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, Stephen Flint, John Mrofcza and Leigh Giuliano Staff Liaison: Jennifer Ganser Monday, June 17, 2019 7:00 PM Village Hall - Board Room Call to Order Commissioner Sweetser called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Pledge of Allegiance Commissioner Sweetser led the Pledge of Allegiance Roll Call of Members Present 6 - Ronald Olbrysh, Martin Burke, Ruth Sweetser, John Mrofcza, Stephen Flint, and Leigh Giuliano Absent 1 - Donald F. Ryan Also present: William Heniff, AICP, Director of Community Development, Jennifer Ganser, AICP, Assistant Director of Community Development; Jason Guisinger, legal counsel to the Plan Commission. Commissioner Sweeter called the order of the agenda. Ms. Ganser read the Rules of Procedures as written in the Plan Commission By-Laws Public Hearings 190260 PC 19-14: 101-109 S. Main Street - Lilac Station The petitioner requests that the Village take the following actions on the subject property, located within the B5PD Central Business District Planned Development: Village of Lombard Page 1 Plan Commission Minutes June 17, 2019 1. Repeal Ordinances 4646 and 4654 in their entirety, which established a planned development with companion zoning variations and zoning deviations; 2. Approve a zoning conditional use for a new planned development with the following companion conditional uses, variations, and deviations from the Village Code: Building: a. A zoning conditional use pursuant to Section 155.418(C) of the Village Code to allow for outside display and sales of products (outdoor dining); b. A zoning deviation from Section 155.418(G) of the Village Code to allow for an increase in the maximum building height from forty-five feet (45’) to fifty feet (50’); c. A zoning variation from Section 155.418(J) of the Village Code to eliminate the transitional building setback for the mixed-use/residential building; d. A use exception pursuant to Section 155.508(B) of the Village Code to allow for dwelling units on the first floor; e. A zoning variation from Section 155.508(C)(6)(a) of the Village Code to allow for a reduction of the required front yard along Parkside Avenue to one foot (1’) from thirty feet (30’) for a planned development abutting the R2 Single-Family Residence District; Parking: f. A zoning deviation from Section 155.602, Table 6.3 of the Village Code to allow for a reduction of the required number of off-street parking spaces from 1.5 spaces per dwelling unit to 1.2 spaces per dwelling unit, for the residential portion of the development; g. A zoning deviation from Section 155.602(A)(5)(a) of the Village Code to allow the option for compact space width of 8’3” for the residential portion of development, where 9’ width is required; Landscaping/Fencing: h. A zoning variation from Section 155.205(A)(2)(f)(iii) of the Village Code for a fence or wall in the B5 District exceeding six feet (6”) in height; i. A zoning variation from Section 155.418(K), Section 155.508(C)(6)(b), Section 155.707(B)(3), Section 155.707(A)(3), and Section 155.709(B) of the Village Code to allow for the elimination of the transitional Village of Lombard Page 2 Plan Commission Minutes June 17, 2019 landscape yard improvements (on the east side), including fencing, and perimeter lot landscaping; j. A zoning variation from Section 155.706 of the Village Code to eliminate the interior and perimeter parking lot landscaping requirement; k. A zoning variation from Section 155.709(B) of the Village Code to eliminate the requirement to provide one (1) shade tree for every seventy-five (75) lineal feet of required perimeter lot landscaping; 3. Grant site plan approval authority to the Lombard Plan Commission. Sworn in to present the petition was Drew Mitchell, Chris Walsh, Osvaldo Pastrana, Javier Millan, William Heniff, Community Development Director and Jennifer Ganser, Assistant Director. Commissioner Flint recused himself as he is a member and owner at Prairie Food Co-op. He left the dais. Ms. Ganser read the Plan Commission rules and procedures and an introductory statement. Commissioner Sweetser read the Plan Commission procedures and asked if anyone other than the petitioner intended to cross examine and, hearing none, proceeded with the petition. Mr. Mitchell introduced himself and the team from Holladay Properties. He said this will be a dynamic transit orientated (TOD) development project. He said there are 118 units, parking, 3,700 square feet for a restaurant, and 11,000 square feet of commercial space for Prairie Food Co-op. He described the apartment amenities. Mr. Walsh reviewed a powerpoint. He discussed the site plan. He said the residents will enter and exit on Parkside. He said the building was shifted based on comments at the ECDC meetings. He showed how the building is stepped back to be two stories on the east side. The trash is inside the garage. Mr. Mitchell said they are being sensitive to the residents to the east and added that balconies were removed that would have overlooked the single-family homes. He discussed the Envoy electric car sharing, bike spaces and repair equipment, and tandem parking spaces. He noted these features help discourage car ownership. Mr. Walsh reviewed the two-level parking garage and Village of Lombard Page 3 Plan Commission Minutes June 17, 2019 outdoor dining. Mr. Mitchell said the outdoor dining will help activate the corner. Mr. Walsh discussed the first-floor residences and noted there will be vegetation to shield the balconies from the street. He reviewed the floor plans. He showed the color renderings of the apartment and commercial building. Mr. Mitchell said Holladay partnered with Prairie Food Co-op at the start of the RFP. They want to provide a building that is functional and economical. Mr. Walsh reviewed the elevations and noted they may add medallions like the DuPage Theatre and the Eat Sign. Mr. Pastrana reviewed the stormwater detention. He said there will be an underground detention vault under the parking lot. The parking lot will be same elevation to accept drainage from the east. They will retain stormwater from the south using roof drains. Commissioner Sweetser asked if any person would like to speak in favor or against this petition, or for public comment. Mr. Tristan Wilson said he lives on South Charlotte. He submitted comments on podium construction. He said he then met with Village staff and were very impressed with their Codes. He thanked staff for keeping the residents involved. Ms. Andrea Dierich said she lives on the 100 block of South Charlotte. She has comments on landscaping and impervious surface, and soil type with pollution. She is concerned about the setback along Parkside and the noted the reduced sidewalks could impact pedestrian access. She mentioned the outdoor seating could impact pedestrian access. She said the grading is on an incline and is concerned about the height of the building. She noted there are many tall buildings in downtown Lisle and it looks closed in. Ms. Megan Harte said she is a Lombard resident, spoke on behalf of Prairie Food Co-op, and is a licensed architect. She is concerned about deliveries. They will not be able to get a full-size semi-truck on the site. She said the traffic report shows areas of conflict. She said it’s not an operational issue and will receive this size truck 1-3 times a week for 45 minutes. Mr. Al Schiewe said he lives on Maple. He is concerned about the building height and that it may block sunlight or set a precedent for taller buildings. He asked how tall the fence will be and will it be on a wall. He noted much of the landscaping is eliminated, but the project is called Lilac Station and that Lombard was declared a Tree City a few Village of Lombard Page 4 Plan Commission Minutes June 17, 2019 years ago. Mr. Jacob Nurczyk said he is concerned about the number of residents. He looked online and saw approximately 35 available properties. He is concerned about demand. He said the development in Downers Grove was 89 units and on a similar sized lot. Mr. Mitchell thanked the public for their comments. He said they will comply with all Village Codes. Mr. Walsh said from back of curb to the building is 10.5’ from the sidewalk to a tree is 6.6’. He said this is comparable to the rest of downtown Lombard. Parkside is 14.5’ from the edge of the curb to the building. He said some existing trees will need to be moved. Currently part of the sidewalk is on private property. He said this project is in a dense downtown area and they want to balance the trees with parking. He said prairie grasses were added on the east side near the residences. Mr. Mitchell spoke regarding Prairie Food Co-op and said the site can be challenging. The project will need to be financed and they can’t design a building with a single user, that would increase their risk. He said he believes Prairie Food Co-op can work with their vendors on deliveries. He noted the project in Downers Grove is only 1.2 acres but is 70’ tall. He said this building matches the scale of downtown Lombard. They were projected to lease 10 units a month in Downers Grove but filled it in four months. Lilac Station is projected to lease 8 units a month. He said this type of project of luxury apartments doesn’t exist in downtown Lombard. Mr. Walsh said the fence around the trash area will be taller. Mr. Heniff said it can be 8’ tall. Mr. Andy Lynch said he lives on South Charlotte and has concerns on the setback on the east side, light pollution, windows overlooking yards, and asked if the greenspace/deck on the east side is for apartment residents only. Ms. Deb Curtis said she is speaking on behalf of Brust Funeral Home. They are concerned about the setback on the east side, commuter parking, and stormwater. Mr. Walsh said they are allowed a zero-foot setback on the east by right. They moved the platform back 5’ for the podium. He said there will be a fence on the property line. Mr. Mitchell said the amenity deck can sheet drain to the stormwater system. It is exclusive to the residents of the building. He said no balconies face east and will explore the balcony lighting. Mr. Pastrana said they are capturing the water that goes thru the property now. He said the lot to the south is Village of Lombard Page 5 Plan Commission Minutes June 17, 2019 very flat but they can work with the neighboring property owners. Commissioner Sweetser asked if any person would like to speak in favor or against this petition, or for public comment. Hearing none, she asked for the staff report. Ms. Ganser presented the staff report, which was submitted to the public record in its entirety along with an email received after the packet went out. Holladay Properties is proposing to develop two buildings. The first building would consist of 118 residential apartment units and approximately 3,000-4,000 square feet of commercial space with outdoor seating. The second building would be approximately 11,000 square feet envisioned for a grocery store, with an outdoor area. The apartment units have below grade parking, while the commercial tenants have a surface parking lot with seventy (70) spaces. A neighborhood open house was held on May 29, 2019 to discuss the plan with interested residents. Currently the property is a Metra commuter parking lot, owned by the Village. In 2015 the Village expanded the Hammerschmidt lot on East St Charles to account for the loss of spaces at 101 S Main. The Village is currently renovating the Central Station Reservoir parking area and adding additional spaces for Metra commuters. IDRC comments are noted in the staff report and the petitioner will address those in final permitting. The petitioner will need to follow the DuPage County Stormwater Ordinance, as well as Village Code amendments. The petitioner has included building elevations and perspective building plans. The residential building will be mostly masonry/brick. The commercial building will also be mostly masonry/brick with stone, aluminum, and aluminum panels for design aesthetics. The residential building will be stepped down to two-stories as it nears the existing single-family homes on Parkside and Charlotte. The Plan Commission has a revised site plan, garage plan, and floor plan from Holladay Properties. As noted in the staff report, they are allowing for a 5’ setback along the eastern property line. The number of units and parking spaces remains the same, but a few units became smaller in square footage. This will allow for a buffer between the existing residences. The area will be landscaped and include a fence. The fence variance will give the petitioner flexibility to install a taller Village of Lombard Page 6 Plan Commission Minutes June 17, 2019 fence if the neighbors to the east desire. The staff report reviews each request for zoning relief and provides rationale. Staff will continue to work with the petitioner, should the project be approved, regarding fencing and landscaping. The parking for the commercial component meets and exceeds Code. A variance is requested for the residential building. All residential parking will be underground the apartment building. Staff is recommending, as a condition of approval, that a cross access and cross park agreement be recorded against the property. This will ensure that when the property changes ownership, provisions will be in place to protect the tenants and the parking. The Village’s traffic consultant, KLOA, reviewed the proposed improvements and prepared a traffic study. It is recommended that the access drives for the commercial portion work as a one-way pair with the northern access drive restricted to outbound traffic only and the southern access drive restricted to inbound traffic only. KLOA also reviewed the turning radius for two different truck sizes. Staff recommends that three spaces are removed for flexibility with deliveries from trucks. Staff supports the petition with the conditions in the staff report. Mr. Heniff introduced Mr. Millan with KLOA. Mr. Millan discussed the traffic counts and noted they did counts at seven areas. He said the report considered a 2.5% regional growth increase to reflect potential conditions in 2024. It reassessed the commuter parking and the Library proposal. He said the intersections are operating at an acceptable level of service. Signal timing may need to be adjusted. He said this will be a TOD and the development promotes walking, biking, and public transportation. He said 53% of households within one mile of a train have one car or less. He reviewed other new apartment buildings and their parking; this development is comparable. He reviewed the commercial parking lot and noted the WB-65 truck may encroach on some parking spaces. He advised for deliveries to be when the store is not open as the truck could maneuver without other cars. Mr. Heniff noted that Main Street is scheduled for resurfacing in 2020 and Public Works will coordinate with the developer. A pedestrian signal may be added. Village of Lombard Page 7 Plan Commission Minutes June 17, 2019 Mr. Schiewe asked if the traffic report considered how many new residents would take Parkside to Charlotte to Maple. Mr. Millan said trips are from the ITE book. The numbers don’t assume people could take public transit. He said there would be approximately 26 vehicles leaving the building during peak morning hours. He said the queue is usually four vehicles and doesn’t see people making the right to get to Maple. Ms. Dierich said she is concerned the traffic report was done the week of Memorial Day when school was out. Mr. Millan said he did another traffic report for the Village on Park Avenue and compared those traffic counts. This report was higher by 1%. He said he is comfortable with the numbers. Ms. Dierich said her comments on pollution weren’t addressed and Commissioner Sweetser said she would note that. Commissioner Burke said he is ok with the project as a whole. He believes that the landscaping and deliveries should be discussed, and the petitioner should limit the balcony lighting. Commissioner Olbrysh said he has a favorable reaction. He asked staff to explain the Metra Commuter spaces. Ms. Ganser noted that the Hammerschmidt lot was expanded with a redevelopment for 101 S. Main Street in mind. Additional spaces were added near the Fire Station as well. Lastly, those with parking permits for 101 S. Main Street were notified and asked to move to a different lot. Commissioner Burke said he would like to amend condition five and add two additions. Mr. Heniff noted there is a balance between landscaping and parking. He noted the additional landscaping the petitioner added on the east side. Commissioner Burke asked if a fire truck could access the lot. Mr. Heniff said a large fire truck would park on Main or Parkside if there was a large fire. Commissioner Burke noted there is a lot of parking and maybe some could be blocked off on delivery days. Mr. Heniff asked if the petitioner had any concerns with the new and amended conditions and Mr. Mitchell said no. Mr. Heniff said that loading or unloading on Main Street is prohibited. On a motion by Commissioner Burke, and a second by Commissioner Olbrysh, the Plan Commission voted 5-0-1 to recommend that the Village Board approve the petition associated with PC 19-14, subject to the following twelve (12) conditions, with the fifth condition modified and the eleventh and twelfth conditions added by Commissioner Burke: 1. That the petitioner shall develop the site in accordance with plans submitted as part of this request except as may be changed for final Village of Lombard Page 8 Plan Commission Minutes June 17, 2019 engineering and building permit approval and the following conditions below. 2. That the petitioner shall satisfactorily address all comments noted within the Inter-Departmental Review Committee Report. 3. The petitioner shall apply for and obtain a building permit for any development activity on the subject property. 4. Construction shall begin within one (1) year from the date of approval of the ordinance, unless otherwise extended by the Village Board. 5. Lighting on the residential portion of the building, including balconies, shall be shielded so that all illumination is directed toward the building and away from adjacent properties. 6. The property will have a cross park and cross access easement recorded against the two (2) parcels that comprise the subject property. 7. All outdoor trash collection areas shall be screened on all four (4) sides, with a masonry/concrete wall the same materials as the principal building or a fence constructed with the same material as other fencing on the subject property. 8. Upon a request by the Village, the petitioner shall provide a final fence plan to include a fence along the east property line that shall be eight feet (8’) tall and of a solid material. Said fence shall be constructed per the approved plan. 9. The two (2) commercial drive-ways on Main Street shall be one way in and one way out, as noted in the traffic report by KLOA. 10. Per the updated plans, the residential building will be pushed back five feet (5’) to the west to allow for a transitional building setback. 11. The petitioner shall work with staff on increasing landscaping throughout the project. 12. The petitioner shall work with staff on deliveries by semi-truck for the Co-op building. The motion was carried by the following votes: Aye: 5- Ronald Olbrysh, Martin Burke, Ruth Sweetser, John Mrofcza, and Leigh Giuliano Abstain: 1- Stephen Flint Absent: 1- Donald F. Ryan Business Meeting Approval of Minutes A motion was made by Commissioner Flint, seconded by Commissioner Burke, the minutes of the May 20, 2019 meeting were approved. The motion carried by the following vote: The motion carried by the following vote Aye: 6- Ronald Olbrysh, Martin Burke, Ruth Sweetser, John Mrofcza, Stephen Flint, and Leigh Giuliano Absent: 1- Donald F. Ryan Public Participation Village of Lombard Page 9 Plan Commission Minutes June 17, 2019 There was no public participation DuPage County Hearings There are no DuPage County hearings 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 There were no workshops Adjournment A motion was made by Commissioner Flint, seconded by Commissioner Mrofcza, to adjourn the meeting at 8:56 p.m. The motion passed by a unanimous vote Village of Lombard Page 10 Plan Commission Minutes June 17, 2019 _______________________ Donald F. Ryan, Chairperson Lombard Plan Commission __________________________ Jennifer Ganser, Secretary Lombard Plan Commission Village of Lombard Page 11