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1992-01-27 - Plan Commission - Minutes SPECIAL MEETING BUFFALO GROVE PLAN COMMISSION January 27, 1992 Li Discussion of Update of the Village Comprehensive Plan Chairman Silbernik called the meeting to order at 8:50 p.m. in the Municipal Building, 50 Raupp Boulevard, Buffalo Grove, Illinois. Commissioners present: Chairman Silbernik Mr. Goldspiel Mr. Krug Ms. Howard Ms. Genell Mr. Samuels Commissioner absent: Mr. Rhodes Mr. Rosenston Mr. Charlette Village Board members present: President Mathias Mr. Marienthal Mr. Reid Mr. Kahn Mr. Braiman Mr. Hendricks Village Board members absent: Mr. Rubin Buffalo Grove Park District members present: President Reiner Martha Weiss Karen Larson Donald Hedlund Also present: William R. Balling, Village Manager Lee Szymborski, Assistant Village Manager Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Special Meeting-January 27, 1992-Page 1 William Raysa, Village Attorney Michael Rylko, Director, Buffalo Grove Park District Robert Pfeil, Village Planner Chairman Silbernik noted that the Plan Commission has had a number of workshops concerning the Comprehensive Plan, and a draft document and map are now ready for review. He said the Commission wanted to review the draft Plan with the Village Board and the Park District before formal public hearings are held in February. Mr. Pfeil reviewed the main elements of the Plan and discussed the key recommendations depicted on the Future Land Use map. Trustee Marienthal noted that Map 4 should be revised to include St. Mary's School. Commissioner Goldspiel commented that Longfellow School is not listed in the text concerning schools within District 21. Trustee Kahn inquired why the Plan indicates office and residential land use for the Schwind property at the northeast corner of Lake Cook Road and Weiland Road. Mr. Balling indicated that the designations of the 1986 Comprehensive Plan are being maintained as the Village continues its discussions with Wheeling concerning development of this area. Commissioner Samuels indicated that the southeast corner of Buffalo Grove Road and Aptakisic Road should be designated for commercial or office use. Mr. Reiner noted that the goals and policies of the Plan do not address the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Chairman Silbernik said that the ADA Act is now the law, and it does not need to be explicitly included in the Comprehensive Plan. President Mathias noted that Community Facilities and Service Policy #1 on page 1-7 makes reference to having facilities be accessible to all citizens. Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Special Meeting-January 27, 1992-Page 2 Mr. Szymborski commented that Goal #6 on page 1-1 states that persons with disabilities are included in the language that states that the community's values will not be prejudiced concerning the characteristics of individuals. Trustee Braiman suggested that the land use recommendations for the area east of Milwaukee Avenue at Aptakisic Road be addressed with Planned Unit Development controls instead of color land use patterns on the map. Commissioner Goldspiel said the Plan should show at least a conceptual land use plan on the Future Land Use map. He said the Plan Commission has discussed concepts of residential use toward the Des Plaines River area, with lower density adjacent to Lincolnshire. He noted that commercial and office areas are appropriate for the Milwaukee Avenue frontage, and an open space corridor should be designated along the river. Chairman Silbernik said he agrees that the Plan needs to show at least a conceptual land use plan. Trustee Braiman commented that Boznos area east of Milwaukee Avenue should be planned in a way that gives developers flexibility, and creative development plans are needed for this area. Trustee Marienthal noted that on page 4-2 of the Plan recommendation is to maintain the commercial designation for the Crossings site on Arlington Heights Road and the Vintage site at Buffalo Grove Road and Checker Road. Commissioner Goldspiel said the Plan Commission recommends that the Crossings site be designated for residential use in the range of six dwelling units per acre. President Mathias asked that Village Attorney for his opinion concerning a residential designation on the Plan for a parcel that is zoned for commercial use. Mr. Raysa said the Comprehensive Plan under Illinois statute is an advisory document intended to guide development. The Plan by itself does not regulate the use of property. He said it is acceptable to have an inconsistency between the Comprehensive Plan designation and the actual zoning of a property. He noted that a comprehensive plan is one of the criteria used in the LaSalle factors when courts of law have to determine if governmental regulation of a property is valid. He said a comprehensive plan shows the courts that a Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Special Meeting-January 27, 1992-Page 3 community has planned its land use and development, which indicates that its land use regulations are not capricious and arbitrary. Trustee Kahn suggested that the Crossings site be designated on the Plan for residential use. Mr. Balling said Jim Otis, the owner of the Crossings site, has indicated recently that he is trying to market the property, and he may have some interest from residential developers. Commissioner Samuels commented that the Village needs to have some areas for future commercial use if a stable fiscal base is to be maintained. Chairman Silbernik suggested that the Crossings site could be split between residential and commercial uses. Commissioner Goldspiel said that site is not large enough to accommodate two disparate land uses, and major street improvements would be needed to support commercial use. He said the Village is now overbuilt with neighborhood shopping centers, and Town Center is more of a neighborhood center than a regional draw. He noted that Woodland Commons is now open, and this further reduces the market area available to support a commercial center at the Crossings site. Trustee Reid commented that School District 96 has very little commercial land in its tax base, and the Crossings site is one of the few locations within the district where commercial use could occur. Commissioner Goldspiel said a good multi-family development will produce property tax revenue for a school district without producing a lot students. Trustee Reid said his experience indicates that multi-family developments don't generate net tax income for a school district. Commissioner Genell said she does not agree with the Plan concerning the single-family designation for the area east of Prairie Road along the Wisconsin Central Railroad tracks. She said this area should be industrial or perhaps multi- family. She commented that the Village is planning too much single-family land use, when more industrial and commercial Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Special Meeting-January 27, -1992Pa e 4 g land is needed for fiscal stability. Commissioner Goldspiel said the traffic impact of industrial land use in the Prairie Road area would be a problem, and access in the area is better for residential land use than industrial or commercial land uses. He said that the area east of Prairie Road is a transitional area between the industrial uses in Lincolnshire to the east and the existing and planned single-family areas west of Prairie Road. Trustee Braiman commented that the Roslyn Woods single-family subdivision is almost sold out, and some of the lots are located adjacent to the Wisconsin Central tracks. Commissioner Samuels suggested that the area north of Brandywyn Lane on the east side of Prairie Road should be shown as a density greater than single-family. Commissioner Howard said she does think multi-family should be located at the southeast corner of Prairie Road and Route 22 , and the current office designation is appropriate. Chairman Silbernik said the office use would be a transition between the commercial areas on Route 22 and the residential areas to the south along Prairie Road. Commissioner Samuels noted that Housing Policy #9 on page 1-3 states that the Plan will designate locations for senior citizen housing. Trustee Kahn suggested that the office area at the southeast corner of Route 22 and Buffalo Grove Road be shifted from office use to a location for senior citizen housing. Chairman Silbernik commented that Housing Policy #8 on page 1-3 concerning one-acre residential zoning needs further discussion. Commissioner Samuels noted that the policy was more relevant in the 1986 Plan when the Village had no large-lot single family developments. Trustee Marienthal said in his opinion the Village should encourage developments with Residential Estate one-acre zoning, and some areas for this type of zoning should be designated on the Plan. Commissioner Goldspiel said that Residential Estate zoning Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Special Meeting-January 27, 1992-Page 5 might work adjacent to park areas on the Didier tract south of Brandywyn Lane east of Buffalo Grove Road. Chairman Silbernik suggested that the policy concerning one- acre zoning be modified to put less emphasis on the importance of large lots and instead introduce the concept of compatible densities among residential areas and the use of transitional densities where appropriate. Trustee Braiman commented that Housing Policy #10 on page 1-4 uses the phrase "actively pursue" concerning certain types of housing, and he suggested that this phrase be deleted. Trustee Kahn said that Housing Policy #1 on page 1-3 should be amended to state that housing in the community would be provided without regard to race, creed or color. Chairman Silbernik noted that Recreational Policy #6 on page 1-6 should be changed to acknowledge that the land for Busch Grove Park has been acquired and the focus is now on development of the park. Chairman Silbernik said the Plan's recommendations concerning improvements to Busch Road/Deerfield Parkway and Lake Cook Road need to be made consistent with the Village Board's stated policies. Commissioner Goldspiel said the Board's resolution concerning a three lane cross-section for Busch Road west of Weiland Road is a short-term decision and ultimately a full five lane improvement will be needed. President Mathias suggested that the Plan could indicate that the current planning for Busch Road west of Weiland Road is a three lane section, but improvements will be evaluated on a five year basis and recommendations will be modified as needed. He said the concept of a phased improvement to Busch Road widening it from three lanes to five lanes when needed could be outlined in the Plan. Commissioner Goldspiel said it is very important to preserve the right-of-way for future improvements that will be needed for streets such as Busch Road. He said the Comprehensive Plan needs to look 20 years into the future, and it is evident that improvements will be needed in several areas. President Mathias said the Village's current policy Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Special Meeting-January 27, 1992-Page 6 concerning Lake Cook Road is that the six lane section should extend only as far west as Hastings Lane. Commissioner Goldspiel said the logical limit to the six lane section is Route 83. Trustee Reid said he would like an explanation of what is being planned concerning improvements to Buffalo Grove Road north of Route 22 . Commissioner Goldspiel said Midwest Engineering is doing a study of Buffalo Grove Road from the Prairie Road/Port Clinton Road intersection north to Route 45, and this information should be evaluated when improvements to Buffalo Grove Road are discussed. Trustee Kahn said Recreational Policy #5 on page 1-5 appears to endorse the concept that a site should be designated for a multi-use cultural arts center. He said if this is not the Village's intent, the policy should be reworded or perhaps be included only as a goal. Trustee Kahn said he thinks Economic Policy #4 on page 1-7 concerning the establishment of an economic development commission should be pursued. Commissioner Samuels noted that Community Facilities and Service Policy #6 on page 1-8 concerning a full-service library has been discussed by the Plan Commission, and he thinks the consensus is that a branch library would be more feasible. Chairman Silbernik concurred and said the policy should include a branch library as an alternative. Commissioner Howard said that although the Village has good recreational policies and a developing bikepath system, major street intersections are very unsafe for pedestrians and bicyclists to cross. Commissioner Samuels agreed that this is a serious problem, and he said it should be addressed when development plans are �./ drafted for Busch Grove Park. He suggested that a pedestrian overpass be considered. Mr. Reiner said the draft Plan should show more park areas north of Aptakisic Road. Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Special Meeting-January 27, 1992-Page 7 Commissioner Goldspiel noted that the Plan Commission has commented that more green areas need to be shown, particularly to link existing greenbelts and pathways. Ms. Larson said that park areas need to be large enough to provide active recreation, not just stormwater detention. She said although the Prairie Road area may be difficult to coordinate concerning the park donations of numerous developers, a plan was developed for coordination of park donations for the Green Lakes park and it worked out quite well. Mr. Pfeil agreed that the Prairie Road area needs coordinated planning to guide the individual developments that apparently will be proposed. He said drainage, parks and streets are key elements that have to be planned on a sub-regional basis. Chairman Silbernik noted that most major items had been covered in the discussion concerning the Comprehensive Plan, and he thanked the Village Board and the Park Board for their participation. Moved by Commissioner Goldspiel, seconded by Commissioner Samuels to adjourn. The motion carried unanimously, and Chairman Silbernik adjourned the meeting at 11: 00 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Robert E. Pfeil, Village Planner APPROVED MARTIN SILBERNIK, Chairman Buffalo Grove Plan Comm-Special Meeting-January 27, 1992-Page 8