the current plan, which indicates some uncertainty about the number that are actually supported by firm projections. Commissioner Samuels concurred with Chairman Silbernik and further noted that the dirt, dust and annoyance to the residents would be over more quickly if the project was done in a continuous manner. Commissioner Rosenston inquired if the Windbrooke management would supply stickers to those who rent garages and would then monitor Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Public Hearing-March 4, 1992-Page 5 that these garages are used as intended. Ms. Blaney and Mr. Lavine stated that management would monitor the garages. Mr. Lavine said tenants leasing a garage would be required to park in the garage, and the garages are to be used for parking, not storage. Commissioner Samuels asked what the present occupancy rate is at the Windbrooke Apartments. Ms. Webster noted that the present occupancy is 90 percent, which is the lowest rate in quite some time. She said an occupancy rate of 93 percent has been typical for Windbrooke. Chairman Silbernik asked how a sticker system would be enforced. Mr. Lavine said that the management staff would check vehicle stickers and tell residents who lease garages to use the garages, not outdoor areas, for parking. He said storage in garages would be monitored, and tenants who do not comply with the rules for leasing a garage will have the garage taken away from them. He said that the rules would be enforced by the management. The staff would check garage windows and conduct monthly checks at night. He said complaints from residents would help management enforce the rules. Ms. Webster stated that there are maintenance people on site nearly every day for eight hours per day and often in the evenings. She also noted that management would have access to the garages to facilitate monitoring. Chairman Silbernik noted his concern over the loss of 48 parking spaces. He stated he had asked Mr. Pfeil to check other rental complexes to determine the actual number of parking spaces available after the garages had been put into place versus the code. Mr. Pfeil stated that Barclay Place which had been approved, but not yet built, provided just the minimum number of spaces required, and about 29 percent of the required parking spaces are in garages. In Chatham the situation is somewhat different as the garages are built underground and one space is assigned for each apartment unit. He said detached garages may contribute to parking shortages on a site if only the minimum number of spaces are being provided, but this question needs some research. He noted that the garages proposed for Windbrooke would only be about 12 percent of the total required parking spaces, so it would appear that the garages shouldn't cause major parking shortages. Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Public Hearing-March 4, 1992-Page 6 Chairman Silbernik stated that policing of garages becomes a critical factor with this kind of parking crunch and that the monitoring plans offered by management do not seem sufficient. He further noted his disappointment that there was no report from the developer's civil engineer to verify the distances of the garages from any existing utilities. Ms. Blaney stated that it is standard procedure to go back to the engineers for verification prior to construction. Jim Barnwell, 1115 Windbrooke #202, Buffalo Grove, stated that there are no available parking spaces outside of his apartment many times and especially on Saturday nights. He also noted that ball playing is allowed in the parking lots and it is conceivable that these balls could hit the windows proposed for the garages. Mr. Barnwell also noted that backing out of the proposed garages would could cause accidents because the aisles are not very wide and adjacent parked cars could be hit. Mr. Barnwell further asked what would be done for snow removal if these garages are built as snow is now piled in handicapped parking spaces. He said traffic on Windbrooke Drive often exceeds the 25 mile per hour speed limit, and he thinks the visibility problems created by the garages will contribute to accidents. He said the survey conducted by management does not document the need for the number of proposed garages. He said the sticker program proposed by the management will not be effective in forcing garage renters to park only in their garage. He said that the garages will result in an overall loss of openness in the Windbrooke development. Ms. Blaney stated that the requirement for aisle width is 26 feet, and the proposed plan calls for a width of 27 feet, so she does not think cars from the garages will back up into other cars. Mr. Lavine stated that snow removal would be handled properly, and if necessary, snow would be loaded and transported off site. Dennis Majkowski, 1110 Windbrooke #101, Buffalo Grove noted his concerns with adequate parking, policing of garage stickers and snow removal if the proposed garages are built. He noted that the snow is presently pushed into parking spaces which are already marginal at best. He stated that empty garage space will add to this parking problem. He further stated that people who rent the garages may use them for parking overnight but would probably use outdoor parking spaces for convenience causing even more of a parking crunch. Mr. Barnwell noted his concern that if the adjacent railroad line becomes a commuter line, the garages may be rented out to those Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Public Hearing-March 4, 1992-Page 7 commuters. Ron Somasky stated that the proposed garages would be a benefit to him in that he would not have to deal with bad weather elements. He did note that parking is a definite problem in the complex, but parking a block away from his unit is an option that he often uses. He also stated that the proposed guest parking in the southeast area of the site probably would not work as a guest could not be forced to park there, and it would be quite far from some apartment buildings. Mr. Lavine stated that any problems concerning the use of garage units and outdoor parking could be regulated with proper enforcement of the rules. He stated that the garages would be rented only to Windbrooke residents. Mr. Majkowski asked if the building of the garages would affect the tenants' right to park a vehicle for an extended period of time. He said he sometimes has to leave his vehicle parked in the same spot for two weeks if he has to go out of town on business. Mr. Lavine stated that regardless of the garages they have a duty to address the issue of cars parked for lengthy periods of time which seems to affect parking availability. Chairman Silbernik noted that the original plan for this development was approved with 408 outdoor spaces and the proposed plan would reduce the total to 402 spaces, 48 of which would be in garages. If a resident chooses not to park in his garage, that will impact the availability of parking. He noted that this was an issue addressed at the workshop as well as this evening and should be considered in the final decision. He said the developer has not shown that 48 garage spaces can be leased, and the proposed enforcement plan may not work. There being no further comments, Chairman Silbernik closed the public hearing at 9: 15 p.m. Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Public Hearing-March 1992-Page 4, -P aqe 8 Respectfully submitted, 747 //7 - Fay Rubi , Recording Secretary APPROVE TIN SILBERNIK, Chairman Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Public Hearing-March 4, 1992-Page 9 REGULAR MEETING BUFFALO GROVE PLAN COMMISSION March 4, 1992 �.J Windbrooke Apartment, Busch Parkway P.U.D. Amendment for Detached Garages Proposed Nursing Home, Steepleview site Weiland Road/Armstrong Drive - Rezoning to R-9 Special Use authorization and Preliminary Plan Chairman Silbernik called the meeting to order at 9: 15 a.m. in the Municipal Building, 50 Raupp Boulevard, Buffalo Grove, Illinois. Commissioners present: Chairman Silbernik Mr. Goldspiel Ms. Howard Mr. Rosenston Ms. Genell Mr. Samuels Commissioners absent: Mr. Krug Mr. Rhodes Mr. Charlette Also present: Ms. Sharon E. Blaney, Basil Associates Mr. Bruce Lavine, RREEF Ms. Kathy A. Webster, Windbrooke Apartments Mr. John Rockey, RREEF Mr. Bruce Lederman, Windsor Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center Mr. Harold Lederman, Windsor Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center Mrs. Lederman, Windsor Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center Ms. Sharon Trotter, Windsor Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center Mr. Marc Schwartz, Batler & Schwartz Mr. Michael Arenson, Shayman & Salk Co. Mr. David Miller, Metro Transportation Group, Inc. Mr. Tom Dyke, Thompson A. Dyke, AICP Mr. Keven Graham, Thompson A. Dyke, AICP Mr. Jeff Braiman, Village Trustee Mr. Richard Skelton, Village Attorney Mr. Robert Pfeil, Village Planner Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-March 4, 1992-Page 1 APPROVAL OF MINUTES Moved by Commissioner Genell, seconded by Commissioner Rosenston, to approve the minutes of the Public Hearing of. February 5, 1992. Commissioner Rosenston noted a correction to the spelling of "Abbott" on pages three and five. All Commissioners were in favor `..� of the motion to approve the minutes as corrected, and the motion passed unanimously with Chairman Silbernik abstaining. Moved by Commissioner Samuels, seconded by Commissioner Rosenston to approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting of February 5, 1992 . All Commissioners were in favor of the motion and the motion passed unanimously with Chairman Silbernik abstaining. Moved by Commissioner Goldspiel, seconded by Commissioner Howard to approve the minutes of the Special Meeting of February 24, 1992. Commissioner Samuels noted a typographical error on page one. All Commissioners were in favor of the motion to approve the minutes as corrected, and the motion passed unanimously with Commissioner Rosenston abstaining. Moved by Commissioner Samuels, seconded by Commissioner Goldspiel to approve the minutes of the Special Meeting of February 26, 1992. All Commissioners were in favor of the motion and the motion passed unanimously with Commissioners Genell and Howard abstaining. COMMITTEE AND LIAISON REPORTS Mr. Pfeil reporting for Commissioner Rhodes stated that the Board had referred a daycare development on Route 83 adjacent to the LaSalle Bank to the Plan Commission. The Board noted several concerns about the proposed site plan including the location of the playground area along Route 83 and emergency access. WINDBROOKE APARTMENTS, BUSCH PARKWAY - P.U.D. AMENDMENT FOR DETACHED GARAGES Moved by Commissioner Samuels, seconded by Commissioner Genell to approve an amendment of the Planned Unit Development in an R-9 District and approval of a site plan to allow construction of seven detached garage structures providing 48 enclosed parking spaces subject to: 1. Maintaining a five foot setback from any existing utilities 2 . Presentation of a detailed landscaping plan for Village review Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-March 4, 1992-Page 2 3 . Construction of all garage units in a continuous manner rather than a phasing program Chairman Silbernik asked that the condition concerning the setback be changed to a minimum of five feet or as approved by the Village Engineer. Commissioners Samuels and Genell accepted the amendment to the motion. Commissioner Goldspiel spoke in opposition to the motion stating that there is already a tightness in parking in this development. He noted he is not willing to take Barclay Place as an example as it is not yet built and is not likely to be built. He stated that through this proposed plan, parking spaces would be lost, thus exacerbating the problem. Further, enforcement of the parking situation would be difficult and there is not sufficient circulation of parking spaces to reduce this problem. Commissioner Goldspiel noted that the Zoning Ordinance needs to be looked at and perhaps changed as people nowadays tend to have more cars than years ago. He noted his concern with the sight lines in terms of visibility and safety of people entering and existing parking areas. Whether this is a public or private drive does not lessen the responsibility for safety. The petitioner's testimony regarding the proposed setbacks for the garage structures is not acceptable. Commissioner Goldspiel further noted that pushing the garages further into the setback also takes away from the view provided for the residents. Commissioner Goldspiel stated that at this point he feels this proposal would be a detriment to this development. Commissioner Rosenston noted he concurs with several items noted by Commissioner Goldspiel. He stated that he thinks the code needs to be looked at as to whether 1. 7 parking spaces per unit is adequate. He further stated that the line of sight and the closeness to the road and utilities makes this plan too tight. Commissioner Howard concurred with Commissioners Goldspiel and Rosenston and stated that there would be a parking problem with implementation of this proposed plan. She further stated that the proposed guest parking would not work. Ms. Blaney stated that the garages are located where existing parking spaces are presently located, so there would not be a visibility problem. Chairman Silbernik called for the vote on the motion and the vote was as follows: Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-March 4, 1992-Page 3 AYES: Genell NAYES: Goldspiel, Howard, Rosenston, Samuels, Silbernik ABSTAIN: None ABSENT: Krug, Rhodes, Charlette The motion failed 5 to 1. PROPOSED NURSING HOME, STEEPLEVIEW SITE AT WEILAND ROAD/ARMSTRONG DRIVE - REZONING TO R-9, SPECIAL USE AUTHORIZATION AND PRELIMINARY PLAN -- WORKSHOP #2 Mr. Marc Schwartz of Batler and Schwartz introduced the development team and stated that his team had concentrated on addressing the issues which had been raised by the Plan Commission at the last workshop meeting. Mr. Schwartz noted that the revised site plan shifts the proposed nursing home building five feet to the north, which was done in response to concerns from residents of the Steepleview Condominiums. Mr. Schwartz stated that the first issue to be addressed is traffic which played a large part in the discussions at the last workshop meeting. Mr. Miller of Metro Transportation stated that peak traffic hours for this facility would be different from those experienced on Weiland Road. For this facility the peak traffic hours would be 6: 30 to 7 : 30 a.m. for the first shift arrival and a larger peak around 3 : 00 p.m. for the second shift change. Mr. Miller stated that these traffic peaks do not correspond to the street traffic peaks on Weiland and Lake Cook Road. Mr. Miller stated that he used the Windsor Manor facility in Palos Hills which is very similar to the proposed facility to conduct a traffic study. The first shift from 7: 00 a.m. to 3 : 00 p.m. has about 60 employees. The second shift from 3 : 00 p.m. to 11: 00 p.m. has about 20 employees and the third shift from 11: 00 p.m. to 7: 00 a.m. has about 10 employees. It is the shift change that needs to be examined from a traffic standpoint and a parking standpoint. Assuming that all employees drive their own vehicles, there would be a maximum of 60 employee vehicles entering or exiting during those shift changes. A survey from the other facility shows that there is anywhere from 10 to 15 percent who are dropped off or share rides or work double shifts. However, using a worst case scenario and looking at where the people would be coming from, about 45 vehicles would be entering from northbound Weiland Road and 15 vehicles would enter from southbound Weiland Road. Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-March 4, 1992-Page 4 In terms of improvements to Weiland, Mr. Miller stated that the 15 right turn movements from Weiland Road into the site would not necessitate any improvements particularly as they would be entering around 7 : 00 a.m. during the morning shift change which is prior to the street traffic peak. He noted that the Lake County Division of Transportation uses a level of 20 turning movements to determine if a deceleration lane is needed. Mr. Miller said the northbound left turn from Weiland Road into the site presents a marginal potential need for a left turn lane. There is a 16 foot median on Weiland Road at Armstrong Drive adjacent to the site. The full 16 foot median ends about 200 feet south of Armstrong Drive and then begins tapering from that point. It is this critical area between the full width of median and the entrance to the drive which has the potential for a left turn lane. Mr. Miller stated that since the median is a rumble median, people could pull up on the median to make their left turn which is legal or as another option, a left turn lane could be physically cut in. Mr. Miller stated that southbound Weiland Road left turn movements to Armstrong Drive occurs now. Even if people are making a left turn at this point, the median on the other side of the road is still about seven or eight feet and it fully shadows any of the vehicles that would be turning in at this point. He stated that it would be desirable to have a left turn lane or to remove the left turns from through traffic. There are still two lanes northbound which tapers back to a single lane further north. Mr. Miller noted that volumes are very low at this point and therefore the vehicles could just pull on the median and turn left or a left turn could be cut into the existing median. Mr. Miller stated that they had contacted Lake County relative to this point but have not received a response from them. Chairman Silbernik stated that in a number of communities in the northwest suburbs people had been ticketed for making a left turn over a rumble median. He further noted that it would not be his preference for a turn over a rumble median in a residential neighborhood. Mr. Miller then addressed the issue of weekend and holiday visitors and the impact this would have on parking. He noted that an average of several different surveys shows that the peak amount of visitors that would occur was about 4 to 5. The peak that would occur on a Sunday was about 7 visitors at one time. He noted that once again the parking is affected mostly during the first shift arrival. Once again using the worst case scenario uses 80 employees parked at one time for a few minutes. As a result of Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-March 4, 1992-Page 5 surveys conducted at the Windsor Manor facility, 10 to 15 percent can be deducted since they share rides or are dropped off, bringing the total down to 68 to 72 . To this must be added approximately eight visitors who might arrive at the peak hour of 1:00 p.m. to 3 : 00 p.m. At this point there are approximately 76 to 78 spaces needed and there are 82 spaces provided in the plan. Mr. Miller stated that 82 spaces are more than adequate to accommodate the peak period around the shift change. However, there is a potential on the plan for 11 more spaces if it is deemed necessary. Mr. Miller stated that the internal traffic pattern is an extremely well laid out plan with good circulation and easy access to parking. Mr. Miller stated that they do not see much potential for cut through traffic on the Steeple Drive connection to the nursing homes facility. He stated that they had conducted some traffic counts which were very low and therefore, whether or not the connection is left is not a key issue. Chairman Silbernik asked Mr. Miller to address the delivery vehicle issue. Mr. Miller stated that the flow of traffic and delivery was pretty much out of the stream of other traffic flows. In addition, the number of deliveries would not be large and should not interfere with traffic. Mr. Schwartz stated that the trucks delivering to the site would not be semi-trucks. In addition, he noted that a count had been done of the number of deliveries which came out to about six deliveries per week. He further stated that the time of delivery could be controlled. Commissioner Rosenston asked if a two directional traffic flow on a 24 foot wide road was adequate. Mr. Pfeil stated that 24 feet is adequate. Commissioner Rosenston asked if the dimensions were adequate to allow for traffic use and maneuvering on Steeple Drive. Mr. Miller stated that road dimensions are sufficient on Steeple Drive. Commissioner Samuels asked if there would be sufficient storage Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-March 4, 1992-Page 6 space on Weiland Road to accommodate southbound vehicles turning into the proposed development as well as sufficient space for vehicles that may be waiting to leave the proposed development Mr. Miller stated that there is approximately an 80 foot storage area before any right or left turns. In addition most vehicles would be waiting to make a right turn out of the development onto Weiland Road and even that number would be very low. Commissioner Rosenston stated that he would prefer to have the experts look at the driveway entrance to determine if striping is necessary for this two-way driveway. Chairman Silbernik suggested that the feasibility of a one-way circulation drive be checked with the experts. Mr. Schwartz stated that if striping is called for, it will be done. Commissioner Goldspiel stated that he is concerned with the service drive. He noted that it is a long way for a truck to have to back up, while crossing the canopy area, some parking areas and into the main drive. He suggested that one possible solution would be to have the service drive off of the fire lane in back. The problem here, of course, would be that the fire lane is one lane wide. However, Commissioner Goldspiel stated that there needs to be a better way than having a truck back up such a long distance. Mr. Arenson stated that the trucks are not very large and would only make approximately six deliveries per week and he did not see any problem with a smaller truck backing up. He noted that the plan is designed so that all services are located at the point the trucks come to. Commissioner Goldspiel stated that it is still a 120-150 foot backup especially under the canopy. Mr. Schwartz stated that it is important to note that the traffic that will be coming in and out is mostly that connected with the shift change of employees and that this kind of traffic would not interfere with traffic movement during delivery times. Commissioner Goldspiel stated that the backup distance is still too great for his liking. Mr. Schwartz presented a tax impact study comparing the estimated annual tax return of the proposed development to the return on the development of new Steepleview condominium units. The results Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-March 4, 1992-Page 7 showed estimated tax returns for the nursing home development at $11, 300 per year and $14, 600 per year for condo units. However, in support of this project Mr. Schwartz noted that this project would have far less impact on the community that a 90 unit condominium development in terms of required services such as schools, parks and fire and police protection. Commissioner Goldspiel inquired if the State certification process is under way for the Certificate of Need for the nursing home facility. Mr. Schwartz stated that this process is presently under way but that one of the requirements for this certificate is zoning that provides for such a facility. Commissioner Goldspiel stated that at a public hearing for special use, the need for the facility is one of the criteria that must be documented by the petitioner. Mr. Schwartz stated that he would have expert testimony presented at the public hearing. Mr. Schwartz stated that the Woodstone access on the north end of the plan has been eliminated, and further stated strong support on this issue from the Woodstone Homeowners ' Association. Chairman Silbernik stated that the Fire Department does not want a gate across Armstrong Drive or Steeple Drive. Mr. Schwartz said the petitioner will comply with the Fire Department's recommendation. Mr. Schwartz noted that the dumpster is now screened with a top enclosure as requested previously by the Plan Commission. Mr. Schwartz stated that he had a telephone conversation with Michael Iskowitz, president of the Steepleview Homeowners ' Association, who stated that he liked this plan much better now with the new improvements although he still expressed some concern over the fact that the nursing home was only 50 feet from Steepleview. Mr. Schwartz then introduced Mr. Arenson to address the line of sight issue. Mr. Arenson stated that the Steepleview development has no windows on the side elevations and therefore the line of sight from the Steepleview homes does not look directly into the nursing home Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-March 4, 1992-Page 8 building. Mr. Arenson addressed the photometrics issue by stating that a foot candle plan design was performed by a lighting consultant. He stated that there would be 20 foot high lighting standards along the parking lot with 400 watt lights. There would be only one- tenth foot candle power along the north side of the development and two to three foot candle power along the south side of the development. Chairman Silbernik asked if the fixture would be a recessed rather than globe type of fixture which sometimes is more important than the wattage being used. He expressed a desire to have this issue addressed at the public hearing. Mr. Arenson also presented a `rendering of the south elevation of the proposed plan which faces the Steepleview development and noted that the south elevation has the same character and style as the north elevation. Mr. Keven Graham presented the landscape plan for the proposed development stating that the north and south side of the development would be heavily screened from the residents with berming, trees and under planting. The west side of the development will not be heavily screened to the fencing at that point. On the east side there would be an entry feature with ornamental planting around the signage. Moving further into the development would be a large crabapple island. Mr. Graham noted that there is no final detail as yet for the three courtyard areas although the goal for these areas is to provide a comfortable, livable area for both the nursing home residents and the adjacent residents. Commissioner Goldspiel suggested that additional berming on the island entry at the east side of the development could be incorporated in order to cover up the full view of the parking lot area. Commissioner Genell asked if there are any standards that needed to be met for the Certificate of Need, such as building and life- safety codes. Mr. Schwartz noted that the State imposes rigid standards, including life-safety codes, for the construction of a nursing home facility and the issuance of a Certificate of Need. Mr. Arenson stated that the State code for the building of a nursing home facility are very extensive and have been incorporated Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-March 4, 1992-Page 9 into the proposed plan. Commissioner Genell asked how the Village code compares with the Lake County code in performance zoning and buffering of mixed uses. Mr. Dyke stated that the Village of Buffalo Grove code is at least as strict concerning required setbacks and landscaped buffers. Commissioner Samuels stated that he would still like to see a right turn deceleration lane on Weiland Road. Commissioner Goldspiel supported Commissioner Samuels' position. Commissioner Genell asked if it would be possible to get any statement or comments from the Lake County Division of Transportation relative to the Weiland Road access. Mr. Miller noted that they have tried to get a response from the Lake County Division of Transportation and will continue to do so. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT - None FUTURE AGENDA SCHEDULE Mr. Pfeil noted that the next meeting would be held on March 18, 1992 to have a workshop for the proposed gatehouse at the Seigle's Home Improvement Center and to discuss revisions to the Comprehensive Plan. PUBLIC COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS- None STAFF REPORT - None NEW BUSINESS - None ADJOURNMENT Moved by Commissioner Samuels, seconded by Commissioner Rosenston and unanimously carried to adjourn. Chairman Silbernik adjourned the meeting at 10: 15 p.m. Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-March 4, 1992-Page 10 Respectfully submitted, .72--e" /4....c...-1" A-77 Fay Rubin Recording Secretary APPRO ' B : MARTIN SILBERNIK, Chairman Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-March 4, 1992-Page 11 1 REGULAR MEETING BUFFALO GROVE PLAN COMMISSION March 4, 1992 Windbrooke Apartment, Busch Parkway P.U.D. Amendment for Detached Garages Proposed Nursing Home, Steepleview site Weiland Road/Armstrong Drive - Rezoning to R-9 Special Use authorization and Preliminary Plan Chairman Silbernik called the meeting to order at 9: 15 a.m. in the Municipal Building, 50 Raupp Boulevard, Buffalo Grove, Illinois. Commissioners present: Chairman Silbernik Mr. Goldspiel Ms. Howard Mr. Rosenston Ms. Genell Mr. Samuels Commissioners absent: Mr. Krug Mr. Rhodes Mr. Charlette Also present: Ms. Sharon E. Blaney, Basil Associates Mr. Bruce Lavine, RREEF Ms. Kathy A. Webster, Windbrooke Apartments Mr. John Rockey, RREEF Mr. Bruce Lederman, Windsor Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center Mr. Harold Lederman, Windsor Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center Mrs. Lederman, Windsor Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center Ms. Sharon Trotter, Windsor Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center Mr. Marc Schwartz, Batler & Schwartz Mr. Michael Arenson, Shayman & Salk Co. Mr. David Miller, Metro Transportation Group, Inc. Mr. Tom Dyke, Thompson A. Dyke, AICP Mr. Keven Graham, Thompson A. Dyke, AICP Mr. Jeff Braiman, Village Trustee Mr. Richard Skelton, Village Attorney Mr. Robert Pfeil, Village Planner Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-March 4, 1992-Page 1 APPROVAL OF MINUTES Moved by Commissioner Genell, seconded by Commissioner Rosenston, to approve the minutes of the Public Hearing of February 5, 1992. Commissioner Rosenston noted a correction to the spelling of "Abbott" on pages three and five. All Commissioners were in favor of the motion to approve the minutes as corrected, and the motion passed unanimously with Chairman Silbernik abstaining. Moved by Commissioner Samuels, seconded by Commissioner Rosenston to approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting of February 5, 1992. All Commissioners were in favor of the motion and the motion passed unanimously with Chairman Silbernik abstaining. Moved by Commissioner Goldspiel, seconded by Commissioner Howard to approve the minutes of the Special Meeting of February 24, 1992. Commissioner Samuels noted a typographical error on page one. All Commissioners were in favor of the motion to approve the minutes as corrected, and the motion passed unanimously with Commissioner Rosenston abstaining. Moved by Commissioner Samuels, seconded by Commissioner Goldspiel to approve the minutes of the Special Meeting of February 26, 1992. All Commissioners were in favor of the motion and the motion passed unanimously with Commissioners Genell and Howard abstaining. COMMITTEE AND LIAISON REPORTS Mr. Pfeil reporting for Commissioner Rhodes stated that the Board had referred a daycare development on Route 83 adjacent to the LaSalle Bank to the Plan Commission. The Board noted several concerns about the proposed site plan including the location of the playground area along Route 83 and emergency access. WINDBROOKE APARTMENTS, BUSCH PARKWAY - P.U.D. AMENDMENT FOR DETACHED GARAGES Moved by Commissioner Samuels, seconded by Commissioner Genell to approve an amendment of the Planned Unit Development in an R-9 District and approval of a site plan to allow construction of seven detached garage structures providing 48 enclosed parking spaces subject to: 1. Maintaining a five foot setback from any existing utilities 2 . Presentation of a detailed landscaping plan for Village review Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-March 4, 1992-Page 2 3 . Construction of all garage units in a continuous manner rather than a phasing program Chairman Silbernik asked that the condition concerning the setback be changed to a minimum of five feet or as approved by the Village Engineer. Commissioners Samuels and Genell accepted the amendment to the motion. Commissioner Goldspiel spoke in opposition to the motion stating that there is already a tightness in parking in this development. He noted he is not willing to take Barclay Place as an example as it is not yet built and is not likely to be built. He stated that through this proposed plan, parking spaces would be lost, thus exacerbating the problem. Further, enforcement of the parking situation would be difficult and there is not sufficient circulation of parking spaces to reduce this problem. Commissioner Goldspiel noted that the Zoning Ordinance needs to be looked at and perhaps changed as people nowadays tend to have more cars than years ago. He noted his concern with the sight lines in terms of visibility and safety of people entering and existing parking areas. Whether this is a public or private drive does not lessen the responsibility for safety. The petitioner's testimony regarding the proposed setbacks for the garage structures is not acceptable. Commissioner Goldspiel further noted that pushing the garages further into the setback also takes away from the view provided for the residents. Commissioner Goldspiel stated that at this point he feels this proposal would be a detriment to this development. Commissioner Rosenston noted he concurs with several items noted by Commissioner Goldspiel. He stated that he thinks the code needs to be looked at as to whether 1.7 parking spaces per unit is adequate. He further stated that the line of sight and the closeness to the road and utilities makes this plan too tight. Commissioner Howard concurred with Commissioners Goldspiel and Rosenston and stated that there would be a parking problem with implementation of this proposed plan. She further stated that the proposed guest parking would not work. Ms. Blaney stated that the garages are located where existing parking spaces are presently located, so there would not be a visibility problem. Chairman Silbernik called for the vote on the motion and the vote was as follows: Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-March 4, 1992-Page 3 AYES: Genell NAYES: Goldspiel, Howard, Rosenston, Samuels, Silbernik ABSTAIN: None ABSENT: Krug, Rhodes, Charlette The motion failed 5 to 1. PROPOSED NURSING HOME, STEEPLEVIEW SITE AT WEILAND ROAD/ARMSTRONG DRIVE - REZONING TO R-9, SPECIAL USE AUTHORIZATION AND PRELIMINARY PLAN -- WORKSHOP #2 Mr. Marc Schwartz of Batler and Schwartz introduced the development team and stated that his team had concentrated on addressing the issues which had been raised by the Plan Commission at the last workshop meeting. Mr. Schwartz noted that the revised site plan shifts the proposed nursing home building five feet to the north, which was done in response to concerns from residents of the Steepleview Condominiums. Mr. Schwartz stated that the first issue to be addressed is traffic which played a large part in the discussions at the last workshop meeting. Mr. Miller of Metro Transportation stated that peak traffic hours for this facility would be different from those experienced on Weiland Road. For this facility the peak traffic hours would be 6:30 to 7:30 a.m. for the first shift arrival and a larger peak around 3 : 00 p.m. for the second shift change. Mr. Miller stated that these traffic peaks do not correspond to the street traffic peaks on Weiland and Lake Cook Road. Mr. Miller stated that he used the Windsor Manor facility in Palos Hills which is very similar to the proposed facility to conduct a traffic study. The first shift from 7: 00 a.m. to 3: 00 p.m. has about 60 employees. The second shift from 3 : 00 p.m. to 11: 00 p.m. has about 20 employees and the third shift from 11:00 p.m. to 7: 00 a.m. has about 10 employees. It is the shift change that needs to be examined from a traffic standpoint and a parking standpoint. Assuming that all employees drive their own vehicles, there would be a maximum of 60 employee vehicles entering or exiting during those shift changes. A survey from the other facility shows that there is anywhere from 10 to 15 percent who are dropped off or share rides or work double shifts. However, using a worst case scenario and looking at where the people would be coming from, about 45 vehicles would be entering from northbound Weiland Road and 15 vehicles would enter from southbound Weiland Road. Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-March 4, 1992-Page 4 In terms of improvements to Weiland, Mr. Miller stated that the 15 right turn movements from Weiland Road into the site would not necessitate any improvements particularly as they would be entering around 7: 00 a.m. during the morning shift change which is prior to the street traffic peak. He noted that the Lake County Division of Transportation uses a level of 20 turning movements to determine if a deceleration lane is needed. Mr. Miller said the northbound left turn from Weiland Road into the site presents a marginal potential need for a left turn lane. There is a 16 foot median on Weiland Road at Armstrong Drive adjacent to the site. The full 16 foot median ends about 200 feet south of Armstrong Drive and then begins tapering from that point. It is this critical area between the full width of median and the entrance to the drive which has the potential for a left turn lane. Mr. Miller stated that since the median is a rumble median, people could pull up on the median to make their left turn which is legal or as another option, a left turn lane could be physically cut in. Mr. Miller stated that southbound Weiland Road left turn movements to Armstrong Drive occurs now. Even if people are making a left turn at this point, the median on the other side of the road is still about seven or eight feet and it fully shadows any of the vehicles that would be turning in at this point. He stated that it would be desirable to have a left turn lane or to remove the left turns from through traffic. There are still two lanes northbound which tapers back to a single lane further north. Mr. Miller noted that volumes are very low at this point and therefore the vehicles could just pull on the median and turn left or a left turn could be cut into the existing median. Mr. Miller stated that they had contacted Lake County relative to this point but have not received a response from them. Chairman Silbernik stated that in a number of communities in the northwest suburbs people had been ticketed for making a left turn over a rumble median. He further noted that it would not be his preference for a turn over a rumble median in a residential neighborhood. Mr. Miller then addressed the issue of weekend and holiday visitors and the impact this would have on parking. He noted that an average of several different surveys shows that the peak amount of visitors that would occur was about 4 to 5. The peak that would occur on a Sunday was about 7 visitors at one time. He noted that once again the parking is affected mostly during the first shift arrival. Once again using the worst case scenario uses 80 employees parked at one time for a few minutes. As a result of Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-March 4, 1992-Page 5 surveys conducted at the Windsor Manor facility, 10 to 15 percent can be deducted since they share rides or are dropped off, bringing the total down to 68 to 72. To this must be added approximately eight visitors who might arrive at the peak hour of 1: 00 p.m. to 3 : 00 p.m. At this point there are approximately 76 to 78 spaces needed and there are 82 spaces provided in the plan. Mr. Miller stated that 82 spaces are more than adequate to accommodate the peak period around the shift change. However, there is a potential on the plan for 11 more spaces if it is deemed necessary. Mr. Miller stated that the internal traffic pattern is an extremely well laid out plan with good circulation and easy access to parking. Mr. Miller stated that they do not see much potential for cut through traffic on the Steeple Drive connection to the nursing homes facility. He stated that they had conducted some traffic counts which were very low and therefore, whether or not the connection is left is not a key issue. Chairman Silbernik asked Mr. Miller to address the delivery vehicle issue. Mr. Miller stated that the flow of traffic and delivery was pretty much out of the stream of other traffic flows. In addition, the number of deliveries would not be large and should not interfere with traffic. Mr. Schwartz stated that the trucks delivering to the site would not be semi-trucks. In addition, he noted that a count had been done of the number of deliveries which came out to about six deliveries per week. He further stated that the time of delivery could be controlled. Commissioner Rosenston asked if a two directional traffic flow on a 24 foot wide road was adequate. Mr. Pfeil stated that 24 feet is adequate. Commissioner Rosenston asked if the dimensions were adequate to allow for traffic use and maneuvering on Steeple Drive. Mr. Miller stated that road dimensions are sufficient on Steeple Drive. Commissioner Samuels asked if there would be sufficient storage Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-March q 4, 1992-Page 6 space on Weiland Road to accommodate southbound vehicles turning into the proposed development as well as sufficient space for vehicles that may be waiting to leave the proposed development Mr. Miller stated that there is approximately an 80 foot storage area before any right or left turns. In addition most vehicles would be waiting to make a right turn out of the development onto Weiland Road and even that number would be very low. Commissioner Rosenston stated that he would prefer to have the experts look at the driveway entrance to determine if striping is necessary for this two-way driveway. Chairman Silbernik suggested that the feasibility of a one-way circulation drive be checked with the experts. Mr. Schwartz stated that if striping is called for, it will be done. Commissioner Goldspiel stated that he is concerned with the service drive. He noted that it is a long way for a truck to have to back up, while crossing the canopy area, some parking areas and into the main drive. He suggested that one possible solution would be to have the service drive off of the fire lane in back. The problem here, of course, would be that the fire lane is one lane wide. However, Commissioner Goldspiel stated that there needs to be a better way than having a truck back up such a long distance. Mr. Arenson stated that the trucks are not very large and would only make approximately six deliveries per week and he did not see any problem with a smaller truck backing up. He noted that the plan is designed so that all services are located at the point the trucks come to. Commissioner Goldspiel stated that it is still a 120-150 foot backup especially under the canopy. Mr. Schwartz stated that it is important to note that the traffic that will be coming in and out is mostly that connected with the shift change of employees and that this kind of traffic would not interfere with traffic movement during delivery times. �./ Commissioner Goldspiel stated that the backup distance is still too great for his liking. Mr. Schwartz presented a tax impact study comparing the estimated annual tax return of the proposed development to the return on the development of new Steepleview condominium units. The results Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-March 4, 1992-Page 7 - I showed estimated tax returns for the nursing home development at $11, 300 per year and $14,600 per year for condo units. However, in support of this project Mr. Schwartz noted that this project would have far less impact on the community that a 90 unit condominium development in terms of required services such as schools, parks and fire and police protection. Commissioner Goldspiel inquired if the State certification process is under way for the Certificate of Need for the nursing home facility. Mr. Schwartz stated that this process is presently under way but that one of the requirements for this certificate is zoning that provides for such a facility. Commissioner Goldspiel stated that at a public hearing for special use, the need for the facility is one of the criteria that must be documented by the petitioner. Mr. Schwartz stated that he would have expert testimony presented at the public hearing. Mr. Schwartz stated that the Woodstone access on the north end of the plan has been eliminated, and further stated strong support on this issue from the Woodstone Homeowners' Association. Chairman Silbernik stated that the Fire Department does not want a gate across Armstrong Drive or Steeple Drive. Mr. Schwartz said the petitioner will comply with the Fire Department's recommendation. Mr. Schwartz noted that the dumpster is now screened with a top enclosure as requested previously by the Plan Commission. Mr. Schwartz stated that he had a telephone conversation with Michael Iskowitz, president of the Steepleview Homeowners' Association, who stated that he liked this plan much better now with the new improvements although he still expressed some concern over the fact that the nursing home was only 50 feet from Steepleview. Mr. Schwartz then introduced Mr. Arenson to address the line of sight issue. Mr. Arenson stated that the Steepleview development has no windows on the side elevations and therefore the line of sight from the Steepleview homes does not look directly into the nursing home Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-March 4, 1992-Page 8 building. Mr. Arenson addressed the photometrics issue by stating that a foot candle plan design was performed by a lighting consultant. He stated that there would be 20 foot high lighting standards along the parking lot with 400 watt lights. There would be only one- tenth foot candle power along the north side of the development and two to three foot candle power along the south side of the development. Chairman Silbernik asked if the fixture would be a recessed rather than globe type of fixture which sometimes is more important than the wattage being used. He expressed a desire to have this issue addressed at the public hearing. Mr. Arenson also presented a rendering of the south elevation of the proposed plan which faces the Steepleview development and noted that the south elevation has the same character and style as the north elevation. Mr. Keven Graham presented the landscape plan for the proposed development stating that the north and south side of the development would be heavily screened from the residents with berming, trees and under planting. The west side of the development will not be heavily screened to the fencing at that point. On the east side there would be an entry feature with ornamental planting around the signage. Moving further into the development would be a large crabapple island. Mr. Graham noted that there is no final detail as yet for the three courtyard areas although the goal for these areas is to provide a comfortable, livable area for both the nursing home residents and the adjacent residents. Commissioner Goldspiel suggested that additional berming on the island entry at the east side of the development could be incorporated in order to cover up the full view of the parking lot area. Commissioner Genell asked if there are any standards that needed to be met for the Certificate of Need, such as building and life- safety codes. �./ Mr. Schwartz noted that the State imposes rigid standards, including life-safety codes, for the construction of a nursing home facility and the issuance of a Certificate of Need. Mr. Arenson stated that the State code for the building of a nursing home facility are very extensive and have been incorporated Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-March 4, 1992-Page 9 into the proposed plan. Commissioner Genell asked how the Village code compares with the Lake County code in performance zoning and buffering of mixed uses. Mr. Dyke stated that the Village of Buffalo Grove code is at least as strict concerning required setbacks and landscaped buffers. Commissioner Samuels stated that he would still like to see a right turn deceleration lane on Weiland Road. Commissioner Goldspiel supported Commissioner Samuels' position. Commissioner Genell asked if it would be possible to get any statement or comments from the Lake County Division of Transportation relative to the Weiland Road access. Mr. Miller noted that they have tried to get a response from the Lake County Division of Transportation and will continue to do so. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT - None FUTURE AGENDA SCHEDULE Mr. Pfeil noted that the next meeting would be held on March 18, 1992 to have a workshop for the proposed gatehouse at the Seigle's Home Improvement Center and to discuss revisions to the Comprehensive Plan. PUBLIC COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS- None STAFF REPORT - None NEW BUSINESS - None ADJOURNMENT Moved by Commissioner Samuels, seconded by Commissioner Rosenston and unanimously carried to adjourn. Chairman Silbernik adjourned the meeting at 10: 15 p.m. Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-March 4, 1992-Page 10 Respectf ly submitt , Fay Rubin, R cording Secretary APPROVED MARTIN SILBERNIK, Chairman L Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-March 4, 1992-Page 11