PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION. Regular Meeting Monday, April 23, 2007 City Hall, City Council Chambers 505 Butler Place Park Ridge, Illinois

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1 CITY OF PARK RIDGE 505 BUTLER PLACE PARK RIDGE, IL TEL: 847/ FAX: 847/ TDD:847/ URL: DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY PRESERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION Regular Meeting Monday, April 23, 2007 City Hall, City Council Chambers 505 Butler Place Park Ridge, Illinois M I N U T E S Acting Chairman Funkhouser called the meeting to order at 7:32 p.m. A. Roll Call Present Staff C. Funkhouser (Acting Chairman) R. Derifield A. Abella-Austriaco C. Davis L. Arrigoni L.Kleiner B. Bono K. Uhlig A. Marr T. Provencher City Council A. Rifkind Ald. Crampton, Liaison D. Schmidt Mayor Frimark Absent None Others Approximately 35 citizens B. Approval of Minutes April 9, 2007 It was moved by A. Abella-Austriaco and seconded by D. Schmidt, that the minutes of the administrative session held on April 9, 2007, be approved. The Commission, by voice vote, unanimously approved the minutes. C. Development Cases 1. Case Number S-07-02: Final Plat of Knight/Stewart Resubdivision, 413 South Knight Avenue Carrie Davis reported that John and Heather Sullivan, applicants, request a Final Plat of Resubdivision at 413 South Knight Avenue. The proposed resubdivision would consolidate parts OUR MISSION: THE CITY OF PARK RIDGE IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING EXCELLENCE IN CITY SERVICES IN ORDER TO UPHOLD A HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE, SO OUR COMMUNITY REMAINS A WONDERFUL PLACE TO LIVE AND WORK.

2 of two lots into a single lot of record. The applicants request a variation to reduce the corner side yard setback along Stewart Avenue, which requires Commission approval. The subject property is located at the northeast corner of Knight and Stewart Avenues in Whitaker s Park Ridge Subdivision. The subject and surrounding properties contain single family houses. They are zoned R-1 Single Family Residential and have a Comprehensive Plan designation of Single Family Residential. Public facilities near the subject properties were examined. Adequate public utilities exist in the area to serve the site. Private utilities are located in the alley at the rear of the property. The Comprehensive Plan designates Knight and Stewart Avenues as local streets. Both streets have right-of-way widths of 66 feet and pavement widths of 22 feet. Subdivision Regulations require local streets to have minimum right-of-way widths of 66 feet and pavement widths of 32 feet, making the pavement width for both streets substandard. Because both streets already exist, they are considered adequate to serve the area and widening is not necessary. A variation, however, is necessary to allow the existing pavement widths to remain. Subdivision Regulations require final plats to show a front yard setback, which is along Knight Avenue for this property. To establish the front setback, the Zoning Ordinance states that the front setback must equal the average of the established front yard setbacks on the same block as the property. The average is 32 feet, which is shown on the final plat. The Subdivision Regulations also require a setback to be shown for the corner side yard. The corner side setback must be equal to the front yard setback, meaning that 32 feet should also be provided along Stewart Avenue. The applicant requests a reduced corner side setback of 14 feet, which would require a variation to the Subdivision Regulations. The applicants request is slightly more than the R-1 District requirement of 13.4 feet, resulting from 20 percent of the lot width or 15 feet, whichever is less. Heather and John Sullivan stated that the required 32 feet corner side yard setback along Stewart Avenue would be too restrictive for building purposes. A reduced setback of 14 feet was based on the R-1 District requirements in the Zoning Ordinance. Both Commissioners Rifkind and Bono asked if the corner side yard setback could be increased. Commissioner Rifkind asked about the setback along Stewart Avenue for the house across Knight Avenue and that perhaps the corner side setback for the subject property could be similar. Mr. Sullivan stated that the lot is 67 feet wide and a reduction would allow for wider house to be built. Commissioner Arrigoni asked why the corner side yard setback should be the same as the front setback on corner lots. Randall Derifield explained that the primary reason for requiring the corner side yard setback to equal the front yard setback is to discourage corner lots from being split into two so that they are much smaller, and encourage setbacks that are consistent with adjacent properties. In this case, the property across the alley to the east, and along Stewart Avenue has a setback of about 19 feet. The Commission typically approves variations to reduce corner setbacks for lots of about 50 feet wide to allow for a reasonable building envelope. Because the lot is wider than typical, this setback could be similar to the setback of the adjacent house on Stewart Avenue. The Commissioners requested information on the Stewart Avenue setback of the house across the street on Knight Avenue. The applicant agreed to have a surveyor prepare this information. No citizens wished to address the Commission concerning the application. 2

3 On a motion by A. Rifkind and seconded by D. Schmidt, the Commission AGREED to continue the Final Plat of Knight/Stewart Resubdivision at 413 South Knight Avenue, Zoning Case Number S until the May 29, 2007 meeting to allow the applicant an opportunity to obtain the setback information on the property across Knight Avenue. Vote on the motion was as follows: AYES 8 Commissioners Abella-Austriaco, Arrigoni, Bono, Funkhouser, Marr, Provencher, Rifkind, Schmidt NAYS 0_ None ABSENT 0_ None 2. Case Number SP-07-03: Site Plan Review for a drive-in at MB Financial Bank, 1014 Busse Highway Commissioner Bono recused himself from this case because he was the civil engineer for this project. Mr. Derifield reported that VRA Architects, applicant, requests a Site Plan Review to add a drivein banking facility to an existing MB Financial Bank at 1014 Busse Highway. The Commission originally considered a similar proposal on January 30, 2006, which, in addition to the drive-in facility, also included an addition to the bank. This request was continued, pending additional information from the applicant. Notification requirements for this case have been satisfied. The subject property, zoned B-3 with a Comprehensive Plan designation of General Commercial, formerly housed a service station and is currently vacant. To the northwest is the existing MB Financial Bank and other office uses. It is also zoned B-3 with a Comprehensive Plan designation of General Commercial. To the northeast and southwest of the property, the current use is multi-family residential and is zoned R-1, R-2 and R-4 with a Comprehensive Plan designation of Multi-Family Residential (High Density) and Multi-Family Residential respectively. The Dee Road Commuter Station is located to the southeast and is zoned B-3 with a Comprehensive Plan designation of Public Transportation Facility. The proposed drive-in canopy would meet the requirements of the B-3 General Commercial, Wholesale and Service District in which it is located (Section 8.04). The site plan shows that the setback along Busse is greater than the required setback of 17 feet and the setback along Oakton exceeds the required setback of seven feet. The maximum building height for the bank is 18 feet and 16 feet for the canopy, both of which are below the maximum height in the B-3 District of 40 feet. The proposed use is also allowed in the B-3 District. The existing parking areas would be reconfigured to improve access, on-site circulation and parking for the entire site. The project satisfies all the off-street parking requirements. The existing office space (including the current bank space) is approximately 6,100 gross square feet. This requires 20 parking spaces. The proposed plans show 26 spaces. The standards also require five reservoir (stacking) spaces for each drive-in lane, not including the space at the service window. The plans only show four, three and two for the three service lanes. The City Council approved a Variance to require a minimum of two reservoir spaces per lane. In addition, the draft Zoning Ordinance only requires two spaces per lane. 3

4 Parking lot screening is required for all new parking areas. The proposed parking area near the intersection of Busse and Oakton is screened with a masonry wall and plant material. The planting area and screening, along Busse in front of the existing Bank, must be maintained. The landscape screening is consistent with the existing Zoning Ordinance. The Appearance Commission approved the plans for the remodeling and the drive-in on January 18, The site is located within the Dee Park area. The City Council approved a Comprehensive Plan amendment in July 2004 to approve the Dee Park Plan. While the Plan recommends that a pharmacy or convenience store, preferably as part of a larger mixed-use project, would be ideal for the site, a bank and drive-in would be permitted and appropriate for the corner. Some of the recommendations in the Plan emphasize that parking be located along the railroad tracks and that new gateway design features, such as improving sidewalks, streetscape amenities and links to the train station, be incorporated near Oakton Street and the railroad tracks to make it more pedestrian friendly. The Plan also encourages new commercial developments to reflect an urban, rather than a suburban character, with buildings positioned close to the front property line and face the street. Mark Fruth, architect with VRA Architects and representing the applicant, described the existing property and the proposed project. He stated that the subject property consists of three lots of record, totaling 13,347 square feet. The property where the drive-in would be located is currently vacant and was previously occupied by a Citgo service station. The project would entail the construction of a drive-in with a canopy to an existing MB Financial Bank facility. The existing bank building is approximately 3,000 square feet. The existing site would be reconfigured to allow for one-way ingress/egress points and on-site circulation. Two existing ingress/egress points closest to the intersection of Busse Highway and Oakton Street would be eliminated. Six spaces would be provided in front of the existing building (including one handicapped space). The rear parking lot would remain and include three new spaces. Seven spaces would be added southeast of the new drive-in. The drive-in would have three lanes: two for tellers and one ATM. The lane closest to the building would have four reservoir (stacking) spaces. The next lane would have three spaces and two spaces by the ATM. New light fixtures would be installed in the driveways and parking areas. A refuse storage area would be located at the south corner of the existing bank building. Kening, Lindgren, O Hara, Aboona (KLOA) provided a traffic analysis for the project, dated August 16, The report notes that both Oakton Street and Busse Highway are under the jurisdiction of the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). Access to the drive-in facility is from Oakton, with only west bound vehicles being able to enter the site. East bound vehicles would not be allowed to make a left turn into the site. Access from Busse would be at the north end of the site, with the exit across from the drive-in lanes. KLOA estimated the morning peak hour traffic for the bank to be 40 trips with the evening peak hour traffic of 55 trips. The report concludes that the existing roadway system would have sufficient reserve capacity to accommodate the additional traffic generated and that the access and circulation system will provide safe efficient access to/from the site. Later KLOA commented on the adequacy of the reservoir stacking spaces in the drive-in lanes and the most recent site plan. Walter Strzalkowski, 1012 Parkwood Avenue, stated that he lives directly across the street from the ingress/egress point for the drive-in and was concerned that glare from the lights of the cars would shine into his house. The ingress/egress point would be wider than the width that was there with the previous gas station. He wanted to construct a six-foot high fence 30 feet long along his house to alleviate the glare, but the Zoning Ordinance does not allow fences in the front yard. MB Bank offered to pay for a fence on Mr. Strzalkowski s property. 4

5 Commissioner Schmidt asked about the hours of operation for the drive-in lanes. Mr. Fruth replied that the teller lanes would be open until 7:00 p.m. and the ATM lane would be open 24 hours. Commissioner Funkhouser indicated that the Commission understands Mr. Strzalkowski s situation that the Zoning Board of Appeals is the appropriate body to review a variance request for a fence in the front yard, if that is the approach the neighbor wishes to pursue. The Commission agreed that the improvements that MB Bank would make to the bank and the to the intersection, including the park, would be good for the area. The Commission understood the difficulty faced by the neighbor, but it was not the purview of the Commission to evaluate alternatives to mitigate the glare at the neighbor s house. Any variance request is to be made to the Zoning Board of Appeals. On a motion by A. Rifkind and seconded by L. Arrigoni, the Commission AGREED to approve the Site Plan Review for a drive-in facility at MB Financial Bank, 1014 Busse Highway, Zoning Case Number SP Vote on the motion was as follows: AYES 6 Commissioners Arrigoni, Funkhouser, Marr, Provencher, Rifkind, Schmidt NAYS 1 Commissioner Abella-Austriaco RECUSED _1_ Commissioner Bono ABSENT 0 None 3. Case Number SU-07-02: Special Use Amendment for Increased Building Height at Summit Square Retirement Residences, 10 North Summit Avenue Acting Chairman Funkhouser explained the public hearing process and swore in all witnesses interested in participating in the discussion for this case and who were not previously sworn in. Ms. Davis reported that Marc Dennison, applicant, submitted an application for a Special Use Amendment to allow increased building height, as part of the remodeling of the Summit Square Retirement Residences at 10 North Summit Avenue. An increase in the building height, approved as part of the original Special Use, requires a Special Use Amendment. Notification requirements for this case have been satisfied. The subject property is the Summit Square Retirement Residences. It is zoned B-5 and has a Comprehensive Plan designation of Mixed Use. To the north and east are mixed use retail and multi-family residences and have a Comprehensive Plan designation of Mixed Use. To the south is the Touhy Avenue triangle parking lot, zoned B-4 and designated as the Library Block in the Comprehensive Plan. On the west are townhouses, zoned B-5, with a Mixed Use designation in the Comprehensive Plan. On October 7, 1985, the City Council approved Ordinance Number for a Special Use to allow the construction of an addition to the existing Summit Square Retirement Residences. This Ordinance serves as the original Special Use for the facility and allows for a total of 213 dwelling units and at least 75 off-street parking spaces. The applicant proposes amending this Special Use to accommodate changes to the building. 5

6 Staff reviewed the Special Use application and accompanying documents. The elevations plans show that the existing building would be refaced with neutral colored brick, and enhancements made to the entrances and the roof. Staff evaluated the plans for compliance with the requirements of the B-5 District. The project would satisfy all the B-5 requirements, except for building height. The building would have an overall height of 70 feet to accommodate the tower element on the roof. This would exceed the maximum height of 40 feet allowed. The Appearance Commission reviewed the project at its March 15, 2007, meeting. The Commission stated that the renovation would add excitement and energy to the area, but continued the matter pending revisions by the applicant. The Commission suggested altering the public entrance at the corner of Touhy and Summit Avenues to make it more prominent. The west elevation should also be more prominent since it would serve as a gateway to Uptown. The roof design, including the taller tower element, should relate to the entrance below and both building facades. Windows should be added to the banquet hall on the west elevation to provide more detail and natural light. Material transitions should be reconsidered. The exhibits were entered into the record. Marc Dennison, applicant, stated that he plans to remodel the existing four-story retirement facility, including the below grade parking. According to elevation plans submitted by Facilities Solutions Group, the project would include remodeling the exterior of the building to provide a modernized appearance to the façade and improved units for tenants. An exception would be needed to allow the overall building height to reach 67 feet tall, in order to provide architectural detail on the roof. Mr. Dennison stated that the project would satisfy the three findings for a Special Use. First, the project would not endanger the public health, safety, morals or general welfare of the city, as the facility already exists, the use as a retirement and assisted living facility would not change and the improvements are intended to modernize the facility. Second, the project would be compatible with the surrounding properties, as the addition is designed to enhance the appearance of the existing building and complement the surrounding redevelopment. Third, the project would be consistent with the spirit of the Zoning Ordinance and Comprehensive Plan, even with the requested exception. The building height would be consistent with building heights elsewhere in Target Area 2 and the need for senior living is encouraged in the Comprehensive Plan. Several Commissioners had questions about the proposed 70-foot height of the building and whether it could be lowered to be more consistent with the Zoning Ordinance or the maximum height limited to the tower element only. The Commission noted that the height was consistent with the Uptown redevelopment. Ms. Davis clarified that the applicant would also be restricted to the plans approved as part of the Special Use and that they could not build out the entire roof height to 70 feet without amending the Special Use, because the roofline would not match the plans. Mr. Dennison added that the building is currently about 40 feet high. The architect designed the tower element to add architectural character to the building and add height, which would be more compatible with the adjacent redevelopment. No citizens wished to address the Commission concerning the application. It was moved by A. Marr and seconded by A. Abella-Austriaco that the Commission close the public hearing. On a voice vote, the motion carried. 6

7 On a motion by L. Arrigoni and seconded by D. Schmidt, the Commission agreed to have the applicant explore alternatives for the height of the structure so that the height of the building is not increased. Commissioner Rifkind asked Commissioner Marr if architectural alternatives were available regarding the height. Commissioner Marr said that alternatives were available. Mr. Derifield reiterated that the current proposed motion would require the existing parapet to be at or above 40 feet and would not allow it to be taller. The motion was withdrawn at the request of Commissioners Arrigoni and Schmidt. The Commissioners agreed that they would like to limit the approval to the specific plans that were presented for this case, so that other areas of the building would not be allowed at the same height. The tower feature should more closely match the height requirement of the Zoning Ordinance or, perhaps, 60 feet would be appropriate. The building should not be taller than the new buildings going up as part of the Target Area 2 redevelopment. On a motion by A. Marr and seconded by A. Rifkind, the Commission AGREED to continue the Special Use Amendment for increased building height at Summit Square Retirement Residences at 10 North Summit Avenue, Zoning Case Number SU-07-02, to the May 29, 2007, meeting. Vote on the motion was as follows: AYES 8 Commissioners Abella-Austriaco, Arrigoni, Bono, Funkhouser, Marr, Provencher, Rifkind, Schmidt NAYS 0 None ABSENT 0 None 4. Case Number PUD-06-02: Preliminary Planned Mixed Use Development, 225 West Touhy Avenue; and 1 and 111 South Washington Avenue Commissioner Rifkind stated that she is currently employed by a real estate company doing a market study for Presbyterian Homes and was advised by the City Attorney that she did not have a conflict of interest by participating in the discussion for this case. Acting Chairman Funkhouser explained the public hearing process and swore in all witnesses interested in participating in the discussion for this case and who were not previously sworn in. Ms. Davis stated that Park Ridge 2004, LLC, applicant, requests a Preliminary Planned Mixed Development to construct a multi-family residential project at Touhy Avenue and South Washington Avenue in the area referred to as Executive Plaza. This public hearing will be the seventh meeting that the Commission has had on this matter. The Commission continued the hearing for this case at the March 12, 2007, meeting, so the applicant could further explore options for reducing height and residential density, and provide more details on the proposed senior housing. 7

8 The subject property consists of three parcels totaling 5.48 acres and includes 225 West Touhy Avenue, and 1 and 111 South Washington Avenue. The applicant eliminated the 101 South Washington property from the project. The Polish Women s Alliance building is not and has never been part of the project. The plans include 50 units of senior housing along Touhy (to be operated by Presbyterian homes), 126 multi-family residential units off Washington Avenue on the southern portion of the site, and the removal of all commercial uses. With these proposed changes to the plans, the applicant has eliminated the required business use for a planned mixed use development. The residences would not comply with the following Zoning Ordinance requirements, including height (for multi-family only), overall density and setbacks. The figures for parking are inconclusive. To offset areas of the plans that do not comply with the Zoning Ordinance, the applicant proposes three community amenities for the Commission to consider. One is the senior housing to be operated by Presbyterian Homes. The second is for a nearly one-acre public park above the underground stormwater detention for Executive Plaza, along with new plantings and a playground. The third includes several traffic improvements. The applicant submitted revised information on utilities and traffic to further illustrate possible improvements. The exhibits were entered into the record. John Owens, with Owens, Owens and Rinn, and attorney for the applicant, introduced a letter endorsing the developer s plan from John Summerfield, owner of the building at 101 South Washington Avenue, into the record as Exhibit 24. Jennifer Tammen, director of planning for Park Ridge 2004, LLC, stated that revised plans include an all residential development, with no commercial uses. The senior housing component of the project would consist of 50 condominium in two buildings of three stories each on the northern part of the site along Touhy Avenue. Three multi-family residential buildings, containing a total 126 condominium and four stories high, would be located on the south portion of the property off Washington Avenue. Ms. Tammen identified three proposed community amenities for the Commission to consider to help offset the request for density. One is the senior housing to be operated by Presbyterian Homes. The second is for a nearly one-acre public park above the underground stormwater detention for Executive Plaza, along with new plantings and a playground. The third includes improvements to major intersections and right-of-way dedications surrounding the property. Fred Schroeder, engineer with Kenig, Lindgren, O Hara, Aboona, Inc. (KLOA), stated that typically, senior housing developments would generate much less traffic during the peak hours than other multi-family housing. The total anticipated traffic would generate 30 percent less than the office uses, if operating at full capacity. The curb cuts would be reduced to one along Washington Avenue and one along Touhy Avenue. Mike Breclaw, architect with OKW Architects, stated that the three story senior housing buildings would be connected by a two-story activity center in the middle. The multi-family residences would step back from two stories to four stories to reduce the mass of the buildings. Mr. Owens stated that the plan would require a few exceptions to the Zoning Ordinance. These would include an exception for the building setbacks along Touhy and Washington as well as the rear yard. The maximum building height allowed in the O-1 District is 40 feet. The Planned Development regulations allow the City to consider a maximum increase of 50 percent up to an additional 20 feet, resulting in a total of 60 feet. The applicant proposes the senior residences at 38 feet, eight inches tall and the multi-family condominium buildings at 48-feet, 10 inches tall. While four-story buildings are allowed towards the center of Executive Plaza, as is the case with 8

9 the multi-family buildings, an exception is required for this, as well as the increased density. However, the applicant proposes the three public amenities to offset these requests. Several residents commented on the project. Many were concerned with the proposed height, density and traffic this project could generate. They were pleased that the developer had scaled back the original plans, but the current proposal still exceeds some zoning requirements and that the proposed public amenities may not be sufficient to offset the requests for increased height and density. Others were concerned about who would be responsible for maintaining the park area. One resident wanted to see more coordination of services offered to the seniors when they require additional care. On a motion by A. Rifkind and seconded by A. Marr, the Commission AGREED to continue the Preliminary Planned Mixed Use Development at 225 West Touhy Avenue and 1 and 111 South Washington Avenue, Zoning Case Number PUD-06-02, until the May 29, 2007, meeting. Vote on the motion was as follows: AYES 7 NAYS 1 Commissioners Abella-Austriaco, Arrigoni, Funkhouser, Marr, Provencher, Rifkind, Schmidt Commissioner Bono ABSENT 0 None D. Other Items for Discussion Randall Derifield noted that this was the last Planning and Zoning Commission meeting for Alderman Crampton and David Schmidt. He thanked them for their service to the City. E. Citizens Wishing to be Heard on Non-Agenda Items - None F. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 10:50 p.m. PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION Date Cynthia Funkhouser, Acting Chairman Laura Kleiner_ Laura Kleiner, Recording Secretary 9