Loading...
1992-08-05 - Plan Commission - Minutes REGULAR MEETING BUFFALO GROVE PLAN COMMISSION August 5, 1992 Jewish Council for Youth Services, Route 83 West of the LaSalle Bank Property Rezoning to the Office and Research District Approval of a Special Use and Preliminary Plan For a Child Care Center -- Workshop #3 Clayton Municipal Campus, Raupp Boulevard Proposed Plan Concerning Village Hall Addition and Campus Parking -- Workshop #1 Commissioners present: Chairman Silbernik Mr. Krug Ms. Howard Mr. Rosenston Mr. Samuels Mr. Berman Commissioners absent: Mr. Goldspiel Mr. Rhodes Ms. Genell Also present: Mr. Gregg Steinberg, Jewish Council for Youth Services Mr. Jeffrey R. Brown, Jeffrey R. Brown Associates Mr. Joseph R. Krusinski, Podcor Construction Company Mr. John Green, Systems Design Group, Ltd. Mr. William Raysa, Village Attorney Mr. Lee Szymborski, Assistant Village Manager Mr. Charles Hendricks, Village Trustee Mr. Robert E. Pfeil, Village Planner Chairman Silbernik called the meeting to order at 7: 30 p.m. in the Municipal Building, 50 Raupp Boulevard, Buffalo Grove, Illinois. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Moved by Commissioner Rosenston, seconded by Commissioner Howard to approve the minutes of the public hearing of July 15, 1992. All Commissioners were in favor of the motion, and the motion passed unanimously with Commissioners Krug and Berman abstaining. Moved by Commissioner Rosenston, seconded by Commissioner Howard to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of July 15, 1992 . Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-August 5, 1992-Page 1 5. Manchester Greens re-plan for developing single-family detached "villa" units instead of building out the approved condominiums and townhomes was referred to the Plan Commission. JEWISH COUNCIL FOR YOUTH SERVICES. ROUTE 83 WEST OF THE LASALLE BANK PROPERTY - REZONING TO THE OFFICE RESEARCH DISTRICT AND APPROVAL OF A SPECIAL USE AND PRELIMINARY PLAN FOR CHILD CARE CENTER -- WORKSHOP #3 Mr. Jeffrey Brown noted that several issues needed to be dealt with as noted in the last workshop. However, the most important of these is the issue of traffic flow in and out of the property and the ability of the Fire Department to maneuver their vehicles on the property and be able to access the site from two directions. Mr. Steinberg stated that they have been pursuing an easement agreement to go through the northwest corner of the LaSalle Bank property as well as an easement agreement with the adjacent church in Long Grove for use of their parking lot for access to Arlington Heights Road. He said both property owners have indicated that they are willing to provide easements. Mr. Brown noted that the site will have only one driveway onto Route 83 for ingress and egress. He noted that this access would be a right in/right out only and therefore the easements through the bank and church driveway and parking lot system would provide a very necessary access onto Arlington Heights Road as well as providing the Fire Department with free movement for turnarounds. Mr. Brown stated that another of the concerns regarding this site has been the safety issue for the children and the proximity to Route 83 . He reiterated that the proposed detention area is being used as a buffer zone between the street and the playground area so that there will be the detention depression with a berm and fence on top, all of which creates a multilevel barrier for the children's playground area. Commissioner Krug stated that this revised plan is a big improvement to the site design. He asked if the access through the church's parking lot will be paved. Mr. Steinberg stated that the church has no plans to pave the road at this time. The portion of the interconnecting road through the LaSalle property would be paved by the JCYS. Commissioner Krug noted concern with the church property being unpaved, especially in the winter months. Mr. Steinberg stated that the road would be plowed daily. Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-August 5, 1992-Page 3 Commissioner Howard asked if Sunday church services would be a problem for the child care facility. Mr. Steinberg noted that the JCYS facility would not be open on Sundays, so there will not be traffic conflicts between church and daycare users. Commissioner Howard asked if the Route 83 median would be planted. Mr. Brown said that the median is to be planted. Commissioner Howard asked if trees on the site would be saved. Mr. Brown stated that there are only a few trees on the site, but those that are in good condition would be saved as they would create a nice screen for the site. Commissioner Howard asked if the site would be entirely fenced. Mr. Brown stated that there would be a six foot high fence around the property line but the height of the fence around the building had not yet been determined. Commissioner Howard stated she would like to see appropriate screening between the property lines. Commissioner Howard asked how the refuse area would be contained. Mr. Brown stated that the refuse area would be fully enclosed and screened and the area presents no problem for garbage truck pickup. Commissioner Howard stated she was pleased with the easement agreement providing better access for the site. Commissioner Rosenston noted his concern with the condition of the church parking lot although he was generally pleased with the new traffic flow. Commissioner Samuels asked what kind of signage would be requested. Mr. Steinberg stated that they would work out an agreement with the church to allow some signage along Arlington Heights Road as well as some sort of sign at the Route 83 access. Mr. Brown stated that the clientele would quickly learn the best route to take in and out of the facility. Commissioner Samuels inquired about the possibility of dedicating a public street to parallel the access under discussion. Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-August 5, 1992-Page 4 Mr. Pfeil stated that he had not formally initiated any conversation with Long Grove as yet. He further stated that it is doubtful that cooperation could be achieved in the timeframe for this development. Commissioner Samuels stated that he would still like to see the Village pursue a public street dedication and access road along the church and bank property. Commissioner Samuels asked if the parking lot would include lighting. Mr. Brown stated that there would be lighting. Commissioner Samuels asked if any variations were being requested regarding the setbacks between the detention area and the building. Mr. Brown stated that they would be conferring with the project engineer concerning the required standards. He noted that the building could be rotated and shifted to accommodate the setbacks. The thirty foot parking setback requirement on the north side of the property has now been specified as a twelve foot landscaped setback which is consistent with the Village's commercial zoning districts. Commissioner Berman inquired if the proposed 29 parking spaces would be sufficient. Mr. Brown stated that 29 parking spaces would be quite sufficient. Mr. Steinberg stated that this facility would be one-half the size of their Highland Park facility where they now have 30 parking spaces which is sufficient. Mr. Brown further stated that parking is not the most crucial issue for a day care center. A much more important factor is a drop off area with good traffic circulation. Chairman Silbernik noted his concern with the unpaved church road and further stated that he would like to see a list of church activities and the impact they would have on access to the proposed site plan. Chairman Silbernik asked about sidewalks along Route 83 . Mr. Pfeil stated that the JCYS is obligated to build a sidewalk along their frontage. The big question is what to do with the bank property. He noted that the Village may want to put in a sidewalk at some time along the bank property, but it may be possible to delay this until a development is proposed for the vacant office parcel. Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-August 5, 1992-Page 5 Chairman Silbernik stated he would like to see the plan include plans for a sidewalk which extends along the full length of the property. Mr. Brown stated that previous workshop meetings had discussed extending the sidewalk from the JCYS parking lot to the bank property and eventually hooking up the sidewalk when a development is approved on the vacant office parcel. Chairman Silbernik asked if Mr. Carmignani had seen the revised plan. Mr. Pfeil stated that Mr. Carmignani had not seen this exact plan although he had had a meeting with the developer to discuss various access possibilities. Chairman Silbernik stated he would like Mr. Carmignani to see this plan and comment on same, particularly the church road. Commissioner Rosenston stated that there must be a commitment to build a sidewalk in the future when development begins. Mr. Pfeil stated that the developer is obligated to build a sidewalk along their entire frontage; the segments that aren't built initially could be bonded for future construction. Phyllis Korogodsky of LaSalle Bank Northbrook stated her concern regarding the safety of the children and the customers of the bank who use the drive-up facility. She noted that many accidents occur on Route 83 due to heavy traffic as well as the number of people using the bank's present private drive-thru road to cut through to Arlington Heights Road. Chairman Silbernik noted that once Route 83 is improved there would be an unmountable planted median which would make it impossible for anyone to make a left turn onto the LaSalle Bank property. The impact of cut through traffic from southbound Arlington Heights Road through the church and bank easement onto Route 83 is a legitimate concern and should be addressed in the traffic impact study. Mr. Raysa stated that approval should be subject to review of the proposed easements through the church and bank properties to ensure that the easements are perpetual and that maintenance will be assured. Chairman Silbernik stated the following issues needed to be addressed at the public hearing: 1. Directional signage - including any signs on the church property in Long Grove. Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-August 5, 1992-Page 6 2 . The possibility of paving for portion of the church's property that will be used for access to the JCYS site. 3 . Church activities and their impact on traffic entering the JCYS site. 4. Proposed lighting on the site. 5. Clarification of how the sidewalk will be constructed and phased on the JCYS site in relation to Route 83 improvements and future construction on the LaSalle office parcel. 6. Verification that the easements will be provided by the church and LaSalle bank and that maintenance will be provided. 7. Verification concerning any variations that will be requested for the JCYS plan. CLAYTON MUNICIPAL CAMPUS, RAUPP BOULEVARD - PROPOSED PLAN CONCERNING VILLAGE HALL ADDITION AND CAMPUS PARKING WORKSHOP #1 Mr. Lee Szymborski, Assistant Village Manager, stated that he is the coordinator for the Village concerning addressing the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) . He stated that the ADA law requires the Village to assess and inventory all of its buildings to provide accessibility to all people. He stated that the Village has reviewed all 15 municipal buildings. This information indicates that the area needing the most attention is the Village Board room in Village Hall. Mr. Szymborski stated that the required transition plan was approved several weeks ago, and it has been reviewed by the Village's Commission for Residents with Disabilities. This plan provides for accessibility and expansion of the Village Hall facility and other municipal buildings for the next twenty years in terms of staff expansion and additional public services that will need to be provided. Mr. Szymborski stated that it is the staff recommendation to view the Village Hall expansion as an amendment to the Special Use and Preliminary Plan. He explained that the plan proposes an addition to the northeast corner of Village Hall to provide a new Village Board room. An elevator is also proposed at the northwest entrance to the building, and this will provide access to all levels of Village Hall. The east wall of Village Hall will be moved out slightly to provide more office space. Mr. Szymborski said he would appreciate it if the Commission could cover as many planning issues as possible at this first workshop so that the project could be scheduled for a public hearing in early September. Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-August 5, g g- gust 1992-Page 7 Mr. Green stated that the present building housing the council chambers needs additional modification to make it accessible under ADA requirements. Since the Village also wants to provide for increased staffing needs within the next three to five years the plan incorporates these needs along with the ADA improvements. Mr. Green stated that nine different possibilities were proposed for upgrading the Village Hall building. Of these nine proposals four options were deemed as having design elements that should be further explored. He said that the current plan incorporates the 1 elements of two design options. The main features of these two designs are the new space for the Village Board room and the elevator serving all levels of the building. Mr. Green stated that the projections for the next twenty years indicate that the Village Manager's office will need to increase its staff from seven to nine. It is also projected that the finance office needs to increase its staff from nine to eleven. Mr. Green noted that the Village has grown considerably which has created and will create further need for increased space in the council chambers. Therefore the present chamber area will be converted to an office area. The chamber itself will be relocated to the northeast corner of the building with a ground level entry. It will be approximately 50 ' X 50' and seat 125 people. The present council chamber will then become the Village Manager's offices. The finance department will be moved to the south end of the building into what is now the Village Manager's office with an expansion of approximately 600-700 square feet. No improvements or changes would be made to the lower level. An elevator would be installed for the building at the northwest inside part of the building where presently the women's washroom is located. This elevator will be capable of servicing all three levels of the building. The main entry to the building will be maintained on the east side of the building where it is presently located. Mr. Green noted that by locating the council chamber as proposed it will be possible to isolate the Village Manager's office, the finance department and the lower level during times of meetings. In addition, the finance department office which needs to be available on Saturdays will be isolated from the rest of the building. On the lower level Mr. Green noted that the only modification would be to have the elevator installed and there would be excavation below the council chamber for a basement area for additional storage. Mr. Green stated that when this plan is implemented, approximately 1,700 square feet of new assembly type space would be added, as well as 1,700 square feet of storage space, and 600 square feet of Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-August 5, 1992-Page 8 new office space. The building would then have a total office area of 2,700 square feet. Mr. Green also noted that Raupp Boulevard is an easement not a right-of-way. He said that although the addition will make the building 50 feet closer to Raupp Boulevard, an adequate setback will be maintained. Mr. Green then discussed the parking requirements of the municipal campus. He noted that the new additions would require 11 additional parking spaces for the additional office space and 10 additional parking spaces for the new assembly space. Mr. Green stated that 21 additional parking are required under the strict interpretation of the Zoning Ordinance. He stated that 10 additional parking spaces can be added along the existing access driveway on the south side of the building. An additional 11 parking spaces can be developed on either side of the driveway on the west side of the public works building. Mr. Green discussed the parking requirements based on the joint parking provisions of the Zoning Ordinance. He noted that the municipal building is part of a campus, and the nature of a campus connotes shared parking facilities. He stated that the issue to be addressed is the number of spaces that are needed to provide adequate parking facilities for the campus. Mr. Green discussed his suggestions for the proper number of parking spaces based on daytime and nighttime usage. He noted that the Zoning Ordinance requires a total of 423 parking spaces for all of the separate uses on the campus. There are 376 existing spaces and with the addition of the proposed 21 parking spaces the total would come to 397 spaces. He noted that this does not include parking that can be provided on Raupp Boulevard, which is an easement, not a public street. Mr. Green suggested that his study showed a maximum of 352 parking spaces needed for the daytime hours and therefore his proposed number of parking spaces at 397 would be more than adequate for daytime usage and certainly would be sufficient for nighttime usage. Mr. Green did indicate that these parking spaces are not necessarily the most convenient spaces but they are available spaces. Commissioner Krug inquired how close to Raupp Boulevard the expansion on the east side of the municipal building would be. Mr. Green stated that the expansion would be approximately 60 feet from the road. Commissioner Krug asked if any parking spaces would be taken away from the north side of the building when the new Village Board room is built. Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-August 5, 1992-Page 9 Mr. Green stated that no parking spaces on the north side of the building would be eliminated. Commissioner Krug inquired if any additional handicapped parking spaces would be required. Mr. Green stated that no additional handicapped spaces would be required as there are already sufficient numbers of handicapped parking spaces. Commissioner Rosenston stated that he felt the proposed plan is an excellent approach and inquired if there is an arch or bridge entrance proposed for the expanded building. Mr. Green stated that there is an arch for the proposed building expansion which has been created to add architectural detail to highlight the courtyard effect at the main building entrance. Commissioner Samuels stated that the present municipal building has served its usefulness and he would actually prefer replacement of the entire building rather than a patchwork plan just to comply with ADA requirements and other space needs. He said that he realizes that funding is not available to construct a completely new Village Hall, so the proposed plan needs to be considered. Chairman Silbernik commented on the fact that the east side of the building had several stairs leading up to the front door and questioned whether that part of the building is actually at grade level. Mr. Green stated that there is a ramp at that point that meets ADA standards. Commissioner Krug noted that the parking plan calls for a trade off in parking spaces between the Police Department, the public works building and all the other buildings owned by the Village. Mr. Green stated that this is indeed the intent of the parking plan based on the fact that the municipal building exists on a campus which uses a shared parking concept. Commissioner Krug inquired if there are actually enough parking spaces for the proposed plan. Mr. Green stated that in his opinion there is sufficient parking spaces, although this did not mean that all parking spaces were totally convenient. He noted that if there is a meeting that brings a great many people to Village Hall, some people would have to park at the Police Department lot. He further noted that the ordinance says that parking should be within 1, 000 feet from the entrance of the building and all of the parking on the campus is well within this distance. Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-August 5, 1992-Page 10 Commissioner Krug inquired if a drop off area is needed at the east entrance to Village Hall to accommodate people when a meeting is particularly crowded. Mr. Green stated that one of the advantages of having an elevator is that there is a designated drop off space at the lower level in the back of the building which will move people directly to the council chambers. Commissioner Krug asked if it would be feasible or possible to have a drop of space at the front of the building. Mr. Green stated that it is possible to provide a drop off at the east entrance but it isn't needed since the northwest entrance has a drop off area. Commissioner Howard asked if it would be possible to have signs indicating the location of the elevator, directions to the council chambers and the parking areas that are available for use by the public. She commented that the if more signage were available on the present campus people could find parking areas and building entrances more easily. Mr. Green stated that there is an entire section of the new ADA law dealing with signage requirements, and other directional signage for the campus could be developed. Commissioner Rosenston stated that he does not see any advantage to having the entrance to the building on the east side. He stated he does not really have any problem with the parking. He noted that there is plenty of parking available and he would like to maintain as much green space as possible. He further questioned the need for the proposed additional 21 parking spaces. Commissioner Samuels asked if the parking count also contained a distribution count and where the spaces are located. Mr. Green pointed out the number and location of empty stalls from a recent field survey. Commissioner Krug asked if the available parking spaces on Raupp Boulevard were included in Mr. Green's parking count. Mr. Green stated that he had not counted any Raupp Boulevard spaces and that could add as many as 15 or 16 spaces. Commissioner Samuels stated that the Village is very tough on parking when dealing with private developers and the Plan Commission should not be any less tough on the Village's plan. He further noted that people who come to meetings will be discouraged by the lack of convenient parking. He said the Village Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-August 5, 1992-Page 11 should make every effort to provide convenient parking for citizens who want to participate in meetings. He said that he would like to see the parking upgraded and increased near Village Hall. Commissioner Howard noted that many people do not realize where they can actually park and that better signage would be useful. Commissioner Berman echoed the sentiment that it is not realistic to ask people to park at the Police Station if they want to attend a meeting at Village Hall, and he urged that the proposed 21 parking spaces be added. Commissioner Berman asked if it is realistic to have only 60 parking spaces allocated for the council chambers during full board meetings. Mr. Green stated that there may be a few occasions when some parking inconvenience may result for some people. Generally, however, there would be sufficient and convenient parking for meetings. Mr. Pfeil stated that it is evident that even during maximum situations there is still enough spaces available at public works. What is perhaps needed is a better sign package and a brochure or map of the Village campus for better information regarding parking availability. Chairman Silbernik stated his concern that the campus atmosphere is not recognized by the public. He stated that he would like to see where primary parking can be freed up for peak meeting times, how many Village vehicles are parked and exactly where they parked as well as where these vehicles can be moved to in order to free up parking for large meetings. Chairman Silbernik noted that handicapped parking adjacent to the elevator needs to be looked at in addition to the drop off point. Better information and signage is a must. Mr. Green asked if based on the number of spaces that are actually filled and the fact that 21 more can be added if the Commission felt that even more parking needs to be built or if the Commission believed that an internal restructuring of parking would be sufficient. Chairman Silbernik stated that a combination of both would be needed. Commissioner Krug noted his agreement with Chairman Silbernik. Commissioner Samuels stated he would like to see more parking spaces as well as striping on Raupp Boulevard. He noted that if the ordinance code calls for 423 parking spaces and we are 26 Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-August 5, 1992-Page 12 spaces short, we are simply playing with the numbers unless more parking is added. Since we are dealing with the public this is a matter that should not be glossed over and the public has a right to reasonably convenient parking when attending public meetings. Mr. Szymborski stated that joint parking is an aspect of the ordinance and that the Village is not asking for any extraordinary consideration. He stated that the Village is only asking for what is provided within the ordinance, although it is very important to provide as much convenient parking as possible. Commissioner Rosenston stated that he believes that the concept of a campus is that of shared facilities and that the parking certainly meets the ordinance requirements. He noted, however, that better signage is needed as well as the removal of Village vehicles from the southwest parking area on meeting nights. Mr. Raysa stated that it might be a good idea to have the staff park at public works lot on busy meeting nights. Chairman Silbernik stated that he would like to maximize the availability of existing parking and sacrifice as little green space as possible. The Commission concurred that the plan would be ready for public hearing if the issues regarding public and staff parking are addressed. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT Chairman Silbernik noted the appointment of Jeffrey Berman as the new Plan Commissioner and welcomed Mr. Berman to the Commission. FUTURE AGENDA SCHEDULE Mr. Pfeil stated that the next meeting is scheduled for August 19, 1992 regarding the Manchester Greens project. PUBLIC COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS - None STAFF REPORT Mr. Pfeil noted that he had written a memo dated July 24, 1992 to the Village Manager and Village Attorney summarizing some of the concerns the staff has regarding the automatic revocation of special uses that is included in the Plan Commission's recommendation of July 15, 1992. Commissioner Samuels said he does not see a problem with the proposed amendment, and either a developer or the Village can extend the life of an approved special use before the two year initial approval expires. He said this type of extension could be Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-August 5, 1992-Page 13 done relatively easily, and it should not create a burden for the Village Board or the staff. He acknowledged that the proposed Zoning Ordinance amendment may need some additional language to address developments that were approved to built in phases to ensure that the approval does not lapse unnecessarily. Mr. Raysa said that one of the staff's concerns with automatic revocation is that some projects that the Village strongly favors I may become void if action to extend the approval is not taken in a timely manner. Mr. Pfeil also questioned whether or not the Zoning Ordinance amendment would affect the approval of plans approved as part of an annexation agreement, which usually has a twenty year term. Commissioner Rosenston said the Corporate Authorities as well as a developer could act to extend the approval of a plan, so he thinks the automatic revocation language as recommended by the Plan Commission is acceptable. Commissioner Berman noted that a developer could effectively extend the approval of a project by obtaining a new building permit; this would override the one year discontinuance provision of the ordinance. He also noted that if the composition of the Village Board changes, not all projects would neccessarily have their approvals extended since new Board members may not view a project in the same light as the Board that originally approved the development. The Commission concurred that the text of the Zoning Ordinance amendment as recommended after the public hearing on July 15, 1992 would be retained as the Commission's recommendation to the Village Board, except for the editorial revisions noted in Mr. Pfeil's memo dated July 24, 1992 and the new language that the Village Attorney develops concerning the extension of phased projects. NEW BUSINESS - None ADJOURNMENT Moved by Commissioner Rosenston, seconded by Commissioner Howard and unanimously carried to adjourn. Chairman Silbernik adjourned the meeting at 10: 00 p.m. Respectfully s bmitted, FAY RUBIN, ecretary Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-August 5, 1992-Page 14 APPROV BY• MART SILBERNIK, Chairman 1 Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Regular Meeting-August 5, 1992-Page 15