Plan Commission

Village Hall Village of Lombard 255 East Wilson Ave. Lombard, IL 60148 villageoflombard.org Minutes Plan Commission Donald F. Ryan, Chairperson Commissioners: Ronald Olbrysh, Martin Burke, Ruth Sweetser, Andrea Cooper, Stephen Flint and John Mrofcza Staff Liaison: Jennifer Ganser Monday, January 26, 2015 7:30 PM Village Hall - Board Room Call to Order Acting Chairperson Flint called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Pledge of Allegiance Acting Chairperson Flint led the Pledge of Allegiance. Roll Call of Members Present 5 - Martin Burke, Ruth Sweetser, Andrea Cooper, John Mrofcza, and Stephen Flint Absent 2 - Donald F. Ryan, and Ronald Olbrysh Also present: Jennifer Ganser, Assistant Director of Community Development; Matt Panfil, AICP, Senior Planner, and Jason Guisinger, legal counsel to the Plan Commission. Acting Chairperson Flint called the order of the agenda. Ms. Ganser read the Rules of Procedures as written in the Plan Commission By-Laws. Public Hearings 150014 PC 15-01: 86 Eisenhower Lane North, Downers Grove Boxing and Martial Arts, LLC. Requests that the Village grant a conditional use, pursuant to Section 155.420 (C) (18) of the Zoning Ordinance, to allow for a Learning Center (indoor athletic training facility) within the I Limited Industrial District. (DISTRICT #3) Village of Lombard Page 1 Plan Commission Minutes January 26, 2015 Acting Chairperson Flint asked if any person would like to speak in favor or against this petition, or for public comment. Sworn in to present the petition was Jennifer Ganser, Assistant Director, and petitioners Gregory Eck and Tom Volvz. Acting Chairperson Flint read the Plan Commissions procedures and asked if anyone other than the petitioner intended to cross examine, and, hearing none, he proceeded with the petition. Mr. Eck stated that he and his partner began teaching martial arts about thirty years ago. They would like to move their business from Westmont to Lombard. They focus on one on one training and small group training. They are looking for additional square feet in this new location. There is ample parking. There will be no tournaments held on site. They noted martial arts teach discipline, respect for others, and the betterment of one’s self they believe this use would be in the best interest of the Village. Acting Chairperson Flint asked if any person would like to speak in favor or against this petition, or for public comment. Hearing none, he asked for the staff report. Ms. Ganser, Assistant Director of Community Development, presented the staff report, which was submitted to the public record in its entirety. The petitioners are proposing to operate to an indoor athletic training facility which is a conditional use in the industrial district. They are focused on small group training and this is not an assembly function. She noted that the building that houses 86 Eisenhower Lane North has multiple tenants that function as offices or warehouses. There have been four recent cases of indoor athletic training facilities in the industrial area. Most classes are held in the evenings and weekend which will not compete with parking during normal business hours. As noted, the building does have over one hundred (100) parking spaces. Staff finds the use acceptance with the conditions listed in the staff report. Acting Chairperson Flint asked for public comment, and, hearing none, opened the meeting for comments among the Commissioners. Commissioner Sweetser acknowledged the public input received and asked if condition two would keep all business activity inside. Ms. Ganser concurred that the employees and clients would need to keep all activity inside. Village of Lombard Page 2 Plan Commission Minutes January 26, 2015 A motion was made by Commissioner Burke, seconded by Commissioner Sweetser, to recommend to the Corporate Authorities approval of this petition subject to the conditions. 1. The conditional use permit for an indoor athletic training facility is exclusively for the tenant space at 86 Eisenhower Lane North. Any expansion of the establishment within the existing building beyond the plans submitted as part of PC 15-01 shall require an amendment to the conditional use; 2. All business activity associated with the indoor athletic facility shall be conducted within the existing building; 3. The petitioner shall satisfactorily address all comments noted within the Inter-Departmental Review Committee Report; 4. The parking lot shall be configured so as to meet all Illinois Accessibility Code requirements; and 5. This relief shall be valid for a period of one year from the date of approval of the ordinance. If the learning center is not established by said date, this relief shall be deemed null and void. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 5- Martin Burke, Ruth Sweetser, Andrea Cooper, John Mrofcza, and Stephen Flint Absent: 2- Donald F. Ryan, and Ronald Olbrysh Business Meeting The business meeting convened at 7:43 p.m. Approval of Minutes On a motion by Commissioner Mrofcza, and seconded by Commissioner Sweetser, the minutes of the December 15, 2014 meeting were approved. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 5- Martin Burke, Ruth Sweetser, Andrea Cooper, John Mrofcza, and Stephen Flint Absent: 2- Donald F. Ryan, and Ronald Olbrysh Public Participation There was no public participation. DuPage County Hearings There were no DuPage County hearings. Village of Lombard Page 3 Plan Commission Minutes January 26, 2015 Chairperson's Report The Chairperson deferred to the Assistant Director of Community Development. Planner's Report The Assistant Director of Community Development had no report. Unfinished Business There was no unfinished business. New Business There was no new business. Subdivision Reports There were no subdivision reports. Site Plan Approvals There were no site plan approvals. Workshops Highlands of Lombard Apartments Ms. Ganser introduced the workshop on a new multi-family building at the Highlands of Lombard. The proposed building would be between the CityView Apartment building and the Dump furniture store on a piece of land. The land is approximately three acres and zoned B3PD. The petitioner proposed 181 units. The building is proposed at 5 stories tall and would be accessed off Highland Avenue though the site is not visible from Butterflied Road of Highland Avenue. Staff brought forth this workshop to discuss the proposed building materials, and examples were passed out. The Planned Development requires that seventy percent (70%) of the building be of brick, stone, split face block, or cedar. In 2000, the CityView apartments received approval for a deviation of less than 70% of the required building materials on the north and west side of the building. Those sides are not seen from the street. Based on the proposed plans, the new building is mostly Hardie Board siding which would not meet the 70% requirement. Staff is seeking Plan Commission input on the building facades. Acting Chairperson Flint opened the meeting for comments among the Village of Lombard Page 4 Plan Commission Minutes January 26, 2015 Commissioners. Commissioner Burke confirmed that all four sides are not seen from the street and Ms. Ganser replied yes. He asked if the CityView deviation was given because the two sides did not face the street and Ms. Ganser replied yes. He added he would be comfortable with that for a new building. Commissioner Mrofcza asked if the thin-set brick would be considered brick. Ms. Ganser said yes, that thin-set brick is thinner but still considered brick. Commissioner Mrofcza asked what percentage of a deviation would be required and Ms. Ganser said that approximately 20% to 30% of the building would be brick or stone. He asked if they would want to deviate that far. Commissioner Sweetser asked about the durability of the new materials. She noted that the visibility is important like it was at the CityView apartments. Commissioner Burke asked who the development agreement was with and Ms. Ganser said it was the agreement for the Highlands of Lombard. The Commissioners discussed the cedar component of the agreement. Commissioner Burke asked what other materials the CityView Apartments used and Ms. Ganser said they also used Portland Cement. Mr. Larry Debb, explained the building layout. Ms. Ganser gave the Plan Commissioners more detail on the percentages of brick versus Hardie Board. Mr. Rankin, the project architect, noted the Hardie Board is a fabricated material and there will also be simulated cedar to look like cedar sliding. Ms. Ganser noted her percentages only account for brick and stone and the Hardie Board would require a deviation. Mr. Debb noted that Hardie Board is very durable. It is a stained product. Ms. Ganser clarified that the final development agreement in the Highlands of Lombard requires the exterior façade to be of certain materials, or receive a deviation from the Village Board. Village of Lombard Page 5 Plan Commission Minutes January 26, 2015 Mr. Debb noted the Hardie Board was not readily available in the past and that some communities do consider it to be a stone. Commissioner Burke said the new material of Hardie Board could take the place of the cedar. He said the brick, stone, and Hardie board is at 100% of the building. The Commissioners discussed this in relation to a deviation. Commissioner Sweetser asked if a deviation would still be required. Ms. Ganser said staff did not view the Hardie Board as a required material. Commissioner Sweetser clarified that the foundation is from the materials being passed around. Mr. Panfil noted that if the Commissioners wanted to add Hardie Board as an acceptable material the Planned Development Ordinance would need to be amended. Commissioner Flint asked if other development would come forward at the Highlands and Ms. Ganser said this is the last remaining vacant lot. The elevations were shown for clarification purposes. Commissioner Burke asked if the building was steel and the architect said yes. Text Amendment, Sign Ordinance (number of wall signs) Mr. Panfil presented the workshop Wall Signage, to the Plan Commission for informational purposes and discussion. Mr. Panfil began by stating the workshop is related to recent requests including the Famous Liquors petition heard in PC 14-37 regarding multiple wall signs. Generally the request originates in incorporating a logo into a business’s name or the façade of the building that has been updated to a narrow, horizontal design. He stated this image could be seen in the memo. Currently in the B Zoning Districts, only one wall sign is permitted per street front exposure or tenant space. Single tenants that occupy corner lots or tenants of multi-tenant centers that occupy the exterior corner of the shopping center are allowed an additional wall sign to face the second street exposure. The maximum allowable square footage of signage is determined by the tenant’s lineal footage along the street exposure of each street in this case. Staff conducted research on eighteen neighboring communities Village of Lombard Page 6 Plan Commission Minutes January 26, 2015 regarding regulations of wall signs. While more than half of the communities restrict the number of wall signs to one, as does the Village of Lombard, there appears to be a trend underway that other communities are moving away from this restriction by using a maximum square footage amount permitted. Mr. Panfil referred to the chart in the memo nothing the majority of the surrounding communities still follow the Lombard example while both Villa Park and Woodridge recently changed their code in order to accommodate logos and changes in font in sign designs. Over the past decade, a number of petitions have been heard by the Plan Commission and Village Board for final approval to allow for more than one wall sign per tenant space. Questions have arisen as staff has had to advise businesses that seeking zoning relief is the only option when attempting to design wall signs within the maximum allowable square footage. Mr. Panfil asked if the Village should specify the number of wall signs or should the approach be to divide the overall square footage into multiple signs but still need to meet the maximum size determined by existing formulas. Second, should the Village change the way the area of a sign is calculated. The sign area could be measured using the area of the smallest straight line geometric feature which can wholly enclose the surface area of the sign. In the event that the individual letters or insignis of a wall sign are attached directly to the wall and vary significantly in size, the sign area may be calculated using the smallest straight line geometric feature per word or insignias. Mr. Panfil stated this could be seen in Exhibit A. Finally, Mr. Panfil asked should these proposed amendments be extended to the Office Districts and Industrial Districts to allow multiple signs provided they do not exceed the maximum allowable square footage of tenant space. Acting Chairperson Flint opened the meeting for comments among the Commissioners. Commissioner Sweetser asked if this excludes the distance of the roadway. Mr. Panfil said it would maintain it and they are not looking to change it at this time. Commissioner Burke said in question two and looking the third example in Exhibit A, was fair and was okay with the measurement. He also said he would say yes to question number three. Village of Lombard Page 7 Plan Commission Minutes January 26, 2015 Mr. Panfil asked in question one if it’s okay to allow multiple signs provided the total square footage is still maintained when dividing them up. Commissioner Mrofcza and Commissioner Burke said yes. Commissioner Sweetser said yes to question one, two and three. Commissioner Cooper said for item number one to consider putting the maximum number signs, maybe two is appropriate. She said it could be divided up very small and then you end up with signage clutter. Commissioner Mrofcza stated that in order to be more accommodating we need to take a look at these periodically in consideration of the deviations that are being requested so that some of these businesses don’t have to come for such a small deviation. Mr. Panfil said he felt the discussion would help staff draft an ordinance. Adjournment A motion was made by Commissioner Sweetser, seconded by Commissioner Cooper, to adjourn the meeting at 8:32 p.m. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 5- Martin Burke, Ruth Sweetser, Andrea Cooper, John Mrofcza, and Stephen Flint Absent: 2- Donald F. Ryan, and Ronald Olbrysh __________________________ Stephen E. Flint, Vice Chairperson Lombard Plan Commission __________________________ Jennifer Ganser, Secretary Lombard Plan Commission Village of Lombard Page 8