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1998-08-19 - Plan Commission - Minutes PUBLIC HEARING BUFFALO GROVE PLAN COMMISSION August 19, 1998 Proposed Office Building,Weiland Road/Deerfield Parkway South of LaSalle Bank, Rezoning to the L Office and Research District(O&R) and approval of a Preliminary Plan Chairman Goldspiel called the hearing to order at 7:30 p.m. in the Village Council Chambers, Buffalo Grove Municipal Building, 50 Raupp Boulevard, Buffalo Grove, Illinois. Chairman Goldspiel read the Notice of Public Hearing as published in the Buffalo Grove Daily Herald, explained the procedure to be followed for the public hearing, and swore in all persons who wished to give testimony. Commissioners present: Chairman Goldspiel Mr. Krug Ms. Howard Mr. Samuels Mr. Berman Mr. Trilling Mr. Ottenheimer Mr. Viehman Commissioners absent: Mr. Moons Also present: Mr. Lawrence Freedman, Ash, Anos, Freedman& Logan Mr. Joseph Pasquinelli, Archideas Mr. Adam Miller?Kiferbaum Construction Co oration Mr. Donald O'Hara, Kenig, Lindgren, O'Hara, Aboona, Inc. Mr. Daniel Lynch, Christopher Burke Engineering, Ltd. Ms. Karen Lange, Spaceco, Inc. Mr. R. David Trumpy,Podolsky&Northstar Mr. William Raysa, Village Attorney Mr. Richard Kuenider, Village Engineer Mr. William Reid, Village Trustee Mr. Robert Pfeil, Village Planner The following exhibits were presented by the petitioner at the public hearing: Exhibit 1: Preliminary Site Plan dated August 19, 1998 by Archideas Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Public Hearing-August 19, 1998-Page 1 Exhibit 2: Sight line Sections dated August 19, 1998 by Archideas Exhibit 3: Enlarged Site Section dated August 19, 1998 by Archideas Exhibit 4: Concept Landscape Plan dated August 19, 1998 by Archideas Exhibit 5: Building Elevation Plan Exhibit 6: Detail of Ground sign and screen wall Exhibit 7: Landscape Plan List and Details dated August 19, 1998 by Archideas Exhibit 8: Preliminary Engineering Plan dated July 28, 1998 by Spaceco, Inc. Mr. Lawrence Freedman stated he represents Bush/Weiland Partnership which is the owner of the site which includes Lots 2 and 3 and comprises approximately 8 acres of the southeast corner of Deerfield Parkway and Weiland Road. The property was annexed at the request of the Village in 1986 and at that time was and still is zoned Industrial. Lot 2 of the property is designated as a shared detention facility for the benefit of Lot 1 and Lot 3. The current Industrial zoning permits industrial uses which includes building materials sales, contractor shops, garages for servicing and repair of motor vehicles and manufacturing. It also allows a building of 4-stories or 50 feet in height. He stated they are proposing to rezone the property to office and research and to develop only Lot 3 with a single 2-story office building comprising 51,200 square feet. He noted they have now been able to engineer the site to eliminate the parking lot height variation previously requested. The only variations being sought now are variations from the Village ordinance and the Lake County relative to the setback of the parking lot from the creek. Chairman Goldspiel asked if the Village has the power to vary the Lake County ordinance. Mr. Raysa stated Buffalo Grove is a certified Lake County community and therefore has the power to do a variation. Mr. Joseph Pasquinelli stated the site is comprised of four lots. The first parcel holds the LaSalle Bank building which was developed first. Lot 2 is a detention area for both sites and Lot 3 is the proposed site. Bordering the site itself is a retail commercial project, multi-family residential to the northwest and directly across the access point to the project and to the south is a single family residential development. To the east of the project is unincorporated Lake County which is zoned industrial. The site itself has Aptakisic Creek that comes through on the south and east border creating a very nice natural feature to the site. Mr. Pasquinelli stated their proposal is for a 2-story building of approximately 51,000 square feet. He noted they have provided on site 211 parking spaces which is more than adequate for this type of business use. The building has been located in this site for three basic reasons: 1) it provides Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Public Hearing-August 19, 1998-Page 2 the best visibilityfor h o the existingaccesspoint on Weiland Road;2 agood buffer area adjacent to ) the residential development to the south; 3) most efficient design for parking and circulation. Mr. Pasquinelli reviewed site lines studies to the residential neighborhood to the south and to the west. The purpose of these studies is to discuss the rooftop screening of mechanical units on top of the building. Mr. Pasquinelli stated that due to civil engineering issues and draining of the site into the detention basin, they had to raise the level of the ground along the parking lot edge. In doing so they have created a 3 foot wall which will vary from 0 to 4 feet. It is a wall that is constructed out of a split face concrete masonry unit. In addition they have included landscaping at the base of the wall and a continuous hedge along the top of the wall. Mr. Pasquinelli stated the basic landscape plan meets the Buffalo Grove ordinance. He noted they have embellished the landscape plan by adding the hedge that screens the parking lot, keeps headlights from shining across the street and across the creek. Mr. Pasquinelli stated they have addressed the Appearance Commission on the ground sign but noted they are looking at a 2-story building with a strong base and a glass second floor. The building itself has a strong cut in the center which helps break down the scale. They have provided a screen wall on top of the building to conceal rooftop mechanical units. Through the use of punched windows they have been able to relate to the scale of the things around. They have bermed up the earth around the perimeter at the base to effectively bring down the height of the building. There will be a ground sign located at the entrance to the project. There is a loading area located to the east of the building itself providing a trash enclosure that is fully enclosed by the same materials as the building itself Ms. Lange reviewed the stormwater management plan noting the petitioner retained Christopher Burke Engineering to look at the stormwater management as they did the original design of this basin. They did some calculations and noted the basin could actually be lowered by approximately four feet and still obtain the required volume by ordinance. By doing so they were able to eliminate the variation previously sought. At this point the catch basins in the parking lot are at least one foot higher than the high water level of the basin. That leaves two engineering variations that are being requested. The first is the setback from the center line of the creek. There is a 100 foot setback requirement by the ordinance and 50 feet is being requested because of the location of the parking lot. Part of the site is undevelopable due to the location of the creek and the bikepath. The other variation is a 30 foot buffer requirement from the high water level of the creek. In that area the base flood elevation varies through the site but they will be about 25 feet away from it along the south side and up to 15 feet away from it with the parking lot on the east side. It will be necessary for a variation at that point from the parking lot. She noted they would not be able to fit enough parking if they have to go back 100 feet from the center line or 30 feet from the high water level. Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Public Hearing-August 19, 1998-Page 3 xinot an stated thesanitarysewer servicesandwater services are existing on site and are Ms. Langeg issue. Commissioner Krug stated that if there is to be one foot of backed up water in the parking lot,he will not be able to support the project. Mr. Daniel Lynch apologized for the lack of clarity in the engineering report. He stated that if the storm sewer system were to fail,the water will not exceed a depth of one foot before it flowed overland into the detention basin. He noted that is standard engineering practice throughout the Chicago land area. Commissioner Krug asked if the parking lot has been raised to compensate for the difference in the 100 feet center line from the creek. Ms. Lange stated the parking lot is raised so that it is well above the base flood elevation by about 3 feet. She stated they could not build the parking lot and get the number of spaces needed by keeping it 100 feet from the center line of the creek. She further noted the base flood elevation is contained within an easement that is already existing on the property and the bikepath was put in the flood plain line. Commissioner Howard asked if there are any tenants as yet for this building. Mr. Freedman stated they do not have tenants as yet. Commissioner Howard asked if the petitioner would favor any medical offices in this building. Mr. Freedman stated no. He noted that for this building to become a medical office building it would have to have a much bigger parking area. Mr. R. David Trumpy stated medical office space requires a higher parking ratio as it is a more intense use and also the cost of construction for medical office space is extremely high. The marketplace here is for companies ranging from 5,000- 50,000 feet who would look at quality multi-story office space in northern Cook or southern Lake County. Commissioner Berman asked if the .65 feet differential in the detention requiring a variance did not take into account some adjustments that were made to the plan. Mr. Lynch stated after his report was prepared there were some adjustments to the engineering plan that increased the difference to 1.05 feet. Commissioner Trilling asked if 3-5 feet space between the curb and the wall was sufficient for landscaping to grow. Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Public Hearing-August 19, 1998-Page 4 Ms. Lange stated yes. Commissioner Trilling asked if wheel stops are planned for parking spaces that are on the perimeter. Ms. Lange stated that has not been decided as yet. She noted there are some pros and cons to wheel stops. It is very hard to maintain wheel stops when snow plowing a parking lot. Depending upon what the wall manufacturer recommends with landscaping,there may be a need for some to keep car bumpers away from new landscaping. Commissioner Trilling noted that cars do tend to go over the curb about two feet and if there is only 3-5 feet of landscaping area,all the bushes will be ruined. Mr. Pasquinelli noted this is only preliminary engineering and final engineering will closely consider the relationship between the edge of curb,the wall and the planting materials that are placed there. He noted they will address the situation so that there is adequate space there for landscape materials. Whether that means wheel stops or increasing the dimension between the back of curb and the wall,a credible solution can be found. Commissioner Trilling asked if the petitioner will be maintaining the creek. Mr. Kuenkler stated the creek is maintained by whatever property owner it falls on. Commissioner Trilling asked what materials are to be used for the facade of the building. Mr. Pasquinelli stated the walls will be split between glass and a pre-cast concrete panel. The screen for the mechanical units themselves will be a metal panel type of material. ] Mr. Freeman noted it was suggested by the Appearance Commission that they consider changing some colors and giving some other relief to the exterior and that is still under consideration. Commissioner Viehman asked if there is any change in the construction of the overflow weir as a result of the dropping in the basin and the rip rapping that may be added there to eliminate washing. Mr. Lynch stated that first the area would be cleaned up with new grading and reseeded with rip rap on the overflow spillway for a more stable and maintained condition. Commissioner Viehman noted that now that the basin has been dropped in depth,all the engineering has been taken into consideration and it will be appropriate to the needs of the overflow concerns in a 100 year flood and all those possibilities. Mr. Lynch stated that was correct. Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Public Hearing-August 19, 1998-Page 5 Commissioner Ottenheimer asked what kind of materials will be used on the roof to screen mechanicals. Mr. Pasquinelli stated it will be an opaque prefinished metal panel. They have not as yet decided on a profile or flat finish. He stated it is his opinion that it is set so far in from the edges of the building that it will hardly be apparent from the parking lot. The site line study indicates that it will only become visible to the neighbors when looking out from the second floor of a home. He noted it is a solid screen wall. Commissioner Ottenheimer asked how high the screening will be on the roof. Mr. Pasquinelli noted it will be high enough to screen the mechanical unit which could be 4-5 feet. Chairman Goldspiel asked where the escape route for water from the parking lot exists in case of pipe failure or a storm greater than a 100 year storm occurrence. Mr. Lynch stated there are low points where the storm sewer inlets are throughout the parking lot and there are high points between the inlets to drain the water towards the inlets. The overflow points progress towards the basin, get progressively lower as it goes towards the basin so that if that event occurred the water could not get to a depth where it would damage vehicles parked in the lot and it would be flowing in a direction towards and into the detention basin. If an unusual circumstance does fill up the detention basin so that no more volume remained to store the water, the water would still flow towards and through the detention basin. The parking lot is higher than the basin so the water will flow in a downhill direction and through the emergency overflow into the creek at an elevation which would be lower than the parking lot so as not to damage vehicles or the building. Chairman Goldspiel asked if there is either any wetlands or compensatory flood issues regarding the creek area or the area to be developed. Mr. Lynch stated there are no compensatory issues. When the creek was relocated it was done so that the remainder of the site was removed from the regulatory flood plain. He further noted there are no wetland issues. Chairman Goldspiel asked what the condition will be of the overflow from the detention basin to the creek. Mr. Lynch stated it will be rip rap to be more stable in the event it did overflow. Chairman Goldspiel noted some concern with a car inadvertently going over the wall. He asked what kind of treatment will be used to prevent that from happening either due to driver error or due to a mechanical problems. Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Public Hearing-August 19, 1998-Page 6 theyproposing Lange noted standard curbs in parking lots are 6 inches high and are not p p osin g anything at this point to block a car. Chairman Goldspiel asked if there is any idea of the character of tenants to be housed in this office building. Mr. Trumpy stated they will market the space to users who will need approximately 5,000 to 50,000 square feet. You could possibly have smaller users,but not very many and if so probably only on the ground floor. He stated they are not restricting themselves to any particular size user right now but the marketing plan suggests they will probably see a total of 5-6 tenants with an average size of 7000-10,000 feet. He noted they would like to get a full floor tenant for the second floor of the building. It may also be possible to get a single tenant for the entire building. He noted there is a strong need in the marketplace for properly priced space for people who require those sizes of spaces. Chairman Goldspiel asked if it is intended to sell the building to a tenant to be found or is it intended to retain the building and manage it. Mr. Freedman stated they intend to retain and manage the building. Commissioner Trilling asked if there is any intention to lease the building to a user who might offer customer service or order entry or any high cubicle type use. Mr. Freedman stated that is not their intention and there is no market for same as the parking would not be sufficient for that. It would also be a deterrent for other tenants. Commissioner Ottenheimer asked if the petitioner has anyone in mind for building management. Mr. Freedman stated they will have a professional management company. Chairman Goldspiel asked if there will be sufficient stacking space for vehicles leaving the property so that they will not conflict with vehicles entering the property and if there is enough free space for vehicles coming so that they do not back up into the road. Mr. O'Hara noted he looked at general office use which is the higher user in the smaller space office building. This facility outbound during the PM peak hour will generate approximately 60 vehicles. He noted he assumed that not all 60 vehicles will be exiting through one driveway. He stated all 60 vehicles exiting within a half hour period would mean one vehicle every '/z minute and there will be sufficient gaps for that to occur. People coming in to use the bank have the whole area to maneuver around. In a parking lot what happens is that people will not go all the way around but take the shortest route through the paint stripes and into the banking facility. He stated he does not believe there will be a backup problem that is going to create onsite congestion relative to the movement of traffic. Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Public Hearing-August 19, 1998-Page 7 Chairman Goldspiel asked how 60 vehicles per hour was arrived at. Mr. O'Hara stated the trip generation manual for specific land uses was used. Many studies have been conducted for general office developments such as this and they come up with a factor based upon employees and per 1,000 square feet area. With new development it is easier to use the per 1,000 square feet factor and using that factor times the 51.2 thousand square foot of office, the result is the volume generated per peak hour. Chairman Goldspiel asked if the engineering plan has been reviewed and it is appropriate as presented. Mr. Kuenkler stated yes. He further stated he has no comments or objections to the proposed variations. He also stated the 100 foot setback is a requirement that was established by the Village in its original flood plain ordinance. This was at a time when there was less technical information than available now. However,this ordinance has never been changed but it is reasonable to use the flood plain maps and the information contained therein to determine the flood plain. 1 Mr. Arnold Rosenbaum, 360 Bentley Place, stated there are 180 people in 38 townhomes at the Bentley Place development. He stated Bentley residents have a problem presently trying to get out of the development and making a left turn. The proposed development will put 180 people into jeopardy both in the mornings and evenings. He asked if the grading on the property would be better if it were not extended. Mr. Jay Bloom, 393 Bentley Place,noted that crowding on Lake Cook Road brings people down Weiland Road and that the morning conditions makes it impossible to make a left turn. He noted the other problem is the existing concrete sitting on Lot 3 since the bank was completed. He noted they have asked the developer to remove the concrete for several years now. He asked what kind of lighting will be used on this development. Mr. Ed Segal, 388 Bentley Place,noted his major concern is with traffic patterns and pedestrian safety. There is a strip mall on both corners and many children and adults traverse this area on foot. He further asked if the research aspect of the office/research zone would address the kinds of material on the premises and their disposal. Commissioner Berman asked for a description of the traffic volumes on Weiland during the AM and PM periods and the extent to which a 60 car addition would or would not be material in terms of traffic volume in those peak periods. Mr. Freedman noted a full traffic study was not called for or asked for at any other meeting. He further noted that at the time the bank was developed, and with this site zoned Industrial,the Village made the decision at the time and studies were done with the contemplation that this site would be developed much more intensely than is being proposed. The supposition was made Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Public Hearing-August 19, 1998-Page 8 that there would be limited access on Busch Parkway and the County mandated that the full access be located exactly where it is on Weiland. Those locations were fixed at that time on the assumption that a much more intense use would be put in here. Commissioner Berman asked how the intersection improvements since the bank went in have affected traffic. It appears we no longer suffer the kind of lengthy tie-ups and backups once experienced in this area,particularly in the AM rush hour. Mr. Freedman noted those improvements were contemplated although not completed at the time the bank was approved and were taken into account in the study. Mr. Rosenbaum noted that at the time of the bank development it was stated they would look into stopping left turns during the peak hours once more development was put into this site. Marla Newman, 415 Marvins Way, stated her concern is with the children walking to school in the mornings. The increased traffic will endanger these children in an area without crossing guards. In addition,at Marvins Way Weiland Road narrows into single lane traffic and more people merging there will also be a hazard. The high school bus also stops on Weiland and all the kids must cross Weiland. Mr. O'Hara stated if this land stayed vacant it would obviously not generate any additional traffic than what is heading to and from the bank. If it does change land use into manufacturing or industrial uses, you will have not only passenger cars but commercial vehicles in some form of semi-trailers or single unit trucks. From an intensity standpoint, a manufacturing or industrial type of use is going to be generating volumes over a longer period of time. Industrial uses usually start earlier and extend later into the day. Office development is normally 7:00 a.m.to 6:00 p.m. with very little use on Saturday and Sunday. The volumes of traffic and types of traffic that will come in here will be a worse case scenario if the use becomes industrial or manufacturing. Mr. O'Hara stated the proposed development will have very little impact on left turns. Traffic coming east on Deerfield will generally take the easier road into the development by using the right in turn at Deerfield. Traffic coming up from the south will only be making a right turn into the development on Weiland. The only problem is with traffic heading west and making a left on Weiland and then another left into the development. With 60 vehicles projected to come into the development, it is not going to create a major problem. Chairman Goldspiel asked if the times people leave their homes and others come into the office would be the same or somewhat different. Mr. O'Hara stated there will be some impact. It used to be that peak traffic was considered to be between 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and then 4-6:00 p.m. Now the peak traffic hours are 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. However,the impact is now spread over a longer period. Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Public Hearing-August 19, 1998-Page 9 Mr. Rosenbaum suggested some of the problem could be alleviated by either providing a policeman if a problem occurs or the developer could help pay for a light. Chairman Goldspiel asked if there are any plans to improve Weiland Road either in the near term II or long term. Mr. Kuenkler stated Weiland Road will probably become a four lane road throughout its entire length in the long term. However,there are no plans in the near term. Mr. Segal stated his major concern is with pedestrian safety in the PM's when there are kids coming out of school and going to various stores in the strip mall and parents taking kids to various classes and food establishments. Chairman Goldspiel asked if it would be helpful or not to open the south end of Bentley Place. li Mr. Segal stated the safety issue at the corner of Weiland and Deerfield would be better off and getting out of the development would be easier for the residents,but whether the homeowners would really like that is something he is not sure of. Mr. O'Hara stated that another right turn inbound and outbound would only create another intersection which will create a slowing down of traffic. From a safety standpoint all that has been created is another access to the roadway and if there are pedestrians there is another conflict point. Chairman Goldspiel asked what the likelihood of a signalization at this point would be. Mr. O'Hara stated it would be next to impossible under the volume warrants. Mr. Pasquinelli stated they have done a photometric study on the site for the Appearance Commission. They will provide the cutoff variety of light fixture which means the residences and other areas around the site would not see the source of the light as it will be directed to the ground. He further noted they will meet the ordinance requirements for lighting levels. Chairman Goldspiel asked for some comment on whether or not there would be any hazardous uses on this site. Mr. Freedman stated this development is pure office use and there will be no labs. There being no further comments or questions from anyone else present, Chairman Goldspiel closed the public hearing at 9:20 p.m. Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Public Hearing-August 19, 1998-Page 10 Respectfully sub itted, Fay Ruban, ecording Secretary f APPROVED BY: ;mil STE H N GOLDSPIEL, hair Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Public Hearing-August 19, 1998-Page 11 REGULAR MEETING BUFFALO GROVE PLAN COMMISSION August 19, 1998 Proposed office building,southeast corner of Weiland Road/Deerfield Parkway(south of LaSalle Bank), Rezoning to the Office and Research District(O&R) and approval of a Preliminary Plan Proposed LaQuinta Inn and Suites, southwest corner of Milwaukee Avenue/Deerfield Parkway(the Santucci property), Approval of a Preliminary Plan in the B-3 Planned Business Center District—Workshop#1 Chairman Goldspiel called the meeting to order at 9:20 p.m. in the Village Council Chambers, Buffalo Grove Municipal Building, 50 Raupp Boulevard,Buffalo Grove, Illinois. Commissioners present: Chairman Goldspiel Mr. Krug Ms. Howard Mr. Samuels Mr. Berman Mr. Trilling Mr. Ottenheimer Commissioners absent: Mr. Moons Also present: Mr. Lawrence Freedman, Ash, Anos, Freedman&Logan Mr. Joseph Pasquinelli, Archideas Mr. Adam Miller, Kiferbaum Construction Corporation Mr. Donald O'Hara, Kenig, Lindgren, O'Hara, Aboona, Inc. Mr. Caniel Lynch, Christopher Burke Engineering,Ltd. Ms. Karen Lange, Spaceco, Inc. Mr. R. David Trumpy, Podolsky&Northstar Mr. Marc Schwartz,Marc K. Schwartz& Associates Mr. John Joyce, Jr.,LaQuinta Inns, Inc. Mr. Larry Kingsbury, LaQuinta Inns, Inc. Ms. Cara Shimkus, Stan Gralla Architects Mr. David Nelsen, Stanley Consultants, Inc. Mr. Donald O'Hara, Kenig, Lindgren, O'Hara, Aboona, Inc. Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Regular Meeting-August 19, 1998-Page 1 Mr. William Raysa,Village Attorney Mr. Richard Kuenider,Village Engineer Mr. William Reid, Village Trustee Mr. Robert Pfeil,Village Planner APPROVAL OF MINUTES Moved by Commissioner Howard, seconded by Commissioner Krug to approve the minutes of the public hearing of July 15, 1998. Chairman Goldspiel noted typographical errors on pages 12 and 13. All Commissioners were in favor of the motion as amended and the motion passed unanimously with Commissioner Ottenheimer abstaining. Moved by Commissioner Krug, seconded by Commissioner Howard to approve the minutes of the regular meeting or July 15, 1998. Commissioner Krug noted his stated that he may have a possible conflict of interest and therefore would not participate in the meeting was excluded and should be added to the minutes. Chairman Goldspiel stated he would like to have added to the minutes the discussion on the required parking under the proposal would be and what was proposed in the plan. A Commissioners were in favor of the motion as amended and the motion passed unanimously with Commissioner Ottenheimer abstaining. COMMITTEE AND LIAISON REPORTS Commissioner Krug stated he attended the zoning sub-committee meeting where discussion centered around B districts. There was some discussion relative to eliminating B-1 and B-2 districts and just have one district completely. They also discussed eliminating department stores under B-1, dropping the word"haberdasher"because it is also covered under wearing apparel. He noted there is not maximum size for B-1 and no minimum size for B-2 and this issue was discussed. Car rentals agencies were also discussed at length as to an appropriate site for them. Commissioner Trilling stated he attended the Village Board meeting on August 17, 1998 and noted the public hearing for the Walsh property was continued. He further noted the zoning ordinance text amendment for drive through facilities was continued over a number of issues relating to certain documents that were to be produced for Town Center to continue proceeding. In addition the Special Use for Congregation Beth Am was passed 4 to 2. There was also a referral for a Burger King at the Town Center with the Board requesting the Plan Commission to check out a number of issues such as: 1. The emergency access at the drive through window to ensure there are two lanes of traffic so that someone who wants to get out of the drive through lane has the ability to do so. 2. Flipping the building around due to the direction of cars traveling and the headlights pointing into southbound traffic on McHenry Road. Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Regular Meeting-August 19, 1998-Page 2 1 3. Ensure the limit of the number and size of trucks that come in so that they will not take up needed space. 4. Checking out parking requirements to ensure the proper parking requirements consistent with the Town Center. PROPOSED OFFICE BUILDING. SOUTHEAST CORNER OF WEILAND ROAD/DEERFIELD PARKWAY(SOUTH OF LASALLE BANK).REZONING TO THE OFFICE AND RESEARCH DISTRICT(O&R)AND APPROVAL OF A PRELIMINARY PLAN Moved by Commissioner Samuels, seconded by Commissioner Krug to recommend approval of the petition for rezoning from the Industrial District to the Office and Research(O&R)District and approval of a Preliminary Plan with the following variations: VILLAGE FLOODPLAIN REGULATIONS - Section 18.20.010.E. -(to allow a setback of 50 feet instead of 100 feet from the centerline of Aptakisic Creek),and the LAKE COUNTY WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE -Article IV, Section B.1.i(1)(a)(1)-(to reduce the linear buffer requirement from the Aptakisic Creek channel from 30 feet to 25 feet)to allow the petitioner to construct a two- story office building of approximately 51,200 square feet on Lot 3,pursuant to the petition and evidence presented. Commissioner Krug noted the fine presentation made by the development team. He noted they covered most of the concerns noted by the Plan Commission, in particular the care given to detention to ensure no flooding of the parking lot. The building will be an asset to Buffalo Grove. He further noted the only solution to the traffic issue would be to leave the site undeveloped which is unlikely. People will soon learn how to navigate any additional traffic and the office is a far better and less intense use than an industrial site. Commissioner Ottenheimer agreed with Commissioner Krug's comments regarding the use. He too, stated this is a much better use for the site than industrial. He noted some concern with the traffic situation and suggested some consideration be given to hiring a traffic officer if traffic becomes a serious issue. Commissioner Samuels stated there can be no better use than office and research for this site. The Industrial zoning it has is no longer in character with developments along Weiland and would not be preferable to this use. He noted the residents problems with left turns in the morning would probably preclude the use of a traffic officer as same are mostly used for evening peak hours. Overall the traffic that is generated by this building will be inconsequential on the L.1 roadway system. Commissioner Trilling stated he too feels this is an appropriate use and is a great improvement over the Industrial zoning classification. There will be traffic no matter what happens here and the residents will learn to deal with it. He noted his concern with only 4-6 foot space between Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Regular Meeting-August 19, 1998-Page 3 the retaining wall and the curb. He stated plant life cannot thrive under those conditions and he would like to see the space increased to 6 feet or wheel stops be provided to prevent cars from approaching the curb, or raise the curb in height so that the front of the car will not be able to penetrate the curb and destroy plant life. Mr. Kuenkler stated the wheel stops are not necessary because part of the measured stall does include the overhang. Whatever distance is desired would be beyond the measured stall. Commissioner Trilling noted that therefore it is necessary to give a greater distance to the buffer so that there is provision for the 2 foot overhang and then allow approximately 4 feet for the planting area. He stated he feels it is necessary to give the Appearance Commission some leeway for planting. Mr. Kuenkler stated the drawings on the site plan show there would be 2' 6" from the end of the measured stall to the retaining wall of green space. Commissioner Samuels stated he accepts the proposed amendment. Mr. Freedman stated they are not opposed to paving a wide enough landscaping area to keep plants thriving. Chairman Goldspiel stated it does not make sense to base a plan on having live screening if it cannot survive in the environment provided. Commissioner Berman noted the petitioner has said that in those areas where they cannot reasonably accommodate the idea of a wider green space,they will adjust the other plant materials to compensate for same. He stated the answer is to maximize the green area wherever reasonably feasible within the context of the plant and where it is not, compensate some other way. Commissioner Samuels noted his agreement with Commissioner Berman's comments. He noted that the petitioner understands the direction of the Plan Commission is to achieve the 6 foot minimum wherever reasonably possible and where not,to compensate in some other manner. Commissioner Trilling stated he will accept that plan. Commissioner Trilling stated this is a good use for the site but noted this building should be complimentary to the other buildings in the area which are of brick or some other substantial material. Mr. Freedman stated that although the request on the variation setback from the Lake County ordinance did say a minimum of 25 feet,testimony was that the center might be closer to 15 feet. Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Regular Meeting-August 19, 1998-Page 4 Mr. Kuenkler stated he did not feel it would make any difference. Chairman Goldspiel noted the major traffic planning on this parcel was done when the bank came in. This parcel had a very extensively planned internal roadway system particularly to try to address the traffic issues. This plan does fit with the earlier proposal and takes advantage of it. Chairman Goldspiel called for a vote on the motion and the vote was as follows: AYES: Krug, Howard, Samuels, Berman,Trilling, Ottenheimer, Viehman, Goldspiel NAYES: None ABSTAIN: None ABSENT: Moons The motion passed 8 to 0. PROPOSED LA QUINTA INN AND SUITES. SOUTHWEST CORNER OF MILWAUKEE AVENUE/DEERFIELD PARKWAY(THE SANTUCCI PROPERTY).. -APPROVAL OF A PRELIMINARY PLAN IN THE B-3 PLANNED BUSINESS CENTER DISTRICT-- WORKSHOP#1 Mr. Schwartz stated they are here based upon a referral from the Village Board on July 20, 1998 for the approval of a Preliminary Plan on an approximately 3.94-acre parcel which is at the southwest corner of Milwaukee Avenue and Deerfield Parkway. The plan proposes a 4-story building to be hotel comprised of 148 guest rooms and 167 parking spaces. Mr. Jack Joyce stated this is a new project put forth by LaQuinta Inns. He stated LaQuinta's philosophy is to give guests a warm, comfortable resting place. He stated they achieve this through a combination of warm quality materials and fmishes and consistent, friendly services. He stated LaQuinta is a limited services hotel. There is no bar or restaurant or large meeting facility. There is a single small meeting room of about 640 square feet. All 280 hotels are corporately owned so that quality is consistent across the nation. Mr. Joyce stated they are in the midst of an ambitious expansion program where they hope to have 100 new inns built by the end of 1999. The new product is a significant departure from the old in that they now have the corridor on the interior as opposed to the exterior. They are changing elevations to be more contemporary. They still maintain the elevator tower and the terra cotta colored roof. The exteriors are finished in a sand finish synthetic stucco (dryvit). The essential building is white with a buff color and green and pueblo accents running through it. The interior features the largest room in this segment of the market at 15 x 25 feet. The lobby has Italian marble, generous moldings and column details. Mr. Larry Kingsbury stated they conduct a detailed market study before every project to Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Regular Meeting-August 19, 1998-Page 5 determine whether or not a market meets the internal criteria of LaQuinta. All of these hotels are corporately owned and operated and therefore they are taking the risk themselves. Such a detailed feasibility study was conducted in May of 1998 to determine the need for a hotel in the Buffalo Grove/Lincolnshire area. The area determined as the primary market area for the subject hotel includes the villages of Buffalo Grove,Lincolnshire,Vernon Hills, Wheeling,Riverwoods, Bannockburn, Lake Forest, Deerfield, Long Grove and Mettewa. A secondary access area extends out in a circle approximately 10 miles in radius from the interchange of Milwaukee PP Y Avenue and the Deerfield Parkway area. Due to the limitations of available hotel rooms targeted and priced for the upper tier of the mid-price segment($85-$100),hotels occupancies among the five primary competing hotels for the LaQuinta Inn Suites have risen steadily throughout the last 10+years since the opening of the Lincolnshire Courtyard. During the last 2 years this kind of hotel has shown continued demand growth by increasing their cumulative occupancies to 77.3 percent in 1996 and 79.1 percent in 1997. Through April 1998 the same group of hotels has increased its occupancy levels by an additional 2.2 percent over April 1997 levels. This is a very healthy lodging market which basically fills Monday through Thursday nights February through November. Due to the growth of hotel room demand in the entire market area,the competing set of hotels has been able to maintain its occupancies even in the face of double digit increases in the percentage of hotel rooms being added to the market during the last 2 years. Continuing expansions by Hewitt,Abbott Labs,Baxter International and the increase in commercial office space coming on line in the immediate area will continue this healthy growth,making new projects such as the proposed LaQuinta Inn and Suites viable. Cara Hall stated there is an acquisition planned for Milwaukee Avenue's right-of-way which has been shown on the plan as well as the acquisition along Deerfield Parkway. In addition to providing those right-of-ways they have provided the required 12 foot landscape setbacks on the north and south sides. They will also provide a 25 foot landscape buffer across the front. Ms. Hall stated they currently show a 9 x 18 foot parking stall which can be increased to the 18 %2 feet which required with a few minimal changes. There are 167 spaces shown on the plan. There are 148 guest rooms proposed, which means 1 space per room and in addition there are 12 spaces for employees and 2 for the single meeting room. The meeting room is primarily used for the guest of the hotel. This provides more parking than is actually required. Ms. Hall stated they have shown a median cut along Deerfield Parkway. Guests will enter through the driveway on the west coming to the front of the building on Milwaukee Avenue. The guest wing houses all 148 rooms. Included in the 148 rooms are 20 suites. The building is approximately 75,000 square feet and the height requires a variance. The eve height on the guest wing is approximately 35 feet 4 inches. From that point the roof slopes back to the height of 51 feet 4 inches. The elevator penthouse is 61 feet 9 inches. The property has an indoor pool in an area that is 16 feet in height. The mechanical equipment for the guest wing is contained in the attic space so it is not visible. The mechanicals for the lobby portion are on the flat roof portion of the building which is concealed by a mansard-like parapet. Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Regular Meeting-August 19, 1998-Page 6 1 Ms. Hall described building materials of a synthetic stucco type material. This allows them to more intricately detail the building. There are fairly detailed eaves and soffits,including outriggers. She further noted they have provided about 120 feet of setback from the front of the building to the property line. There is feet of setback between the property line and the low pool house and 97-98 feet of setback to the guest wing. Mr. Dave Nelson stated they have done some investigative work to determine that most of the utilities serving the project will be located in Deerfield Parkway where both the water and sanitary sewer are currently located. There is also storm drainage located in Deerfield Parkway which currently is not adequate to handle the LaQuinta site properly. Therefore,additional storm drainage will have to be installed which will go to the detention basins to the west end of the property. The routing for that storm sewer system has not been determined. There is power along Milwaukee Avenue serving the project. Mr. Donald O'Hara stated they are in the preliminary stages of their traffic study and are looking for input from the Plan Commission. He noted that Milwaukee Avenue is a strategic regional arterial which has limited access relative to functioning as an access point for the subject development. In looking through the five year program,he has not found an improvement to this particular intersection. That does not mean it will not happen,but there is nothing scheduled to date. He stated they are anticipating that the County will allow full access on Deerfield Parkway although there is no guarantee because there has not been any comment from the County as yet. Mr. O'Hara stated the site is planned to come in off of a 24 foot roadway. As this property develops there will be the median and an additional 24 foot lane. Once this happens the left turns will be coming in and check-in will occur with the passenger side door exposure working out very well. Mr. O'Hara stated he used data relative to the volumes generated of a motel because they are, in fact,higher than a business hotel with very little meeting space. During the morning peak hour, there will be 35 inbound trips and 60 outbound trips. During the evening peak hour they are anticipating that there be 45 inbound trips and 40 outbound trips. Mr. O'Hara stated they have studied the LaQuinta Inns in Elk Grove and in Schaumburg for parking demand and their demand is basically at.82 per occupied room. That fits in with a facility where you would expect less than 1 when you have basically pure rooms. This is true because LaQuinta and most hotels have the shuttle from the airport to their facility and they also have several business associates coming in together in one rental car. For that reason you see a drop of less than one space per occupied room. Mr. Schwartz noted the site is zoned B-3 and the conceptual plan is for a hotel at this location. The developer is presenting such a hotel. He further noted they are not seeking variations other than the height restrictions based upon the product and those height variations are very important to the development of LaQuinta Inn based upon the number of rooms and the design and style of Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Regular Meeting-August 19, 1998-Page 7 their hotels. Chairman Goldspiel asked if there will be any kind of food service in the facility. Mr. Joyce stated they have only a continental breakfast which consists of packaged foods. There is no cooking on the premises. Deliveries occur two days a week and last about 20 minutes. II Chairman Goldspiel asked if the dedications of right-of-way on Deerfield Parkway and Milwaukee Avenue are for future intersection improvements. Mr. Joyce stated that is their understanding. Mr. Kuenkler stated that is the 75 foot half right-of-way that is normally required along Milwaukee Avenue. It is expected that the County might require the additional right-of-way along Deerfield Parkway which would be a 60 foot half right-of-way. Chairman Goldspiel asked what the surrounding uses are to the south of the property and how much of an elevation difference is there between this property and the property to the south. Mr. Joyce stated there is a one story pizza/tavern directly to the south. Across the street is a one story restaurant and commercial uses down Milwaukee. He stated this project would be taller than anything else around. He stated there are some residences about 200 feet south of the pi77a/tavern. He stated there are probably 2-3 residences along the south property line. Chairman Goldspiel asked if the 12 foot setback is appropriate adjoining a residential area. Mr. Pfeil stated the building setback is a minimum of 50 feet and the 12 feet is a landscaped buffer and a six foot screen is the minimum along the property line. Chairman Goldspiel stated he thought the Village was looking for 35 foot setbacks along major streets. Mr. Pfeil stated the B-3 ordinance requires that the building setback must be at least as great as the height of the building from the right-of-way. This 25 feet is actually a landscaped buffer yard. The proposed building setback on the plan is actually much greater than 25 feet and exceeds the ordinance requirement. Chairman Goldspiel stated he thought they had been requiring more than the ordinance calls for in some cases. Mr. Pfeil stated it has been talked about but there have not been too many locations where a full 35 feet of landscaped setback has been achieved. In fact the building setback here is far greater than the requirement. Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Regular Meeting-August 19, 1998-Page 8 Chairman Goldspiel asked for an explanation of the elevation difference between this property and the residential property adjacent on the south. hi study Joyce stated they are still conducting a topographical stu y but they understand that this was built up as it once was a marsh. Therefore, there is probably a slight slope along the property line. This could perhaps be a channel of some kind that could prevent water from flowing onto the south properties. Commissioner Krug asked if this development would still go forward if only 3 stories are approved. Mr. Joyce stated no. To make this project 3 stories it would have to become even longer than it is and at this point they are already 300 feet long. Commissioner Krug asked if the driveway entrance will be two lanes in and two lanes out. Mr. Joyce stated yes. Commissioner Krug asked how long of a buildout the project will have. Mr. Joyce stated it will probably be about eleven months. Commissioner Krug asked if parking will meet the Village standards. Mr. Joyce stated yes and noted Village standards are more stringent than their own. Commissioner Samuels asked if the plan has been reviewed by the Fire Department for circulation, equipment,height of canopy etc. Mr. Pfeil stated the Deputy Fire Marshall has made some review and sketched out some locations for fire lanes and indicated there are no problems with the plan as proposed. He did not comment on the canopy height so that is something that will be asked. Mr. Joyce stated they are willing to work with the Fire Department on that if they are not happy with the canopy height. He noted the top of the arch is about 13 feet tall. Commissioner Samuels asked if the building has sprinklers. Mr. Joyce stated the building is fully sprinkler equipped. Commissioner Samuels noted the single pole sign appears way out of the Village ordinance. Mr. Pfeil stated Mr. Schar has indicated the sign pole is way outside of parameters for the sign Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Regular Meeting-August 19, 1998-Page 9 ordinance but the Plan Commission is not the place to address same. Commissioner Samuels asked what was the height of the pole lights for the parking lot. Mr. Joyce stated they are typically 30 feet tall. He stated they try to keep the lighting to about two foot candles on the average. As far as lighting the building, senior management would like to light up both sides of the building facing the public fairly brightly. On the sides facing the residences they would light very dimly. Commissioners Samuels suggested using more but shorter lighting poles on the side facing the residences. Ii Mr. Joyce stated they will consider that. Mr. Schwartz stated the sign proposal contained in the Commission's packet actually belongs in another Village. They inadvertently submitted this wrong proposal. The proposed sign is actually 80 square feet and 20 feet high and meets with the Village ordinance. Commissioner Ottenheimer asked what kind of occupancy rate is needed in order to make this project a success. Mr. Kingsbury stated they are forecasting that by the third year this property will cap about a 75 percent occupancy. That is consistent with what they do throughout the entire Chicago area. He stated this is still conservative in relation to what the competition in the area does. Commissioner Ottenheimer asked if the meeting room will be open to the public. Mr. Kingsbury stated typically the meeting room is used for training sessions for people staying at the hotel who work for one of the surrounding area companies. He noted they have a van they often use to transport guests to various companies in the area for on-site training facilities. Commissioner Ottenheimer asked if there will be any kind of airport shuttles. Mr. Kingsbury stated no. It is possible at some later point if competition were to demand it. Commissioner Ottenheimer asked about the market study. Mr. Kingsbury stated they conducted the study in May, 1998 and involves data through April of 1998 collected by Smith Travel Research of Lebanon, Tennessee who are recognized throughout the industry for this type of research. He further noted they are absolutely confident in their market study and feel this project will absolutely be a success. Mr. Kingsbury stated they further conducted interviews with local companies and interviews with competing hotels. Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Regular Meeting-August 19, 1998-Page 10 Commissioner Ottenheimer asked what some of the changes in this new hotel are from the old version. Mr. Kingsbury stated there is a huge change in management philosophy. Heretofore,LaQuinta's were run by husband and wife teams which worked very well. He stated they have now gone to trained industry professionals. Commissioner Viehman asked if the south side of the proposed plan was currently a wooded area. Ms. Shimkus stated there are trees along the property line and they have commissioned a tree survey to determine where they are on the property line and if they are worth saving. Peter Loris stated he is the property owner directly behind the proposed hotel. He stated his home is located on a parcel that varies in height from about 630 to 632 elevation with the first floor elevation about a step or two up from grade. He noted this elevation of this property was raised from a swamp to approximately 4 feet above his backyard and surrounding yards in the area. There is approximately a four foot elevation with considerable runoff. Currently,when it rains the water runs through the neighborhood and to an area just behind the Superamerica gas station. From there it crosses under Milwaukee Avenue where there is considerable blockages. The water backs up all the way down to this blockage. Chairman Goldspiel asked if he was getting backup of the water flowing towards the Des Plaines River or if it was actually the Des Plaines River backing up. Mr. and Mrs. Loris stated both. Mr.Nelsen stated a part of the problem is the rate at which the rate the water flows out of their. The small feeder into the Des Plaines River is very narrow in some areas and tends to back up to the pond. Mr. Loris stated as it currently stands he has enough water in his backyard to create a considerable pond area where the three yards come together caused by the runoff from the property as the elevation has currently been built up. This was not a problem prior to 1990 when it was still swamp. Commissioner Viehman noted it seems that construction on the proposed property should help alleviate some of the issues for the property owner. He noted it should be possible to channel some of the runoff to the detention basin appropriately. Mr.Nelson stated that is exactly right. He stated the parking lot which will generate the most runoff because they are impervious surfaces will all have curb and gutter around them so the water will be trapped within the parking lot and collected in catchbasins within that parking lot Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Regular Meeting-August 19, 1998-Page 11 and be channeled to the detention basin to the west. The landscaped areas can be handled either through a swale along that property line to collect it to an area drain or a berm can be placed along that south property line that keeps the water on the LaQuinta property and channeled to an inlet or area drain also. Therefore,this development should help improve those characteristics between the proposed development and the residential neighborhood. Chairman Goldspiel asked if the weir system has been improved south of Deerfield Parkway so that it is functioning properly. Mr.Nelson stated yes. Chairman Goldspiel asked if that system is designed to incorporate this parcel. Mr. Kuenkler stated that particular drainage facility serves all of the remaining property to be built on both sides of Deerfield Parkway. Commissioner Trilling asked if there are copies of the marketing study are available for Commission review. Mr. Kingsbury stated the report is a proprietary report to senior management group. He noted he could get the Smith Travel occupancy numbers for review,but not the actual internal report. If any additional data is necessary, it can be done. He further noted the average daily rate as noted in the report really tells the story. When there is a$13.00 increase in the average daily rate in the exact same property set from one year over another year for a four month period of the year,there is something dynamic going on in that market place. If it is not accompanied by a drop in occupancy,but rather an increase in occupancy as this was,there is a need for additional hotels. There is no question there is room for additional hotels. There are new facilities coming on line and there expansions of existing employment basis in the marketplace. The dynamics of the northshore markets is phenomenal. Commissioner Trilling asked if the construction of the hotels is typically block or wood frame. Mr. Joyce stated the construction is typically concrete block bearing walls with pre-cast concrete planks. Commissioner Trilling asked how the Lincolnshire Hampton Inn differs from LaQuinta. Mr. Kingsbury stated the Hampton Inn rooms are smaller. Hampton Inn was originally the primary competitor of LaQuinta. This is,however,not true any longer. He stated they have surpassed them and they now target Courtyard and full service hotels as their primary competitors. The Hampton Inn was a wood frame construction and is a franchise operation. Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Regular Meeting-August 19, 1998-Page 12 Chairman Goldspiel asked how many employees will be required. Mr. Joyce stated the largest shift of employees is the day shift consisting of approximately a dozen employees. Chairman Goldspiel noted concern with the curb cut across Deerfield Parkway. He stated it will need to serve the shopping center across the way. He noted he wants to be satisfied that the island cut and turn lanes are being placed in the right area so that future development on the other parcel will be adequately served. Mr. Kingsbury stated they will be able to satisfy this request because their property is being built on a ground lease. The lessor is the same as the office tract to the west and the shopping center development area on the north side of Deerfield Parkway. There have been numerous discussions on this issue and they have agreed to work in concert with LaQuinta because there are two business uses to work with whereas LaQuinta only has one. Chairman Goldspiel summarized the questions which needing further discussion as follows: 1. Deerfield Parkway curb cut issue 2. Engineering issues, including stormwater runoff 3. Revised plan with proper setbacks and green space 4. Occupancy figures 5. Lighting plan 6. Tree study and impact on the south property line Mr. Loris asked if this plan will be allowed at a 61 foot height or even at a 51 foot height. Mr. Schwartz stated the annexation agreement provides for a 45 foot height and the product is 51 feet for the most part,with the elevator tower at 61 feet. He stated he would like to get some input from the Commission on their feelings concerning this issue which is critical to an development. The developer has stated they cannot build a 3-story building. Chairman Goldspiel stated he would need to see more information on the surrounding properties before he could make any kind of comments. Mr. Schwartz stated they will present topographical and site line studies of surrounding properties at the next meeting as well as the tree study. Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Regular Meeting-August 19, 1998-Page 13 CHAIRMAN'S REPORT Chairman Goldspiel noted an invitation to attend the naming of a locomotive as"Village of Buffalo Grove". FUTURE AGENDA SCHEDULE Mr. Pfeil stated the next regular meeting is scheduled for September 2, 1998. September 16, 1998 will be another meeting. PUBLIC COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS -None STAFF REPORT-None NEW BUSINESS Commissioner Krug stated his continuing work on the zoning sub-committee is trying to get a laundry list of permitted uses within one zoning district. ADJOURNMENT Moved by Commissioner Samuels,seconded by Commissioner Berman and carried unanimously to adjourn. Chairman Goldspiel adjourned the meeting at 10:45 p.m. Respectfully sub ed, Fa Ruby ,R cording Secretary APPROVED BY: 1 )2 4 14 4/ 7ST P EN GOLDSPIEL, Chairman Buffalo Grove Plan Commission-Regular Meeting-August 19, 1998-Page 14